Among the most serious violations of the attorney-client relationship is the theft of client funds. Attorneys hold client money in trust — in IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) accounts specifically designed to separate client funds from attorney funds. When lawyers dip into those accounts for personal use, the consequences range from disbarment to criminal prosecution. The Ethics Reporter investigates client fund misappropriation cases across the country, tracking the attorneys who steal from vulnerable clients, the disciplinary systems that are supposed to catch them, and the Client Protection Funds that attempt to make victims whole. Our coverage asks why so many attorneys steal client money, why the discipline system often catches them too late, and what victims can do when their lawyer has stolen from them.