The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection recently awarded $415,391 to 11 victims of attorney theft.

Three former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds. The actions of two deceased attorneys also were involved in claims presented to the board.

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

Greene County
Former clients of former attorney Brian M. Wiggins were reimbursed a total of $154,175 as a result of Wiggins’ theft of client funds. Wiggins resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, in April 2021.

Mahoning County
Four former clients of deceased attorney Donald Patrick Leone were reimbursed a total of $57,093 as a result of Leone’s failure to provide the services requested and failure to disburse client funds. Leone resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with disciplinary action pending, in May 2020. He died in December 2020.

Medina County
A former client of suspended attorney Jennifer Dawn Petracci was reimbursed $2,912 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.

Morrow County
A former client of deceased attorney William M. Adams was reimbursed $1,211 as a result of Adams’ failure to complete the services requested. Adams died in September 2017.

Stark County
Two former clients of former attorney William Richard Sparks were reimbursed a total of $200,000 as a result of Sparks’ theft of client funds. Sparks resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with disciplinary action pending, in October 2020.

The board made its determinations in these cases during a virtual meeting Sept. 10.

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.