May personal funds be deposited for bank service charges?
An attorney may deposit a minimal amount of personal funds into the attorney trust account to pay service charges and other fees incurred in connection with the account. The limit suggested by the Random Audit Program is $250. These funds must be recorded on a ledger and all service charges properly reflected there. May any other personal funds be kept in the trust account? No other personal funds of the attorney may be deposited into the trust account because it would constitute active commingling of personal funds with trust funds. Moreover, earned legal fees must be withdrawn promptly from the trust account when due. Aggregating large sums of earned legal fees for extended periods of time constitutes passive commingling. Both active and passive commingling are unethical practices. May attorney trust accounts be interest-bearing? Attorney trust accounts may be interest-bearing, but the attorney may never be the recipient of interest earned on the portion of funds belonging to clients
