Fortunately, the problem of lawyers taking clients’ money from trust accounts isn’t very common. However, any lawyer who has been practicing more than ten years probably can recall a respected lawyer who was disbarred or indicted for taking a client’s money. Most lawyers cannot imagine that they would be tempted to take money from a client but sadly it still happens.
Disciplinary prosecutors across the country will tell you that they routinely see the following tragic pattern: a lawyer feels pressured to pay the mortgage or to make payroll, the money is “just sitting there,” and the lawyer “knows” that another client is about to pay a large invoice in the next few weeks or the lawyer “knows” that a contingent fee case is about to settle, but the mortgage payment or payroll is due today. The temptation is too much and the lawyer takes money from a client’s trust account – with the intent of paying back the money.
Don’t do it! Ever! It’s stealing. If you take a client’s money, eventually you will almost always be caught. Even if you get away with it and replace the money, you will regret that act every day for the rest of your career.
It’s better to lose your home, to lay off employees or to file bankruptcy than lose your law license, your freedom or your reputation. You are a fiduciary. Act like it. Continue reading to learn about Rule of the Road No. 9.
Colorado is not a no-fault state. It operates under an at-fault (tort) system, meaning the…
Terms such as pecuniary losses and non-pecuniary losses can feel technical and unfamiliar, particularly at…
In Denver, people spend significant time on the road, at work, and in active environments.…
Yes, potentially. In some cases, injuries result from unsafe conditions, reckless conduct, or failures in…
There is no true or single average settlement for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in…
Potential traumatic brain injuries (TBI) sustained in a car accident include: Concussions Brain contusions Coup-contrecoup…