New Jersey Lawyers' Fund Awards Over $85K to Clients Defrauded by Attorneys in Late 2025

Fourteen claims were approved in the final quarter of 2025, with most involving lawyers who accepted fees but failed to perform any legal work.

Between October and December 2025, the Trustees of the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection awarded a total of $85,113.33 to clients who were victims of theft or dishonesty by their attorneys. The compensation covered 14 claims filed against 10 disbarred, suspended, or deceased lawyers across the state.

Twelve of the approved claims stemmed from the dishonest retention of unearned retainers. In such cases, clients paid attorneys to perform legal work that was never initiated or completed. Other claims involved misappropriated funds tied to real estate transactions and a personal injury settlement.

The largest single award of the quarter—$19,000—was granted to a client of attorney James Lisa, who was hired to represent the client in a case against the federal government. According to the Fund, Lisa performed no legal services after receiving the retainer. Trustees concluded that theft occurred and approved full reimbursement to the claimant.

The Fund, administered by trustees appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court, operates under Court Rule 1:28 and is financed through mandatory contributions from the state's lawyers. It reimburses clients who have lost money due to the dishonest conduct of their attorneys, excluding cases related to legal malpractice, negligence, or fee disputes.

Since its establishment in 1961 by the New Jersey State Bar Association—and its expansion in 1969 to include all licensed attorneys—the Fund has approved 4,983 claims totaling over $100 million. As of the end of 2025, cumulative payouts reached $100,140,055.25, while $27.4 million has been recovered from attorneys and other liable parties.

Currently, there are 100,202 active attorneys in New Jersey. Less than 0.5% have ever been subjects of claims filed with the Fund.

The maximum compensable amount for a single claim is $400,000, with an aggregate cap of $1.5 million per attorney, unless the New Jersey Supreme Court authorizes an exception. Eligible claims must be tied to an attorney acting in a legal or fiduciary role and involve serious misconduct such as embezzlement or misappropriation.

The attorneys whose conduct led to payments in Q4 2025 include:

• James Lisa – $19,000 for an unearned retainer; previously disbarred.

• Santo V. Artusa, Jr. – $16,250 across three claims; disbarred by consent in October 2025.

• Steven Freesman – $16,483.33; previously disciplined.

• Rodrigo Sanchez – $9,800 across three claims; suspended in July 2024.

• Franes A. Hartman – $7,000; disbarred in January 2025.

• Nabil Nadim Kassem – $6,650; disbarred in November 2024.

• James Patrick Fitzgerald – $5,000; deceased as of March 2025.

• Telissa K. Lindsey – $2,500; disciplinary status not specified.

• Stelios Stoupakis – $2,000; disbarred by consent in 2024.

• Dwight Hugh Day – $350; disciplinary status not specified.

Claimants can apply for reimbursement at no cost through the Fund’s website (https://www.njcourts.gov/public/get-help/lfcp), by mail, or by phone at 855-533-FUND (3863). The Fund also provides free assistance to claimants who are aided by licensed attorneys.

The Fund continues to promote public trust in the legal system by ensuring that victims of attorney misconduct can be made whole, even after trust is broken.