Clients of area lawyers reimbursed

Twenty-five clients were reimbursed $208,188 statewide.

STAFF REPORT

COLUMBUS — Clients of three former or suspended Mahoning County lawyers were recently reimbursed a total of $2,000 from the Ohio Clients’ Security Fund for fees they paid for services the lawyers failed to provide, the Ohio Supreme Court has announced.

UA former client of Mark S. Colucci’s was reimbursed $750. Colucci resigned from law practice with discipline pending on Dec. 2, 2004, and was sentenced later that month to 18 months in federal prison for tax evasion, to which he had pleaded guilty. Previously, the CSF had awarded $246,287 to 56 of Colucci’s former clients.

UA former client of Edward F. Sturgeon’s was reimbursed $1,000. The state Supreme Court permanently disbarred Sturgeon Nov. 15, 2006, because of three instances in which Sturgeon reportedly engaged in improper sexual conduct with his female clients. In February 2007, a judge in Franklin County Common Pleas Court put Sturgeon on probation for three years after Sturgeon pleaded guilty to three felony counts of perjury for statements he made in the state disciplinary board’s investigation of the sex case.

UA former client of Atty. Charles E. Curry’s was reimbursed $250. The state’s top court suspended Curry’s law license December 2006 for failing to comply with a child-support order.

The money was included in $208,188 awarded to 25 people statewide on Friday by the Board of Commissioners of the Clients’ Security Fund of Ohio. The cases involved 19 former or suspended lawyers across the state.

The CSF was created in 1985 by the Ohio Supreme Court to reimburse victims of attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation. The CSF, which has returned more than $12 million to consumers since its inception, is funded entirely by attorney registration fees, and uses no tax dollars.

Ohio has 35,000 active lawyers. Fewer than one-tenth of 1 percent of them become involved in CSF claims.

Those who believe they are victims of attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation should call toll-free (800) 231-1680.