(a) The Supreme Court will provide for funding and licensed paralegal practitioners by the lawyers licensed in this state in amounts adequate for the proper payment of claims and costs of administering the Fund subject to paragraph (c).(b) All determinations regarding funding will be within the discretion of the Board, subject to the Supreme Court's approval.(c) The Bar has authority to assess its members and licensed paralegal practitioners for purposes of maintaining the Fund at sufficient levels to pay eligible claims in accordance with these rules. The Committee must report annually to the Commission on a timely basis as to known prospective claims as well as total claims paid to date so that an appropriate assessment can be made for the upcoming fiscal year. After the assessment at the beginning of the fiscal year is determined, the Fund balance must be set in an amount of not less than $200,000. The Bar will then report to the Supreme Court as to known prospective claims as well as total claims paid to date after which the final assessment and fund balance must be set with the Court's approval. (d) A lawyer's or licensed paralegal practitioner's failure to pay any fee assessed under paragraph (c) is be cause for administrative suspension from practice until payment is received.(e) Any lawyer or licensed paralegal practitioner whose actions have caused payment of funds to a claimant from the Fund must reimburse the Fund for all monies paid out as a result of the lawyer's conduct with interest at legal rate, in addition to payment of the assessment for the procedural costs of processing the claim and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Office of Professional Conduct or any other attorney or investigator engaged by the Committee to investigate and process the claim as a condition of continued practice. (1) In lawyer or licensed paralegal practitioner discipline cases for which the Fund pays an eligible claim, the lawyer's or licensed paralegal practitioner's license to practice will be administratively suspended for non-payment until the lawyer has reimbursed the Fund.Utah. Sup. Ct. R. Prof'l. Prac. 14-904
Amended effective 11/1/2011; amended effective 5/1/2018; amended effective 5/1/2019; amended effective 12/15/2020.