Unfortunately, I don't think there is much you can do about the retainer. If I understand you correctly, the State Bar and your attorney's attorney (the one representing your attorney in the embezzlement case) said they cannot help you; if this is truly the case, and your former attorney's office is not currently open (are his employees still working and just not answering their phones? have you actually stopped by his office to see?) I think your only option is to file suit against the attorney. This will cost you though, legal fees and attorney fees at minimum, so you may want to weigh your options carefully. Along with that, you can always file a complaint against the attorney with the State Bar so that at some point, when he does get out of jail, along with not being allowed to practice law, he will possibly have a lien against him until the funds are returned. As for the actual file (of paperwork), your best option is to contact the Court for copies of all pleadings/motions/formal letters that were sent on your behalf. Also, while it may be unconventional, you may try contacting your adversary's lawyer to see if he/she can copy letters sent to him on your behalf so that you can have some semblence of a file on the matter. Good luck.