Clients' Security Fund

41 Victims of Attorney Theft Awarded More Than $290,000 By Clients' Security Fund
Lawyers' Fund Has Awarded Over $5 Million to Consumers Since Inception

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janet Green Marbley
614.387.9390

COLUMBUS, OHIO (June 17, 2002) -- The Board of Commissioners of the Clients' Security Fund of Ohio (CSF) met on Friday, June 14, 2002 and awarded $290,287.45 to 41 victims of attorney theft. Sixteen former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated their clients' funds.

An estate represented by former Dayton, Ohio attorney Robert L. Seeley was reimbursed $50,000, the fund's maximum award amount, as a result of Mr. Seeley's misappropriation of over $200,000 in estate assets. Under a plea agreement entered earlier this year, Seeley pled guilty to two counts of theft involving losses of $305,000. The CSF Board also reimbursed a total of $25,041 to 11 former clients of disbarred Dayton, Ohio attorney Fuad B. Nasrallah. Mr. Nasrallah accepted fees from his clients but failed to provide the services requested. Mr. Nasrallah was permanently disbarred from the practice law in Ohio on Oct. 19, 2000.

The CSF Board also awarded $50,000 to former clients of disbarred Youngstown, Ohio attorney Richard Goldberg as a result of his misappropriation of their settlement proceeds. 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.

The CSF Board of Commissioners reimbursed former clients of four Cleveland, Ohio attorneys. Six former clients of Les Evan Rockmael were reimbursed following the Board's determination that Mr. Rockmael misappropriated more than $90,000 from bank accounts opened for his clients. The Board reimbursed $150 to a former client of suspended attorney Leonette Cicirella; $2,883.92 to a former client of Susan M. Glatki; and $200 to a former client of Edward F. Katalinas. The Board determined that Ms. Cicirella and Mr. Katalinas failed to provide the legal services requested, and that Ms. Glatki failed to disburse funds owed to her client. The Supreme Court of Ohio permanently disbarred Mr. Rockmael, Mr. Katalinas, and Ms. Glatki from the practice of law in Ohio.

Former Geauga County attorney William R. Arnold accepted fees from four of his clients but failed to provide the requested legal services. The CSF Board also determined that Mr. Arnold misappropriated escrow funds belonging to one of his clients. The Board awarded a total of $50,075 to five of Mr. Arnold's former law clients. Mr. Arnold's resignation from the practice of law was accepted on Aug. 1, 2000. Several grievances were pending against Mr. Arnold at the time of his resignation.

Suspended attorney Martin Watson, IV and disbarred attorney J. Andrew Keplar, both of Cincinnati, Ohio, were determined to have engaged in dishonest conduct resulting in losses to three of their former clients. The CSF Board reimbursed $2,125 as a result of Watson's failure to provide the legal services requested. The Supreme Court of Ohio indefinitely suspended Mr. Watson from the practice of law in Ohio on July 18, 2001. The CSF Board of Commissioners also awarded $9,477 to a former client attorney J. Andrew Keplar. Mr. Keplar failed to disburse and account for funds held on behalf of his client. On Aug. 15, 2001, the Supreme Court of Ohio permanently disbarred Mr. Keplar from the practice of law in Ohio.

Clients of two former Columbus, Ohio attorneys were also reimbursed by the Clients' Security Fund. A couple who hired former attorney T. Brent Newman was awarded $350 as a result of Mr. Newman's failure to provide the legal services requested. A client of former attorney David A. Morton was awarded $5,000 as a result of Mr. Morton's failure to account for assets belonging to an estate. Morton entered a guilty plea to theft charges in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. The Supreme Court of Ohio accepted both Mr. Newman's and Mr. Morton's resignation from the practice of law. Neither Newman nor Morton is eligible to return to the practice of law in Ohio.

The CSF reimbursed a total of $1,782 to five former clients of disbarred attorney Alfred Dahling as a result of his failure to provide the legal services requested. Mr. Dahling, a former judge who is now deceased, practiced law in Ashtabula, Lake and Trumbull c ounties. Mr. Dahling lost his license to practice law in Ohio on Oct. 25, 2000.

A former client of suspended Stark County attorney Timothy W. Watkinswas awarded $825 as a result of Mr. Watkins' failure to provide the legal services requested. Mr. Watkins was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio on Dec. 19, 2001.

A former client of suspended attorney Thomas Christopher Brown of Geneva, Ohio was reimbursed $500 for Mr. Brown's failure to provide the legal services requested. Mr. Brown was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law on Nov. 7, 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.