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June 30, 2026

Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board Pays $264,643 on Seventeen Petitions

The Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board authorized payments totaling $264,643 in reimbursement to petitioners regarding 12 Virginia attorneys at its April 17, 2026, meeting.

A former client of James Cooper Bell of Farmville received a payment of $986.55 as reimbursement of unearned feeds in an assault and battery case. Bell died suddenly in January 2023 before he could fulfill the representation.

Payments of $10,000 and $20,000 were made to two former clients of Steven Scott Biss of Charlottesville. One client retained Biss for representation in a defamation case, while the other client retained Biss for two separate civil matters. However, Biss did not complete significant work on behalf of either client. Biss’s license was suspended in January 2024 based on impairment.

The board approved a payment of $5,000 to a former client of Christopher C. Booberg of Richmond who engaged Booberg for representation in a personal injury matter. The client never received any proceeds from the settlement check that an insurance carrier sent to Booberg. Booberg was issued a public reprimand in November 2024, and his license was revoked in November 2025.

A payment of $3,008 was authorized to a former client of Mackenzie G. Cope of Newport News who sought representation in divorce proceedings and in a personal injury claim. Cope performed insignificant legal services in both cases, yet the former client received only a partial refund from Cope and her firm. Cope’s license was first suspended in July 2025 for disciplinary reasons and was subsequently administratively suspended in February 2026 and April 2026.

Two former clients of Kevin P. Dougherty of Reston were awarded $784.14 and $1,200 for unearned legal fees. Dougherty did not complete any work on behalf of one client in a divorce action and did not appear at trial to defend another client in a traffic matter. Dougherty’s license was first suspended in February 2025 based on impairment and was further suspended in March 2025 for administrative reasons and in December 2025 for disciplinary rule violations.

The board approved two payments of $19,941 and $7,500 to former clients of David Gary Hoffman of Fairfax. These clients paid Hoffman for estate planning services that Hoffman did not complete. Hoffman’s license was revoked in December 2021.

In the largest single award of the meeting, the board authorized a payment of $100,000 to the heirs of a deceased former client of David Brooks Hundley of Richmond. Hundley was hired to represent the client in a personal injury case. Hundley settled the matter without the client’s knowledge or consent, and the client did not receive any of the settlement proceeds before her death. Hundley’s license was revoked in August 2020 by consent.

A payment of $10,335 was made to a former client of Brian Michael O’Laughlin of Midlothian who needed representation in divorce matter. O’Laughlin failed to timely file discovery responses and did not appear at a motion to compel hearing, resulting in a sanction being ordered against the client. O’Laughlin’s license was suspended in February 2025.

Three payments of $40,000, $10,000, and $10,000 were awarded to former clients of Elliott Purcell Park of Richmond. Park completed little to no work on any of the clients’ matters and failed to refund the unearned fees that were paid in advance. Park’s license was first suspended in March 2025, further suspended in April 2025, and subsequently revoked in September 2025.

A former client of Brian Kraig Telfair of Richmond received a payment of $3,500 as reimbursement for unearned fees paid to Telfair in a civil litigation matter. Additionally, Telfair proceeded to act as counsel for the client a month after his consent to revocation of his law license. Telfair’s license was revoked in August 2025.

The board authorized a partial reimbursement of $12,388.31 to be paid to a former client of Shalonda M. Tillman of Suffolk. Tillman completed only partial work in a divorce matter on behalf of the client before referring the case to another attorney after her suspension. Tillman received a public admonition in October 2023, and her license was suspended in April 2025 and August 2025 for administrative reasons and later revoked in November 2025.

A payment of $10,000 was made to a former client of Michael Alan Yoder of Arlington. The client retained Yoder for representation in a workplace discrimination and wrongful termination case, and Yoder’s failure to timely respond to the court’s orders resulted in the court dismissing the case. The client never received a refund of her retainer for work not completed. Yoder’s license was first suspended in September 2024, further suspended in April 2025, and ultimately revoked in May 2025.

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.