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November 25, 2025

Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board Pays $112,621.87 on Nineteen Petitions

The Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board authorized payments totaling $112,621.87 in reimbursement to petitioners regarding nine Virginia attorneys at its September 12, 2025, meeting.

The board approved payments of $1,197.01, $878.69, $1,644.25, and $3,946.20 to three former clients and one family member of a client of James Cooper Bell of Farmville. Bell died suddenly in January 2023 before he could fulfill the representation.

A total of $65,000 was approved for reimbursement to five former clients of Steven Scott Biss of Charlottesville. Two former clients retained Biss to represent them in legal malpractice actions while the other three clients retained Biss in civil litigation matters. Biss did not perform significant or useful legal services in these cases. Biss’s license was suspended in January 2024 based on impairment.

A married couple received $5,000 as full reimbursement for fees paid to Justin Lee Criner of North Chesterfield. Criner did not perform more than insignificant work on his former clients’ matter against a home builder, and he committed dishonest conduct by lying about the actions he took or about settlements that never occurred. Criner’s license was revoked in April 2025.

Payments of $2,592 and $1,044.72 were awarded to two former clients of Kevin P. Dougherty of Reston, who completed only partial work in two family law matters. Dougherty’s license was suspended in February 2025 based on impairment and was further suspended by the Disciplinary Board in March 2025.

A former client of Mark E. Englisby of Midlothian received a payment of $950 as reimbursement of unearned fees in a divorce case. Englisby died in March 2023 before the matter was resolved.

The board approved payments of $12,215 and $13,545 to two former clients of David Gary Hoffman of Fairfax. Both clients paid Hoffman for prepaid estate planning services that Hoffman did not complete. Hoffman’s license was revoked in December 2021.

A petitioner received $1,250 as partial reimbursement for unearned fees paid to Dale Reese Jensen of Staunton for representation on a patent application. Jensen’s license was revoked in October 2023.

Two former clients of Henry W. McLaughlin III of Richmond were issued reimbursements of $1,159 and $1,500 for unearned legal fees. McLaughlin was found to have completed partial work in a real estate matter and minimal work in a lawsuit before his license was revoked. McLaughlin’s license was revoked in June 2024.

The board awarded $700 to a former client of Larry Lynn Miller of Charlottesville who retained Miller for assistance in filing for bankruptcy. The board found that Miller exhibited dishonest conduct in his dealings with the client. Miller died in April 2020.

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.