Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection Awards Over $85,000 in 14 Claims

The Trustees of the New Jersey Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection returned $85,113.33 in client trust money stolen by 10 New Jersey lawyers in 14 claims between October and December 2025.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, 12 of the 14 awards arose from the dishonest retention of unearned retainers. In these cases, retained lawyers were paid a fee, but failed to perform some or all of the services they had agreed to complete.

Claims also were approved for the misappropriation of monies related to a real estate transaction and theft of a personal injury settlement.

The largest claim paid in this quarter was as a result of the dishonest retention of an unearned retainer of $19,000. In that case, James Lisa was retained to represent his client in a suit against the federal government. After receiving the retainer, Lisa did no work on behalf of the client. The Fund's Trustees determined that the claimant proved a theft of $19,000 by Lisa and approved the return of stolen funds.

The Fund was created by the New Jersey State Bar Association in 1961 and, at the Bar's request, was expanded by the Supreme Court in 1969 to cover all New Jersey attorneys. The Fund's Board of Trustees, who are appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, uses monies contributed by New Jersey's attorneys to reimburse victimized clients. Just one-half of one percent of the state's lawyers become the subjects of claims filed with the Fund.

There are 100,202 active lawyers in New Jersey. In its 56-year history, the Fund has paid 4,983 claims against 920 New Jersey attorneys. In 2025, the Fund reached the $100 million mark in approved awards. Total awards paid since the creation of the Fund is $100,140,055.25. The Fund requires repayment by attorneys as well as other culpable parties and to date has recovered $27,401,315.65.

Court Rule 1:28 defines the Fund's jurisdiction. A claimant can receive up to $400,000 if the claim is approved, and the Fund can pay up to $1.5 million in claims against any one lawyer, although the Supreme Court can allow the Fund to exceed the $1.5 million aggregate limit. For a claim to be compensable, it must be filed against a member of the New Jersey Bar who was acting as an attorney or fiduciary at the time of the alleged incident. Unless deceased, the attorney must have been disbarred, suspended from the bar, or convicted of embezzlement or other misappropriation of property. Cases involving legal malpractice, negligence, or fee disputes are not compensable by the Fund.

Claim forms can be found online at https://www.njcourts.gov/public/get-help/lfcp or by writing to the New Jersey Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, P.O. Box 961, Trenton, NJ 08625, or by calling 855-533-FUND (3863). There is no filing fee and claimants assisted in their claims by practicing attorneys receive this assistance free of charge. The Fund welcomes inquiries about its mission and procedures.

Attached is the Fourth Quarter 2025 list of claims paid with the status of each Respondent attorney under the Supreme Court disciplinary system.