The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection has awarded $192,025 to 15 victims of attorney theft. Eight former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds. Claims presented to the board also involved two deceased attorneys.

Clark County
A former client of suspended attorney Daniel Lee Bennett was reimbursed $327.50 as a result of Bennett’s failure to complete the services requested. Bennett was suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in Ohio in January 2019.

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

A former client of suspended attorney Rebecca Jo Austin was reimbursed $1,000 as a result of Austin’s failure to provide the services requested. Austin was suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in Ohio in August 2019.

A former client of suspended attorney Brendan Edward Delay was reimbursed $4,750 from Delay’s failure to provide the services requested. Delay was suspended indefinitely from the practice law in Ohio in July 2019.

Delaware County
Disbarred attorney Brian Wade Harter’s failure to provide the services requested resulted in a $2,900 reimbursement to a former client. Harter was permanently disbarred from the practice of law in Ohio in September 2018.

Erie County
Two former clients of deceased Erie County attorney Geoffrey Lynn Oglesby were awarded a total of $13,000 as a result of Oglesby’s failure to complete the services requested prior to his death in February 2019.

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

A former client of suspended attorney John David Moore Jr. was reimbursed $10,000 as a result of Moore’s failure to provide the services requested. Moore was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio in April 2018.

A former client of attorney Joseph Dues Reed was reimbursed $3,000 as a result of Reed’s failure to provide the services requested. Reed resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, in April 2017.

Hamilton County
Five former clients of deceased attorney Laurie Kaufman Ahlers were reimbursed a total of $153,820 as a result of Ahlers’s failure to distribute proceeds received on behalf of her clients. Ahlers died in June 2016.

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

A former client of suspended attorney Mark Alan Deters was reimbursed a total of $1,500 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.

A former client of retired attorney Douglas King Jordan was reimbursed $1,727.50 as a result of Jordan’s failure to complete the services requested. Jordan permanently retired from the practice of law in Ohio in February 2019.

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.

Law clients who believe they have sustained financial losses resulting from attorney theft, embezzlement, or misappropriation should call the fund at 614.387.9390.