| ► Attorney Douglas MacDonald of S. Weymouth, MA; ethical dwarf |
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Attorney Douglas MacDonald of S. Weymouth, MA; ethical dwarf
The Massachusetts Supreme Court presented Douglas R. MacDonald with a law license in 1989.
The Board of Bar Overseers found Douglas guilty of the following misconduct.
In one matter, Douglas was hired to represent a client on a personal injury claim resulting from an auto accident. Douglas then filed a lawsuit and a trial date was subsequently scheduled by the trial court.
Subsequently, defense counsel served written interrogatories (questions) and a request to produce documents on Douglas. Douglas failed to advise his client about these requests. Defense counsel then advised Douglas he would ask the court to dismiss the case if the answers were not received. As a result of Douglas’ gross incompetence, the trial court dismissed the client’s lawsuit.
Douglas failed to advise the client his case had been dismissed and also failed to take any action to reinstate the lawsuit. Subsequently, the client fired Douglas and retained another attorney. The client then demanded that Douglas return her file to her; however, Douglas only returned a portion of the file to her. When the new attorney demanded the entire file, Douglas failed to respond.
In another matter, Douglas was hired to represent a client in a divorce. The client paid Douglas a $1,000 retained. Several days later, the client wrote to Douglas and told him that she had reconciled with her husband and requested that he provide her with an accounting of his services and a refund of any unearned portion of the retainer. Douglas failed to reply to her request.
As one would suspect, this wasn’t Douglas’ 1st bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree. He previously received a complimentary admonition for failing to provide competent representation.
As a consequence of his misconduct, the apologists for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Board of Overseers punished Douglas by gifting him with a complimentary reprimand.
As we speak (January 2013) Douglas practices at 435 Columbian Street in South Weymouth, Massachusetts.
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