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This is a discretionary fund that can reimburse clients who have lost money or property due to theft or dishonest conduct by a California lawyer. It is a State Bar program paid for entirely by California lawyers.
The Fund can reimburse up to $100,000, depending on when the loss occurred. It does not reimburse a loss if the lawyer acted incompetently or failed to take a certain action.
Typical losses include:
The Fund does not reimburse interest, expenses or incidental or consequential losses caused by the attorney, such as fees paid to another attorney or damages caused by the attorney’s malpractice, negligence or incompetence. You must show that the attorney received the money or property.
If you meet the criteria, you can file an application for reimbursement. You do not have to be a United States citizen to apply.
However, there are certain exclusions: If you are the lawyer’s spouse, close relative, or business partner; or employer or employee of a business controlled by the lawyer, the Fund cannot reimburse you. The Fund cannot reimburse for losses suffered by government entities or agencies.
The Client Security Fund Commission administers the Client Security Fund and is supported by legal counsel who issue decisions on behalf of the Commission. The Commission is made up of five volunteers – three lawyers and two nonlawyer public members – appointed by the State Bar’s Board of Trustees. The Fund determines if your application qualifies for reimbursement and whether all or part of the application will be paid.
You must fill out an application form or you obtain a paper copy by writing or calling:
The State Bar of California Client Security Fund 845 South Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515 213-765-1140 clientsecurityfund@calbar.ca.gov
Filing an application is free. You do not need a lawyer to apply.
The filing of a CSF application does not stop any statute of limitations from running so you should continue to explore other remedies available to you.
If you have not already done so, you need to file a discipline complaint against the lawyer. The online complaint form is available on the State Bar website in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, and Chinese. You may also write or call toll-free:
The State Bar of California Intake Unit 845 South Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515 800-843-9053