(a) The purpose of these regulations is to establish procedures pursuant to Rule 15 of the Admission and Practice Rules, to maintain and administer a Client Protection Fund established as a trust by the Bar, in order to promote public confidence in the administration of justice and the integrity of the legal profession.(b) Funds accruing and appropriated to the Fund may be used for the purpose of relieving or mitigating a pecuniary loss sustained by any person by reason of the dishonesty of, or failure to account for money or property entrusted to, any lawyer, LLLT, or LPO of the Bar as a result of or directly related to the lawyer's, LLLT's, or LPO's practice of law, or while acting as a fiduciary in a matter directly related to the lawyer's, LLLT's, or LPO's practice of law. Such funds may also, through the Fund, be used to relieve or mitigate like losses sustained by persons by reason of similar acts of an individual who was at one time a lawyer, LLLT, or LPO of the Bar but who was at the time of the act complained of under a court ordered suspension. (c) The Fund shall not be used for the purpose of relieving any pecuniary loss resulting from a lawyer's, LLLT's, or LPO's negligent performance of services.Wash. Admi. And. Prac. R., APR 15, reg. 1
Adopted effective 7/18/1995; Amended effective 12/1/2009;9/1/2017.