Closure Alert

June 13, 2024

Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board Pays $155,171 on Fifteen Petitions

The Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board authorized payments totaling $155,171 in reimbursement to petitioners regarding six Virginia attorneys at its April 19, 2024, meeting.

The board approved payments of $1,000 and $1,500 to two former clients of James C. Bell of Farmville, representing full reimbursement of legal fees in a custody dispute and a criminal matter. Bell passed away in January 2023 before performing significant work on either case.

The board awarded $500, a partial reimbursement and $540, full reimbursement, for unearned fees to two former clients of Christopher L. Contreras of Arlington. Contreras completed only some work on behalf of one client in a landlord-tenant dispute and did no work in the other client’s divorce case, forcing her to proceed pro se. Contreras’s license was revoked on August 25, 2023.

Three former clients of Mark E. Englisby of Midlothian, who died in March 2023, received payments of $3,500, $750, and $500 as reimbursement of unearned fees in two family law matters and a criminal defense case.

The board awarded payments of $1,000, $11,880, and $13,441 to three former clients of David G. Hoffman of Fairfax. Each of these clients prepaid for future estate planning/administration work that Hoffman did not perform and can no longer complete following his disbarment from the VSB. Hoffman’s license was revoked in December 2021.

A total of $119,460 was approved for reimbursement to four former clients of Dale R. Jensen of Staunton. The board awarded payments of $70,000, $10,460, $28,000, and $11,000 for unearned fees in criminal law matters. Jensen’s license to practice law was suspended in July 2022. His license was subsequently revoked in October 2023.

A petitioner received $1,100 as full reimbursement for fees paid to Stephen J. Sheehy III of Fairfax. The board found no evidence that Sheehy did any significant work on behalf of the client in a reckless driving case before his death in December 2021.

The Clients’ Protection Fund was created by the Supreme Court of Virginia in 1976 to reimburse persons who suffer a quantifiable financial loss because of dishonest conduct by a Virginia lawyer whose law license has been suspended or revoked for disciplinary reasons, or who has died and did not properly maintain client funds. The fund is not taxpayer funded but is supported by Virginia lawyers who pay an annual fee of $5. Payments from the Clients’ Protection Fund are discretionary and are not a matter of right. 

If you have any questions, you may contact Vivian R. Byrd, administrator to Clients’ Protection Fund, by email or at (804) 775-0572.