Allison & Alan Gareau v. Anthony Sineni III

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Disposition: Award to Petitioner

Issued by: Fee Arbitration Commission

Docket #: FAC #19-243

Dated: December 16, 2019

Bar Number: 007418

A hearing in the above matter was held on December 9, 2019, in Portland, Maine before a duly authorized Fee Arbitration Panel of the Fee Arbitration Commission of the Board of Overseers of the Bar. This Panel was designated to hear the controversy existing between the above-named parties as set forth in the Petitioners' Petition. The members of this Panel were Chair Thomas P. Elias, Esq.; Carrie Folsom, Esq.; and public member Sandra Hodge. The Petitioner, Allison Gareau, and her son, Charles Martin, were present and testified. The Respondent did not appear and did not file any written submissions. Based upon the evidence introduced, the Panel finds as follows:

Measuring the findings with the factors set forth in Rules 1.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, the Panel finds that Mr. Anthony Sineni has not carried his burden to show that the $2,500.00 payment that was made to him is reasonable. Therefore, he owes Allison and Alan Gareau the sum of $2,500.00.

In order to preserve the confidentiality of the written materials and the testimony submitted at the hearing, the findings of fact and conclusions are not set forth in the Award and Determination. This Award and Determination is accompanied, however, by a separate supplemental document which sets forth the findings of facts and conclusions of the Panel. By ruling of the Chair, the attached supplemental document shall not be considered part of the award, which is a public document. In accordance with Maine Bar Rule 7(h), the supplemental document shall be confidential and shall not be open to the public or disclosed to any person except as otherwise set forth in Maine Bar Rule 7(h).

The Award and Determination is in full settlement of all claims submitted to the Arbitration Panel.

The undersigned has subscribed to this award on December 16, 2019.

Thomas P. Elias, Esq.
Chair, Panel 1A
Fee Arbitration Commission