The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection has awarded $14,866 to seven victims of attorney theft. Six former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds.

Cuyahoga County
The board awarded reimbursement to former clients of two suspended Cuyahoga County attorneys.

A former client of suspended attorney John W. Gold was reimbursed $2,000 as a result of Gold’s failure to complete the services requested. Gold was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio in August 2018.

A former client of suspended attorney Steven J. Moody was reimbursed $1,500 as a result of Moody’s failure to provide the services requested. Moody was suspended indefinitely from the practice law in Ohio in October 2018.

Franklin County
A former client of suspended attorney Trent R. Turner was reimbursed $1,000 as a result of Turner’s failure to provide the services requested. Turner was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio in October 2018.

Lucas County
Two former clients of suspended attorney Mark A. Deters were reimbursed a total of $4,000 as a result of Deters’ failure to provide the services requested. Deters was suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in Ohio in December 2018.

Stark County
A former client of suspended attorney Glen F. Buttacavoli was reimbursed $5,500 as a result of Buttacavoli’s failure to complete the services requested. Buttacavoli was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio in December 2017.

Summit County
A former client of attorney Mark Andrew Chuparkoff was reimbursed $866 as a result of Chuparkoff’s failure to provide the services requested. Chuparkoff resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, in September 2018.

The Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, formerly known as the Clients’ Security Fund, was created in 1985 by the Ohio Supreme Court to reimburse victims of attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation.

The fund is not taxpayer funded, but is financed by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney Ohio has more than 45,000 attorneys engaged in the active practice of law. Less than 1 percent of those attorneys is involved in claims reimbursed by the fund.

Law clients who believe they have sustained financial losses resulting from attorney theft, embezzlement, or misappropriation should contact the fund by calling 614.387.9390 or 1.800.231.1680 toll free in Ohio.