Duran and McDonald

PHIL CIUFO _{on Google}

Apr 2nd, 2024

Provided appropriate levels of care and ability to support me as a public defender. Highly recommend.

God 1st Alpha,Omega (Yes) _{on Google}

Mar 5th, 2024

Will not answer calls or emails.

Aaron Hicks _{on Google}

Jan 7th, 2024

Phenomenal attorneys and human beings. Duran and McDonald have built their stellar reputations, based on years and years of exemplary legal knowledge and representation of their clients. I highly recommend their firm.

That Guy _{on Google}

Dec 11th, 2023

John Duran is a liar and a coward!
All I can speak about is my experience with John Duran in his capacity as our Guardian Ad Litem... but I would sum him up as a pathological liar that makes terrible decisions, then tries to cover up his mistakes by misleading the court and blame-shifting. While I can't diagnose him, I would say he shows definite signs of being a pathological narcissist, and a pathological liar.
Over the course of 3 years, John Duran would make recommendations to the court that had every single therapist involved in the case ask what he was doing. He would routinely ignore them and push forward his own agenda that left me FIRMLY believing that he is either HEAVILY favoring moms, or he has some serious mommy issues that causes him to ignore what is plain and clear for everyone else to see. He would ignore when my ex-wife would violate court orders and refuse to follow his recommendations, then follow that up with recommendations that would favor her as if to say "sorry, let me make it easier for you to follow the rules by slanting the recommendations in your favor."
My kids refused to talk to him because he would ROUTINELY tell them one thing, then make a recommendation doing the exact opposite just 24-48 hours later. How spineless are you that you can't even tell a kid the truth? He felt like he had to lie to a kid, then go push his agenda behind their back? You can't respect a person like that, and I can say my kids wanted nothing to do with him because they couldn't trust him.
*Edit* If you read the newest review, you also see how John Duran mislead/lied to him as well. As with us over 3 years... John Duran says one thing, then does another. I question his ability to tell the truth. Our judge didn't want to hear it because if Duran is a liar, then it questions the integrity of the whole case... and that CAN'T happen!
Duran is VERY much an upper middle class/lower upper class lawyer who found a spot in the system where he can make a pretty good living and CAN'T be fired since GAL's have qualified immunity. It doesn't matter how absolutely terrible he is at his job, or how incompetent his decisions are... he can't be fired or even reported to the state bar. That is scary!
I would venture to say that I truly do doubt that he knows ANYTHING about the kids he is in charge of as a GAL. From what i saw and dealt with, i would seriously question whether he knows ANYTHING about the struggles they deal with on a day-to-day basis. Duran strikes me as the guy who talks to his friends about the work he does with these "low income families" as a way to seem philanthropic... when in reality he is creating FAR more problems with his decisions than these families would face if he never entered their lives.
When John Duran couldn't get a therapist in New Mexico to say what he wanted them to say, he went and found one in New York that would say it, so long as she was paid $15,000 for her report. That alone would be a red flag for most judges, but thankfully for him we are in Sandoval County and, in my opinion, the judge here was pretty much asleep at the wheel and let Duran do whatever wanted.
This isn't a review from someone who "lost and isn't happy". Rather, this is a cautionary tale to let people know that if John Duran is mentioned as a potential Guardian Ad Litem for your case, stand up and shout "NO!" He created 10x more problems than he solved, and because of his decisions, I'm not sure if my daughter will EVER get out of therapy! John Duran is the textbook definition of an arrogant lawyer who thinks he is the smartest man in the room, when in my personal opinion, he is the last person in the room that should be in charge of a pencil sharpener, let alone a case involving minor children that need an adult to protect them legally.
Don't get me wrong... I'm not against GALs. At the start of our case, we had an AMAZING Guardian Ad Litem. She was a great investigator that was honest, up front, and to the point. That is why I know the difference between a good GAL, and a terrible one.