Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection Awards Nearly $50,000 in 13 Claims

Between October and December 2024, the Trustees of the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection returned $49,527.50 in client trust money stolen by eight New Jersey lawyers in 13 claims. In addition, former New Jersey attorney Steven Salami, who stole over $1.5 million from 74 of his clients, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and must fully repay the Fund.

The majority of the Fund’s fourth-quarter awards arose from the dishonest retention of unearned retainers. In these cases, lawyers were paid a fee but failed to perform the services for which they had been retained. The Trustees, who are appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, use monies contributed by New Jersey’s attorneys to reimburse victimized clients. One-half of one percent of the State’s lawyers ever become the subjects of approved claims before the Fund.

The trustees approved four unearned retainer claims filed against Santo V. Artusa Jr. totaling $6,425. Claims against Artusa continue to be filed with the Fund, some as recently as January 2025, alleging that he solicited retainer payments from them on multiple occasions. Although Artusa’s Jersey City law office is closed, clients allege that Artusa has contacted them online asking for money to work on various legal matters. The Supreme Court’s suspension order bars Artusa from practicing law and representing law clients in any New Jersey forum. The Fund’s trustees have asked law enforcement agencies to intervene and caution the public about Artusa’s alleged unauthorized practice of law. Contact the Fund to verify the status of an attorney prior to retaining and executing a financial agreement.

The largest claim reimbursed in the fourth quarter involved $23,000 stolen by Martin S. Fishman from the proceeds of a real estate transaction. Fishman received an initial downpayment for the purchase of real estate from the claimants, failed to maintain the deposits in his attorney trust account, and subsequently stole those funds. When attempting to arrange for reimbursement, Fishman admitted that the funds were no longer available.

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. There are 100,065 lawyers admitted to practice in New Jersey. In its 56-year history, the Fund has paid 4,935 claims against 905 New Jersey attorneys in a total amount of $99,538,751. The Fund requires repayment by respondents as well as other culpable parties and to date has recovered $27,244,111.81. The case against Steven Salami is an example of the Fund’s cooperation with law enforcement to recover monies reimbursed on behalf of disciplined New Jersey attorneys.

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, the attorney must have been disbarred or 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 fourth-quarter 2024 list of claims paid with the status of each respondent attorney under the Supreme Court disciplinary system.