Attorney Misappropriation of Client Funds

Good afternoon. My name is Attorney Neil Burns. Along with my partner, Attorney Roshan Jain, we represent victims of legal malpractice here in Massachusetts. We also represent victims of motor vehicle accidents and personal injury. Today, I’ve been asked to talk about misappropriation, and I’m going to make it a little more general than that. When you expect money from your attorney and you don’t get it, that can happen in a variety of ways. Misappropriation is essentially stealing, but sometimes the attorney simply does not do the right thing or makes a mistake. If they correct it, it’s not necessarily a problem between you and the attorney. They may be in violation of certain rules of professional responsibility, and it may be an issue for them with the Board of Bar Overseers, but the focus should be on your issue. Sometimes a lawyer misappropriates funds by sending your money to a scammer. We have a case like that in Superior Court, where the lawyer ended up filing for bankruptcy because she made a serious mistake. She sent a large amount of money to a scammer. She should have called to confirm the exact name of the bank pursuant to the rules, but she did not do that. Misappropriation can also come in different forms. For example, an attorney may say your case was settled because you signed a document at the beginning giving them power of attorney. They may settle your case for you, decide what their fee will be, decide how much to pay the doctor, and maybe that doctor is a friend or colleague of theirs. They may pay that doctor more than they should have, or they may forget to pay an insurance lien, leaving you stuck with it. We see these types of cases often under the broader umbrella of what may be considered misappropriation. If your attorney is misappropriating funds, or you think they are, give us a call. We handle legal malpractice cases and represent victims of legal malpractice. Sometimes it is just a mistake. Sometimes it is a misunderstanding on your part, or on the attorney’s part. It is not always theft, but if it is, we can deal with it accordingly. If you think your attorney is doing something wrong when it comes to your case, your money, your funds, your settlement, or your real estate deal, give us a call. We are aggressive. We are effective. We have dealt with legal malpractice and attorneys for many years. I have been here in Massachusetts since 1985 representing victims of legal malpractice. Give us a call. It’s a free initial consultation. We want to help you. We will help you. We care about you. 617-227-7423