Oklahoma State Bar Association to Reimburse Client Losses

The Oklahoma Bar Association’s board of directors has voted to reimburse several Oklahomans who were the victims of deceased or dishonest attorneys.

The association announced its Clients’ Security Fund will pay more than $100,000 in claims to 23 clients of 10 former attorneys whose acts led to the losses.

Among the reimbursements are funds from workers’ compensation settlements for which the attorneys’ clients never received the money.

Claims result when an attorney is disbarred, misappropriates client funds or dies before work is performed, the OBA said. The OBA’s Clients’ Security Fund Committee annually reviews client claims and makes recommendations to the OBA Board of Governors on the merits of the claims.

Committee Chair Micheal Salem of Norman said typically these claims are paid for former attorneys who have become unstable as a result of a personal crisis, substance abuse or illness.

Salem said, “The fund is a remedy of last resort for clients who cannot recover money from other sources, such as insurance, a bonding company, from the attorney involved or the attorney’s estate.”

Claims to be paid this year total $101,832.35. All active Oklahoma lawyers contribute to the fund through a portion of their annual bar dues, and nearly $1.9 million in reimbursements has been paid to clients since the fund was created in 1965.

Former or deceased attorneys for whom the OBA will be paying claims, the individuals to be compensated for their losses and the reimbursement amounts are:

• Former attorney William J. Anton, Tulsa; clients Lillian A. Jones, Tulsa, $24,239.36; Regina Lufadeju , Tulsa, $22,969.21; George A. Dixon, Claremore, $17,260.04; Tim Mountford, Lawton, $12,781.07; Donald R. Pope, Tulsa, $6,081.27; Joette L. Seidell, Glenpool, $4,010.28; Jacob MacGirvin, Tulsa, $1,035.88; Dana Bortmes, Tulsa, $741.68.
• Former attorney Katherine Waller, Tulsa; clients John Z. Vaughn, Skiatook, $1,357.34; Leo L. Roberts, Owasso, $1,153.62; Bora Yenal, Pittsburg, $883.62; Gilberto Leyva, Tulsa, $834.53; Rafael Mora, Tulsa, $490.90; Shelley R. Alvarado, Collinsville, $196.36.
• Former attorney Jacob T. Williams, Tulsa; clients Jermaine Roberts, Broken Arrow, $1,613.78; Gary S. Worth, Collinsville, $986.81.
• Deceased attorney Charles L. Barnes, Duncan; client Dan Sterling, Duncan, $1,718.15.
• Deceased attorney James H. Hadley, Pryor; client Peggy Newberry, Pryor, $778.08.
• Former attorney Trecia A. McElroy, Jenks; client William P. Jones, Sand Springs, $196.36.
• Deceased attorney William C. Mitchell, Tulsa; client Howard L. Antwine, Beggs, $1,472.70.
• Former attorney A. D. Sanderson, Moore; client Estelle Simonton, Del City, $294.54.
• Former attorney Melissa A. Shomber, Edmond; client Pui-Ching Chai, Edmond, $196.36.
• Former attorney Rhett H. Wilburn, Glenpool; Kelly Zimmerman, Silver Spring, $539.99.

Source: Oklahoma Bar Association