The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection recently awarded $36,000 to eight victims of attorney theft.

Five former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds. The actions of one attorney who later died also were involved in claims presented to the board.

Disbursements are funded by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney. The following are the latest awards:

Cuyahoga County

A former client of suspended attorney John Walter Gold was reimbursed $10,000 as a result of Gold’s failure to refund unearned fees. Gold was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio, on an interim basis, in March 2021.

Lorain County

Former clients of former attorney Thomas Jeremiah McGuire were reimbursed $2,900 as a result of his failure to complete the services requested. McGuire resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, in January 2021.

Lucas County

A former client of former attorney Mark Berling was reimbursed $1,000 as a result of Berling’s failure to provide the services requested. Berling resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, in October 2020.

Mahoning County

Three former clients of deceased attorney Donald Patrick Leone were reimbursed a total of $15,900 as a result of Leone’s failure to provide the services requested and failure to disburse funds to his client. Leone resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with disciplinary action pending, in May 2020. He passed away in December 2020.

Medina County

A former client of suspended attorney Jennifer Dawn Petracci was reimbursed $1,200 as a result of Petracci’s failure to provide the services requested. Petracci was suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in Ohio in February 2021.

Stark County

A former client of former attorney William Richard Sparks was reimbursed $5,000 as a result of Mr. Sparks’ failure to provide the services requested. Sparks resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with disciplinary action pending, in October 2020.

The board made its determinations during a virtual meeting June 4.

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.

Ohio has more than 45,000 attorneys engaged in the active practice of law. Less than 1 percent are involved in claims reimbursed by the fund.

Law clients who believe they 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.