The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection recently awarded $124,336 to 11 victims of attorney theft.

Five former Ohio attorneys were found to have failed to refund an unearned fee. Five 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:

Butler County
Former clients of deceased attorney James Earl Cooney were reimbursed $1,500 as a result of Cooney’s failure to provide the services requested prior to his death. Cooney passed away on Jan. 15, 2022.

Cuyahoga County
The Board awarded reimbursement to former clients of one former and one suspended Cuyahoga attorney.

Former clients of former attorney Sean Richard Porter were reimbursed $2,000 as a result of Porter’s failure to complete the services requested.  Porter resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, on Oct. 28, 2022.

A former client of suspended attorney Gary Allen Vick, Jr. was reimbursed $5,000 as a result of Mr. Vick’s failure to provide the services requested.  Mr. Vick was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio, on an interim basis, on Aug. 26, 2022.

Erie County
The Board determined that a former client of deceased attorney Henry William Kishman is eligible for reimbursement in the amount of $87,979 as a result of Kishman’s failure to account for funds he agreed to invest for his client. Kishman passed away on Sept. 30, 2021.

Green County
Former clients of deceased attorney Athena Joan Nyers were reimbursed a total of $698 as a result of Nyers’s failure to complete the services requested.  Nyers passed away on Feb. 14, 2022.

Hamilton County
Two former clients of deceased attorney Mary Jill Brewster Hugan were determined to be eligible for reimbursement totaling $9,000 as a result of Ms. Hugan’s failure to complete the services prior to her death on Nov. 11, 2019.

Huron County
A former client of deceased attorney Reese Mark Wineman was determined to be eligible for reimbursement in the amount of  $1,300 as a result of Wineman’s failure to complete the services prior to his death on Aug. 11, 2021.

Lake County
Former clients of suspended attorney Albert Linden Purola were reimbursed a total of $7,500 as a result of Purola’s failure to provide the services requested. Purola was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio, on an interim basis, on May 4, 2022.

Medina County
The Board awarded reimbursement to former clients of two Medina County attorneys.

A former client of former attorney Richard Barbera was reimbursed $1,500 as a result of Barbera’s failure to provide the services requested.  Barbera resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending, on March 14, 2022.

A former client of suspended attorney Russell Anthony Buzzelli was reimbursed $7,860 as a result of Buzzelli’s failure to provide the services requested.  Buzzelli was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio on July 20, 2022.

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

Ohio has over 45,000 attorneys engaged in the active practice of law. Less than 1% 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.