NOTICE OF SUSPENSION AND RESTITUTION Case Nos. 90-15-GA; 90-29-FA Marcia A. MacDonald, P-32940, Grandville, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Kent County Hearing Panel #1.
1) Suspension - two years; 2) Effective July 24, 1990. The respondent failed to answer the formal complaints and failed to appear at the hearing held in Grand Rapids on April 26, 1990. Respondent's defaults were entered and the hearing panel determined that the defaults established the allegations of the formal complaints. Respondent was retained in connection with four separate divorce proceedings, one bankruptcy matter, one civil suit and one legal separation matter. Respondent failed to perform services for her clients, failed to respond to her clients' inquiries, made false statements to one of her divorce clients, abandoned her clients' causes of action without notice, failed to refund her clients' unused retainer fees, and failed to answer eight requests for investigation.
Respondent's conduct was found to be in violation of MCR 9.104(1-4,7); MCR 9.103(C); MCR 9.113(B)(2); Canons 1, 6 and 7 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 1-102(A)(1,5,6); DR 6-101(A)(3); DR 7-101(A)(1-3); and Rules 1.1(c); 1.2(a); 1.3; 1.4(a); 1.15(b); 8.4(a-c) of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. The hearing panel ordered the respondent to make restitution to six of her clients in the total amount of $1630.00. Costs were assessed in the amount of $352.27.