Clients' Security Fund
The Clients’ Security Fund, created by the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia in March 1968, is a public service of the legal profession in Georgia to promote public confidence in the administration of justice. Eligible clients who have lost money due to the dishonest conduct of members of the State Bar of Georgia may apply to be reimbursed by the Fund to the extent deemed proper and feasible by the Trustees of the Fund in accordance with the rules governing the Clients’ Security Fund. The Clients’ Security Fund Rules may be found here.
Clients’ Security Fund FAQ
Complete an application and submit it along with copies of supporting documentation to the State Bar of Georgia CSF, 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Click here to obtain a CSF application package.
No. This process is designed so that a claimant should not require legal counsel to assist with a claim. However, if a claimant desires legal counsel, no lawyer may accept any payment for assisting a claimant with prosecuting a claim under these Rules unless the Trustees have approved such payment.
- Losses shall arise from a lawyer-client or fiduciary relationship between the lawyer and the claimant.
- Disciplinary action must be taken against the lawyer who caused the loss, resulting in the attorney’s disbarment, indefinite suspension, or voluntary surrender of his or her license.
- The application shall be filed no later than two years after the date of final disciplinary action against the lawyer by the Supreme Court of Georgia.
- Applicants must provide adequate information and documentation to support the claims.
- Applicants may be required to exhaust their civil remedies.
- Additional information regarding the eligibility requirements is in the Clients’ Security Fund rules.
- losses that are the result of malpractice on the part of the lawyer.
- losses incurred by spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, partners, associates and employees of lawyer(s) causing the losses.
- losses covered by any bond, surety agreement or insurance contract.
- losses incurred by any financial institution.
- losses incurred by any business entity controlled by the lawyer or any person or entity described in Bar Rule 10-106 (e) (1).
- losses incurred by any governmental entity or agency.
- losses incurred by corporations or partnerships, including general or limited.
The Trustees may exercise their discretion to grant monetary relief as a matter of grace and not of right if it determines that an applicant has suffered a reimbursable loss under the rules governing the Fund.
The maximum amount that may be disbursed from the Fund to any claimant is $25,000.