§ 01The brief
The firm was paying out a client's settlement from its trust account. An email from the client's real address, sent by someone who had taken over the mailbox, asked for the funds to go to a 'new account'. The firm wired $1,450,000.
§ 02What I did
- 1.
Worked with the firm's bank to send a recall and fraud notice the same morning.
- 2.
Built an evidence pack showing the mailbox takeover, including login alerts the client had ignored.
- 3.
Filed the CCS complaint and helped the firm notify its malpractice insurer and state bar ethics line.
§ 03The outcome
The receiving bank froze and returned $1,312,000. The client received the full settlement after the firm's insurer covered the gap.
“We handle other people's money for a living and still got caught. He kept us calm and organised when it mattered.”