| Clients' Security Fund of Ohio 65 South Front Street, 5th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215-3431 |
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Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Phone: 614.387.9390 or 800.231.1680 (in Ohio only) Administrator: Janet Green Marbley |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janet Green Marbley
614.387.9390
COLUMBUS, OHIO (December 7, 2001) -- The Board of Commissioners of the Clients' Security Fund of Ohio (CSF) met on Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 and awarded $202,609.21 to 26 victims of attorney theft. Ten former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated their clients' funds.
A former client of Cuyahoga County attorney Daniel T. Todt was reimbursed $1,000.00 as a result of Mr. Todt's failure to provide requested legal services. Todt was found shot to death on June 9, 2001, along with his wife and two children following what was reported to have been a murder/suicide. Prior to his death, the Supreme Court of Ohio had issued an interim remedial suspension of Mr. Todt's license to practice law, pending final disposition of disciplinary proceedings.
The CSF Board also awarded $2,950.00 to a former client of Attorney Dea L. Character, aka Dea Character-Floyd, also of Cuyahoga County. On Sept. 30, 1998, Ms. Character was suspended from the practice of law for six months, which was stayed provided that she make restitution to her former clients.
Former clients of two Franklin County attorneys received awards from the CSF. A former client of Gahanna attorney David A. Morton was awarded $845.00 as a result of Mr. Morton's failure to provide the requested legal services. On May 12, 2000, Morton entered a guilty plea to theft charges in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. On Aug. 1, 2000, the Supreme Court of Ohio accepted Mr. Morton's resignation from the practice of law with discipline pending. Three former clients of suspended Franklin County attorney John J. Connors, Jr. were awarded a total of $3,000.00 as a result of Connors' failure to provide the services requested.
The CSF awarded a total of $1,150.00 to three former clients of disbarred attorney Alfred Dahling as a result of his failure to provide the requested legal services. Mr. Dahling, a former judge who is now deceased, practiced law in Ashtabula, Lake and Trumbull counties. Mr. Dahling lost his license to practice law in Ohio on Oct. 25, 2000.
Former Geauga County attorney William R. Arnold accepted fees from five of his clients but failed to provide the requested legal services. His former clients were awarded a total of $12,711.00 as a result of Mr. Arnold's dishonest conduct.
In Hamilton County, a former client of former Cincinnatiattorney Chuck Ray Stidham received an award of $5,835.00 as a result of Mr. Stidham's dishonest conduct. Mr. Stidham resigned from the practice of law, with discipline pending, on Feb. 12, 2001.
Four former clients of suspended Mahoning County attorney Richard Goldberg were awarded a total of $117,268.21 as a result of his theft of their funds. In June 1999, Goldberg was indicted by a federal grand jury. In August 1999, Goldberg pled guilty to charges that he defrauded at least $4.4 million from 23 clients between 1993 and 1999. Mr. Goldberg was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and he is currently incarcerated. He was also ordered to make restitution to his former clients.
Suspended Montgomery County attorney Fuad B. Nasrallah accepted fees from four of his former clients but failed to provide the services requested. The CSF Board awarded a total of $7,940.00 as a result of his dishonest conduct. Mr. Nasrallah was suspended from the practice of law on Oct. 19, 2000.
Two clients of former Stark County attorney Edwin Davila were awarded a total of $49,000.00 as a result of Davila's dishonest conduct. In January 1999, Davila was convicted of money laundering resulting in the immediate suspension of his license to practice law in Ohio. Davila later submitted his resignation and surrendered his law license on Oct. 19, 2000.
The CSF was created in 1985 by the Supreme Court of Ohio to compensate victims of attorney theft. The CSF is not taxpayer funded, but funded entirely by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney. Since its inception, the Fund has awarded over $5 million to Ohio consumers who were victims of attorney theft.
The CSF is urging the enactment of legislation aimed at preventing attorney theft in insurance claims. This legislation, known as payee notification, would require insurance companies to notify law clients when they issue settlement checks to their attorney. The CSF has awarded over $1 million as a result of the theft of client settlement checks.
Law clients who believe they have sustained financial losses resulting from attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation should contact the CSF by calling 614.387.9390 or 800.231.1680 toll free in Ohio.
• 65 South Front Street Columbus, Ohio 43215-3431 •