Through the cooperative efforts of the legal profession and the banking industry since IOLTA began in the early 1980s, hundreds of thousands of Americans have been served by the legal aid, access-to-justice and law-related education programs supported by IOLTA, nationwide.

Lawyers have fiduciary obligations to safeguard and account for the funds and property of clients and others in their possession. A trust account must be maintained to hold the funds of clients and third parties that come into a lawyer’s possession in connection with a representation.

Examples of funds which must be placed in trust accounts include:

• Personal Injury Settlements
• Divorce Settlements
• Real Estate Escrows and Closing Proceeds
• Advanced Fees for legal services
• Cost Advances

In order to assist lawyers in managing their trust accounts, the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) has put together the following reference manual:

• Managing Your Client Trust Account manual

For questions specific to managing your trust account, please contact the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR):

Mary Hoeft-Smith, Trust Account Program Director
110 East Main Street, Suite 315
Madison, WI 53703-3383
Phone: (877) 315-6941, option 2
Fax: (608) 267-1959

Contact us

825 Williamson Street, Suite A, Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608.257.6845 or 877.749.5045 (toll-free)
Fax: 608.257.2684
Email: service@wistaf.org

Board & Staff

Board of Directors

De Ette Tomlinson, Executive Director

Rebecca Murray, Program Manager

Tehmina Islam, Program Assistant