Gerald G. MacDonald

Professor MacDonald joined the Cooley faculty in 1992 and was promoted to full professor in 2000. He is a member of the state bars of the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Michigan and has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and various lower federal courts.

From 2002 to 2011, Professor MacDonald served as co-director (with Professor John Scott) of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' Cathy Bennett National Invitational Student Trial Advocacy Competition. He is published in the area of civil procedure and has served on a national committee responsible for drafting discovery reform policies. He is also the co-author, with Professor Scott, of numerous trial advocacy case files.

Prior to joining the Cooley faculty, Professor MacDonald was with the Washington, D.C. offices of Sidley & Austin and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, where he worked primarily on complex litigation matters. His experience includes private sector litigation involving commercial contract, antitrust, regulated industries, and employment issues as well as representation of the FSLIC and RTC in litigation related to failed financial institutions.

Professor MacDonald is a member of the Order of the Coif and a recipient of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Art and Science of Advocacy. While in law school, he taught the first-year research, advocacy, and writing course.

Professor MacDonald has taught Civil Procedure I, Civil Procedure II and Advanced Trial Workshop.

Articles

• MacDonald, Gerald, "Hesiod, Agesilaus and Rule 26: A Proposal for a More Effective Mandatory Initial Disclosure Procedure," 28 WAKE FOREST L REV 819 (Winter 1993).
  • Reprinted: August, 1996, by the ABA Judicial Division and the National Conference of State Trial Judges as CLE Materials for a joint program on discovery reform, Can We Streamline Discovery Without Putting a Thumb on the Scales of Justice?   
• MacDonald, Gerald, "Investigating Alternative Approaches to the Federal Discovery Reform Initiatives Under Federal Rule 26(a)(1)," 36 ABA JUDGES' JOURNAL 4 (Spring 1997).

Book Reviews and Other Short Works

• MacDonald, Gerald, "No Stay of Disclosures Available Under Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995," FEDERAL DISCOVERY NEWS 3 (September 1996).

Other Writings

• The People of the State of Liberty v. Cass Livingston, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(manslaughter/assault with a dangerous weapon case involving allegations of road rage)(2011).
• The People of the United States of America v. Jordan Weaver, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(obstruction of justice case against Prosecutor for withholding exculpatory evidence in terrorism prosecution)(2009).
• The People of the State of Liberty v. [Sean/Shawna] Whitney, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(arson case with eco-terrorism defense)(2008).
• The People of the United States of America v. [Francis/Frances] Bolling, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(political/prosecutorial corruption case)(2007).
• The People of the State of Liberty v. Hay’Imindel Cartewi, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(drive-by shooting/eyewitness reliability case)(2006).
• The People of the State of Liberty v. Raymun Ford, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John Scott)(Penalty phase of death penalty prosecution)(2005).
• The People of the State of Liberty v. William Wilbur, Jr., NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(murder case – bodies allegedly disposed of years earlier by grinding them in wood chipper)(2004).
• The People of the United States of America v. [Ricki/Ricky] Phillips, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(Bio-terrorism prosecution)(2003).
• The People of the State of Liberty v. Lee Taylor, NACDL Cat Bennett National Trial Competition Case File (co-authored with Professor John N. Scott)(attempted murder/abuse of vulnerable adult prosecution of nursing home employee)(2002).