Donald R. Bernard

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

A UK firm of solicitors complained that Jamaican attorney Donald Bernard, retained to conclude a property sale for the estate of Adeline Wheeler, failed to complete the sale or report on its status for nearly 10 years after receiving the executed Agreement for Sale, and ceased responding to correspondence from 1993 onward. The Panel found the charges established: breaches of Canon IV(r), IV(s) and VII(b), including failure to provide information, inexcusable negligence, and failure to account for moneys. As the attorney had already been struck off in unrelated proceedings, the Panel imposed a fine of JMD $650,000, directing $550,000 to be paid to the complainant for the estate and $100,000 to the General Legal Council. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• Overriding duty to the court
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Sale incomplete for nearly 10 years
• Failure to respond to repeated correspondence since 1993
• Failure to attend the hearing