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June 27, 2025

Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board Pays $117,326.00 on Twenty Petitions

The Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board authorized payments totaling $117,326 in reimbursement to petitioners regarding eight Virginia attorneys at its April 18, 2025, meeting.

The board approved payment of $5,515 to a former client’s family members who hired James Cooper Bell of Farmville to represent their partner for representation in a criminal matter. Bell died suddenly in January 2023 before he could fulfill the representation.

Payments of $10,000, $3,750, $5,000, and $15,000 were authorized by the board to former clients of Steven Scott Biss of Charlottesville in civil litigation cases. Biss’s license was suspended in January 2024 on the basis of impairment.

Three payments were authorized by the board to former clients of Jason Michael Breneman of Ashland. A couple who had hired Breneman to represent their son in a criminal law matter received a full reimbursement of $8,000 while another couple received a full reimbursement of $5,000 for lack of representation in a civil dispute. An additional client was granted a full reimbursement of $1,350 for unearned fees paid for representation in a traffic case. Breneman’s license was suspended in April 2024 and subsequently revoked in November 2024.

A former client of Christopher Louis Contreras of Arlington was awarded $1,500 as full reimbursement for fees paid for representation in an adoption case. Contreras’ license was revoked in August 2023.

The board awarded five payments totaling $47,661 to former clients of David Gary Hoffman of Fairfax, who was retained for estate planning and/or estate administration services. Hoffman completed no work on these matters before his license was revoked in December 2021.

Two former clients of Henry McLaughlin of Richmond were issued reimbursements of $2,750 and $4,000 for unearned legal fees. The board found that McLaughlin completed only partial work in handling an estate claim and no significant work in seeking a rescission of a foreclosure. McLaughlin’s license was revoked in June 2024.

A former client of Charles Gregory Phillips of Salem received a payment of $800 for reimbursement for lack of services rendered in a divorce case. Phillips’s license to practice law was suspended in May 2023 and subsequently revoked in October 2023.

Payments of $1,250, $3,750, and $2,000 were authorized by the board to three former clients of Gordon H. Shapiro of Roanoke for representation in divorce proceedings and an employment and construction dispute. Shapiro completed either partial work or insignificant work on behalf of the clients before his license was suspended in April 2024.

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 at [email protected] or by telephone at (804) 775-0572.