What is an attorney-client trust account?
The law requires attorneys to place clients’ money in special bank accounts called attorney-client trust accounts. Legal fees and costs (such as court filing fees, deposition transcript charges, expert witness charges, etc.) would then be withdrawn from this account as earned or incurred. Client would need to replenish the account to an agreed minimum as the funds are expended, and any balance left in trust at the conclusion of the matter would be returned to the client subject to payment of liens. In California, attorney-client trust accounts bear interest, but the interest in most cases is automatically semt by the bank to the State Bar of California to fund certain programs for the indigent.
