Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection Awards Over $412,000 in 14 Claims

The Trustees of the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection returned $412,703.18 in client trust money stolen by 12 New Jersey lawyers in 14 claims between January and March 2026.

 In the first quarter of 2026, 11 of the 14 awards arose from the dishonest retention of unearned retainers. In these cases, the lawyers were paid a fee but failed to perform the agreed upon services. 

The largest claim reimbursed in this quarter was $250,000, stolen by Martin S. Fishman from escrow monies. In that case, the claimant entrusted Fishman to hold $250,000 in his trust account for costs associated with environmental remediation to a property. Fishman failed to maintain the deposit in his attorney trust account and subsequently depleted those funds. The trustees granted the award for the full amount that the claimant paid into escrow. 

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 volunteers appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, uses monies contributed by New Jersey’s attorneys to reimburse victimized clients. Less than one-half of one percent of the state’s lawyers become the subjects of claims filed with the Fund.

There are 100,395 lawyers in New Jersey. In its history, the fund has paid 4,996 claims against 925 New Jersey attorneys for a total amount of $100,552,758.43. The Fund requires repayment by attorneys as well as other culpable third parties and to date has recovered $27,475,825.84. 

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 or on disability inactive status, 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 First Quarter 2026 list of claims paid with the status of each respondent attorney under the Supreme Court disciplinary system.