By Charles “Chas” Wirken, | The Arizona Republic
(Editor’s note:Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
Financed by attorneys who practice in the state, the fund reimburses losses caused by the dishonest conduct of lawyers.
“I wanted to thank the Arizona State Bar Client Protection Fund for the funds being returned to me. I’m very grateful that the money stolen by my former attorney will be coming my way.”
That is just one of many positive comments received by the Client Protection Fund. It’s a decades-old consumer protection program of the State Bar of Arizona. It has been around since 1961, when the attorneys in this state voted to create the program and finance it by assessing themselves $5 each year.
According to the formal declaration adopted by the State Bar Board of Governors, “The purpose of the Fund is to promote public confidence in the administration of justice and the integrity of the legal profession by reimbursing losses caused by the dishonest conduct of lawyers. …”
