Detroit leaders defend once-reprimanded attorney’s work on casino project

Wednesday, March 25, 1998 | 10:21 a.m.

The one-year probation ordered by the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board for Donald McMillan ended last June. He claimed he was under professional and emotional stress when he mishandled the litigation five years ago while in private practice.

That made little difference to Dimitrious Marangos, a General Motors Corp. worker on disability who filed the complaint against McMillan.

"If he couldn't handle a simple lawsuit like mine, how can he help the city with a big case?" the Sterling Heights man told The Detroit News for a story Wednesday. "If he was stressed about my case, I can only imagine the stress dealing with the casinos."

Despite McMillan's past, city officials expressed confidence in his ability to handle parts of the most important development project on Detroit's drawing board.

"The mayor puts his full faith in city employees to be able to carry out their duties in a professional manner," said Greg Bowens, a spokesman for Mayor Dennis Archer. "This situation is no different."

McMillan, Detroit's senior counsel for real estate, began working for the city in 1995. When Marangos' complaint was filed that year, City Attorney Phyllis James said, McMillan notified her and officials in Archer's office - and immediately offered to resign.

But because the State Bar of Michigan did not revoke or suspend his license or limit his practice, city officials followed the advice of labor attorneys and retained McMillan, Mrs. James said.

"Given the fact that Don had proven to be a highly able, very competent real estate lawyer - the best real estate lawyer the city has at this time - we made the determination that it would not be appropriate to take any adverse action against Don or even dismiss him from the city," she said.

The complaint against McMillan stemmed from his handling of a 1993 lawsuit by Marangos, who hired the attorney after being taken to court over an unpaid promissory note. According to Discipline Board records, McMillan failed to answer the original complaint and a default judgment was entered against Marangos for $21,385.

McMillan initially told the board that his client knew how he was handling the case and that he had done nothing wrong. But McMillan pleaded no contest in April 1996 to allegations of professional misconduct.

McMillan declined Tuesday to discuss the Marangos case, the News said.

Meanwhile, a General Motors Corp. executive said the automaker and the city were drafting an agreement to resolve differences over Archer's proposal to build the three casinos east of the GM-owned Renaissance Center.

"We don't want to be looking out of our windows at inappropriate structures or gaudiness," GM vice chairman Harry Pearce told the News in an interview Tuesday. "Nor does the mayor."

City and company officials including Archer, Pearce and GM Chairman John F. Smith Jr., met Sunday to discuss development along the Detroit River. GM said it wanted a "working agreement" in place by April 10, when the City Council is to consider the casino proposal.