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Donald R. Bernard

JurisdictionJamaica
BodyGeneral Legal Council — Disciplinary Committee (GLC)
Professionattorney
Case number33 of 1999
DateJanuary 15, 2000
OutcomeStruck off

Allegation / charges

Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered January 15, 2000. View PDF RULING OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCILRE: COMPLAINT N0.33/99IVY WILLIAMS vs DONALD BERNARDHEARD IN THE NO.3 COURT ROOM, SATURDAY 15th JANUARY 2000 Before: …

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

SanctionStrike Off
CostsJMD 5,000
Dishonesty foundNo

Complainant Ivy Williams invested approximately $2.5 million with Donald Bernard, a partner in Donald Bernard & Company, from 1987, including sums for relatives. In 1997 she requested $1 million (with 3 months notice) to purchase a house but received only $300,000. Despite numerous written and personal requests, Bernard failed to pay over the monies he held for her. Bernard did not attend any of the hearings. The Committee found him in breach of Canon VII(b)2 and Canon I(b), described his conduct as disgraceful, and ordered his name struck off the roll. Costs of $5,000 were awarded to the complainant.

Duties found breached:

Aggravating factors:

  • Failed to attend multiple hearings despite notice
  • Collected and withheld client funds over a long period despite many requests
  • Conduct described as disgraceful

Duties engaged

Other decisions involving this respondent

  • 45 of 2000 2003-02-22 · GLC · Jamaica · Struck off
  • 210 of 1998 2001-07-19 · GLC · Jamaica · Restitution Ordered
  • 224 of 1997 2001-06-07 · GLC · Jamaica · Fined
  • 9 of 1999 2000-05-03 · GLC · Jamaica · Repayment Ordered

Matched by respondent name — may include a different person with the same name.

Documents

Source: https://www.generallegalcouncil.org/judgement/donald-r-bernard-complaint-no-33-of-1999/