Attorney
Resume:
Donnell H. McNeal, Esq.
Suite 136-F
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
443-***-**** (Fax)
*************@*****.***
OBJECTIVE: To sharpen legal skills and knowledge in the business/legal arena by working within an environment that affords the opportunity to conduct legal research, settle bodily injury, property damage, general liability and error & omissions claims; conduct client interviews, manage case loads, litigate, arbitrate, mediate, subrogate and negotiate legal matters.
EDUCATION
David A. Clarke School of Law at University of the District of Columbia J.D. May 2000. Admitted to Maryland and D.C Bar.
University of Maryland at College Park. B.A. Criminology, minor in Psychology, May 1991. University of Maryland Police Academy Law Enforcement Certification, September 1991.
Honors: General Honors Program
Office of Minority Student Education Award
Department of U.S. Air Force Student Award
Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society Nominated for Judicial Board Committee
Nominated for the Mary McLeod Bethune award
Nominated for the President’s Commission of Ethnic Minority Issues (PCEMI) Activities: Founder & President of Alpha-Omega Christian Fraternity, Inc. Omicron Delta Kappa
Criminal Justice Student Association
American Family Association
Air Force ROTC
Maryland Humanities Council
EXPERIENCE
Law Office of Donnell H. McNeal (Upper Marlboro, MD) Attorney (December 2005 - Current)
Admitted to practice law Maryland and the District of Columbia at the District, Superior, Circuit and Appellate levels in both State/District and Federal Courts. Practice personal injury, torts, criminal, civil, family, insurance, entertainment, contract, estate & trust, administrative, employment, and civil rights law.
ESIS Risk Management (Columbia, MD)
Senior Claims Representative (July 05 – November 05)
Worked under a contract to settle general liability run-off claims ranging from one (1) to three (3) years old from the Rouse Company and General Growth Properties. Had a discretionary settlement authority of
$5,000; however, settled claims in excess of $100,000.00. Negotiated to reduce claims with plaintiff’s attorneys to reasonable amounts in light of plaintiff’s injuries after reviewing index, medical, incident, and police reports. Assisted defense counsel in conducting appropriate investigations for the purposes of preliminary settlement and trial conferences, depositions and trial. Researched, reviewed, evaluated and reported on suggested courses of action to settle cases based on the jurisdiction and the merits of the case.
(Experience Continued) Page 2
Law Firm of O’Guinn & McNeal (Columbia, MD)
Law Clerk (August 04 – July 05)
Drafted initial complaints, subpoenas, orders, writs of attachments and executions to enforce judgments. Served summons, filed civil actions in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. Conducted manual and computerized legal research and utilized Lexis-Nexis, West Law and Pacer. Researched complex issues involving workers compensation and filed requisite documentation for agreements for final compromise and settlements.
Progressive Casualty Insurance Company (Woodlawn, MD) Claims Representative (April 97 - August 04)
Assist in reducing the trauma and economic cost associated with automotive accidents by accurately taking initial loss information, setting reserves, investigating insurance coverage, determining liability, dispatching for losses, and settling property damage and bodily injury claims. Inspect damaged vehicles, wrote estimates via Pathways CCC and Mitchell’s estimation software. Set up rentals, conducted scene investigations, interviewed witnesses, took recorded statements, and issued field drafts. Utilized Pacman software to document claims from inception to resolution. Subrogated other insurance companies to recoup company funds. Arbitrated disputes in liability decisions with other insurance companies.
David A. Clarke School of Law (Washington, D.C.)
Housing Clinic Legal Representative (August 99 - December 99)
Represented indigent citizens of the District of Columbia in court with legal housing problems, involving breach of implied warranty of habitability, housing code violations, self-help evictions, and tort claims. Drafted complaint for actions, Temporary Restraining Orders, Preliminary Injunctions, Applications to Proceed In Forma Paupers, and court orders.
Council of the District of Columbia Government (Washington, D.C.) Legislative Assistant (January 99 - April 99)
Worked for Councilmember, David Catania, under Linda Bumbalo to research and draft legislation on topics including criminalizing parents that fail to pay child support; tax incentives for the District; voting reporting procedures; making the Board of Trustees more effective by reducing the number of members; and regulating parking lots, garages, and valet parking companies in the District.
Superior Court for the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) Judicial Intern (October 98 - December 98)
Responsible for researching both the legal and factual implications of compelling cases tried before the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Extended payments for parties unable to pay court costs and wrote court orders for District Court Commissioners.
Kmart Corporation (Ellicott City, MD)
Loss Control Manager (January 94 - April 97)
Responsible for detecting, responding, and prosecuting both internal and external theft incidents. Monitored and trained store personnel on paper, visible, and invisible waste. Conducted investigations, inventories, and audits on associates. Supervised a staff of two. Accountable for all aspects of safety and security. Responsible for employees possessing special police officer commissions.
(Experience Continued) Page 3
Legal Papers, Inc. (Towson, MD)
Server/Investigator (January 96 - March 96)
Tracked down individuals that courts, law firms, and collection agencies had difficulties locating and served them with summonses, subpoenas, and many other such legal documents. Management & Training Corporation (Randallstown, MD) Residential Advisor (May 92 - April 94)
Counseled students with various social problems. Ensured that students abided by all rules and regulations inside of the institution. Responsible for disciplinary actions. Conducted dorm meetings, and accountability checks. Taught social skills training courses. Served on evaluation panels.
University of Maryland Police Department (College Park, MD) Law Enforcement Officer (May 91 - April 92)
Enforced the criminal, common, and traffic law statutes in the state of Maryland as devised by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission. Performed investigations, arrests, traffic stops, emergency medical responses, patrol, and many other public related activities. Served court summons and warrants. Utilized portable, mobile, and stationary transistor radios. Special training in the use of PR-24, 9mm Sig, and various defensive tactics.
Institute of Criminal Justice & Criminology (College Park, MD) Research & Teaching Assistant (September 90 - May 91)
Assisted in organizing and setting up meetings for Maryland Committee for Dispute Resolutions. Utilized the IBM PC to disseminate information to members of Maryland’s Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) program. Collected and maintained manuscripts for persons seeking publications in the Mediation Quarterly. Helped to develop a form of coding in which data derived from courts involved in ADR could be used to conduct statistical analysis. Generated hypotheses of mediation in minor matters and its implications for the U.S. Legal System. Tutored students in criminal procedure and evidence.
Bureau of Rehabilitation, Inc. (Washington, D.C.)
Internship (February 90 - May 90)
Formulated questionnaire sheets to make statistical data of persons in final stages of rehabilitation. Interviewed clients within halfway house. Became a good listener for persons who needed to share their life stories and experiences. Compiled all of the information necessary in order to produce a term paper and give an oral presentation.
Special skills: Blue Book Citation, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, legal research and writing, Westlaw, Lexis-Nexis, Pacer, MS Word, Corel WP, Excel, Power Point, Library of Congress internet searches, videography, photography, investigations, martial arts trainer.
REFERENCES UPON REQUEST
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