Virginia Lawyer Register VSB CLIENTS’ PROTECTION FUND BOARD PAYS $39,322.02 TO PETITIONERS At its most recent meeting in Richmond on May 3, 2019, the Virginia State Bar Clients’ Protection Fund Board approved fi ve new payments totaling $39,322.02. In the largest awards of the meeting, two former clients of Robert Lyman Isaac Shearer Jr. were awarded $11,500 and $10,000 as reimbursement for fees they paid to Shearer as clients. In both cases, Shearer was hired for custody matters and did not fulfi ll professional obligations. The bar suspended Shearer’s license for three years in June 2018. The board also approved a $9,947.02 payment to a former client of Beverly Anne English, as reimbursement for funds that the attorney collected in a divorce proceeding but failed to remit to the petitioner. English’s license was revoked in February 2017. A former client of Bryan James Waldron received $6,375 for reimbursement of client funds the attorney misappropriat-ed. The petitioner had also fi led a disciplinary complaint that led to Waldron’s license revocation in September 2018. Finally, one petitioner was reimbursed $1,500 for pay-ments made to his attorney, Renay Melitta Fariss, prior to her death in November 2018. The VSB encourages lawyers to take Docket Number 18-555-003177 19-555-003188 19-555-003192 19-555-003201 19-555-003210 Lawyer’s Name Robert Lyman Isaac Shearer Jr. Beverly Anne English Bryan James Waldron Robert Lyman Isaac Shearer Jr. Renay Melitta Fariss Deceased City of Record Springfi eld, VA Virginia Beach, VA Oakton, VA Springfi eld, VA Chesterfi eld, VA a moment to plan ahead for protecting their clients’ interests in the event of death or disability. The Clients’ Protection Fund was created by the Supreme Court of Virginia in 1976 to reimburse persons who suffer a quantifi able fi nancial loss due to qualifying conduct or status of a Virginia lawyer. The fund is not taxpayer funded but is supported by Virginia lawyers who pay an annual fee of up to $25. The Supreme Court of Virginia has set the current annual fee at $10 per Virginia lawyer with an active license status. Payments from the Clients’ Protection Fund are discre-tionary and not a matter of right. Contact Vivian R. Byrd, administrator to the Clients’ Protection Fund, at cpf@vsb.org or (804) 775-0572 for more information. While the VSB does not name petitioners in news summa-ries, recipients of Clients’ Protection Fund disbursement are a matter of public record. Contact the administrator or review the public meeting materials for the May meeting. The VSB website has more information at www.vsb.org/site/public/cli-ents-protection-fund. A chart of the amounts paid as a result of May’s meeting follows. Amount Paid to Petitioner $11,500 $9,947.02 $6,375 $10,000 $1,500 Type of Case Unearned fees/Family Law Unearned fees/Family Law Unearned fees/Real Estate Unearned fees/Family Law Unearned fees/Family Law Got an Ethics Question? The VSB Ethics Hotline is a confi dential consultation service for members of the Virginia State Bar. Non-lawyers may submit only unauthorized practice of law questions. Questions can be submitted to the hotline by calling (804) 775-0564 or by clicking on the “Email Your Ethics Question” link on the Ethics Questions and Opinions web page at www.vsb.org/site/regulation/ethics/. 56 VIRGINIA LAWYER | June 2019 | Vol. 68 www.vsb.org