Audley Earl Melhado

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

The complainant retained the attorney in March 2004 to wind up a company and paid a total retainer of $25,000. Despite numerous reminders over an extended period, the attorney failed to commence legal action timely, failed to establish service of process when the matter came before the court in June 2006, failed to keep the client informed, and did not return the client's documents until 2008. The client effectively received no professional service. The attorney did not appear at any hearing. The Panel found breaches of Canons IV(r) and IV(s), ordered full restitution of the $25,000 fees, a fine of $50,000 (with $25,000 paid to the complainant as compensation for loss of interest and inconvenience and the remainder to the Council), and costs of $10,000. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• Overriding duty to the court
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Client effectively received no professional service from the attorney
• Persistent failure to respond to numerous reminders and visits over an extended period
• Failure to return client's documents until 2008
• Attorney failed to appear at any of the hearings