| ► Attorney Neil Jokelson of Philadelphia; serial offender |
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Attorney Neil Jokelson of Philadelphia; serial offender
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) found Neil guilty of the following misconduct.
In one matter, Neil’s client met with him to discuss her options regarding her deceased aunt’s Will and annuity policy. Shortly thereafter, Neil filed a lawsuit in Federal Court. The defendant then filed an answer and a counterclaim for the court to determine the claims against eleven (11) other beneficiaries named on the annuity policy.
Several weeks later, the trial court issued a scheduling order requiring completion of discovery within five months and the filing of a Joint Pretrial Order with the court 3 weeks later.
Counsel for the defendants sent a letter with copy of a Self-Executing Disclosure State, suggested alternative dispute resolution to settle the matter, reiterated the court’s discovery deadline, and advised Neil if he didn’t hear from him, he would file a Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of his clients to have his client’s lawsuit dismissed.
Thereafter, Neil failed to act in accordance with the requests contained in defense counsel’s letter. Defense counsel then filed a Motion for Summary Judgment due to Neil’s failure to comply with the trial court’s discovery and Pre-trial order.
Neil failed to respond to the Motion for Summary Judgment and to notify his client that it had been filed. The Court then granted the motion and ordered that interest accrued on the insurance proceeds and litigation costs be charged to Neil’s client.
Subsequently, the client sent Neil a letter advised him that she hadn’t spoken to him or received any communications from him for several months despite repeated attempts to contact him. At about the same time, the client learned on her own that her Federal lawsuit had been dismissed and that checks to the defendants had been issued.
In another matter, Neil’s gross negligence in representing a client in a civil lawsuit resulted in the client’s case being dismissed when defense counsel filed a Motion for Summary Judgment due to his failure to comply with court ordered discovery.
As one would suspect, this wasn’t Neil’s 1st bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree. He previously received two (2) complimentary informal admonitions. He also received two (2) complimentary private reprimands for engaging in a variety of misconduct.
As a consequence of his misconduct, the apologists for Attorney Misfits sitting Pennsylvania Supreme Court punished Neil by gifting him with a complimentary censure.
As we speak (ca. December 2012) Neil practices with Neil E. Jokelson & Associates at 230 South Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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