On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, The Florida Bar filed a complaint against Okeechobee attorney Colin Munro Cameron with the Supreme Court of Florida, alleging professional misconduct in his handling of a probate case. Cameron faces accusations of lacking diligence, charging excessive fees, and failing to expedite litigation in a case that has remained open for over 16 years.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Colin Munro Cameron,” with case number 2023-30,600(19B).
The complaint stems from Cameron’s representation of Derek Williams, the personal representative of the estate of John C. Williams, in a probate matter filed in March 2008 in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Okeechobee County, Florida. The case, In Re: The Estate of John C. Williams, Case No. 2008-CP-047, involves properties in Florida, Georgia, and the Bahamas owned by the decedent, who passed away in February 2008. Cameron began representing the estate in August 2008, after another attorney initially opened the probate.
According to the complaint, Cameron was hired to manage the Florida estate, while Williams handled ancillary probate proceedings in Georgia and the Bahamas. The Florida estate was responsible for distributing the net proceeds from all estates to the beneficiaries. However, the complaint alleges that Cameron had minimal contact with the Georgia estate’s attorney, despite the interconnected nature of the proceedings.
The Florida Bar claims Cameron failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, citing multiple instances where Williams reached out to inquire about closing the estate. In an email dated October 22, 2015, Williams expressed frustration, noting that the case had been ongoing for eight years and asking what was needed to finalize it. Cameron’s response, the complaint states, was his first attempt in seven years to gather information about the estate’s income. Similar communications occurred in 2019 and 2021, with Williams repeatedly asking for updates and offering funds to cover closing costs, yet Cameron allegedly delayed action, admitting in 2021 that he was “struggling to get a good grasp on everything.”
The complaint further alleges that Cameron charged the estate approximately $13,800 in fees without demonstrating extraordinary services to justify the amount. The Florida Bar asserts these fees were excessive, violating rules against charging unreasonable costs. Additionally, the estate suffered losses, including Florida and Georgia rental properties lost to foreclosure due to the 2008 economic collapse and a Georgia tree farm sold for about $30,000. Property stored in lockers was also sold for less than the storage costs.
In February 2024, Bonnie McCallum-Walters, the decedent’s wife, hired an attorney to object to Williams’ third amended final accounting, expressing concerns over the estate’s prolonged handling and alleged mismanagement. Cameron filed an accounting in November 2023, and as of May 2024, he indicated plans to submit an updated interim accounting. The estate, still pending, holds approximately $35,000 to $40,000 for distribution.
The Florida Bar accuses Cameron of violating several Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, including those requiring diligence, prohibiting excessive fees, mandating efforts to expedite litigation, and barring conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.
The complaint requests that the Supreme Court of Florida impose appropriate disciplinary measures.
According to Avvo, Mr. Silverman is a probate lawyer in Okeechobee, FL. He acquired his law license in Florida in 1979.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
