In July 2008, Donald B. Davison, then serving as Grand Marais city attorney, was reprimanded and placed on two years supervisory probation by the Minnesota Supreme Court. On October 23, 2009, the Supreme Court issued notice that it had indefinitely suspended Davison from the practice of law, stating that he had failed to comply with the terms of the probation.
The director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (OLPR) issued the 2008 reprimand after reviewing allegations that Davison “committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline, namely, neglect of a client matter resulting in entry of judgment and imposition of monetary sanctions against respondent’s [Davison’s] client…”
The disciplinary action was made in response to a client complaint in a breach of contract lawsuit in 2004.
On June 18, 2009, OLPR filed a petition with the Supreme Court for revocation of probation and for further disciplinary action, alleging that Davison had failed to comply with the court order requiring him to return the client’s property and failure to cooperate with the director’s investigation. On June 19, 2009 Davison filed a petition for resignation from the bar. According to Associate Justice Alan Page, Minnesota does not allow a lawyer to resign with disciplinary charges pending and his petition was denied.
On October 22, Associate Justice Page issued the notice that Davison had been suspended from the practice of law. Page said Davison must provide notice of suspension to clients, opposing counsel and tribunals and must pay $900 in costs.
Davison, who was admitted to practice law in Minnesota in October 1976, served as the city attorney for the city of Grand Marais for 24 years. He resigned from his contracted city attorney position on June 10, 2009 stating that after more than 30 years of practicing law, it was time to pursue other interests. His last day as city attorney was July 15, 2009.
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