MOSCOW, November 14 (RAPSI) - Former Miss Pennsylvania and contestant for the title of Miss USA Sheena Monnin filed a malpractice lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against her former attorney whose “inept representation” of her a judge blamed for a $5 million loss to Donald Trump’s Miss Universe organization, the Courthouse News Service reported.

According to her official profile on the Miss USA pageant website, Sheena Mnonin is a 28-year-old native of Pennsylvania. She holds a bachelor’s degree in “human service” and a master’s in psychology, and would like eventually to earn a doctorate in theology. She believes that her strongest talent lies in her “attentive and heartfelt” capacity to listen. In apparently more optimistic times, she was quoted on the Miss USA website as having boasted: “Being a Miss USA contestant has been the greatest journey of my life!  Each day leading to Miss USA is filled with breathtaking anticipation, beautiful moments, incredible opportunities...and LOTS of excitement!”

The optimism soured however when Monnin claimed that the Miss Universe pageant was rigged.

The AP reported in June 2012 that Monnin had resigned from her position as Miss Pennsylvania, and posted a claim on her Facebook wall that another contestant had seen a list of the top 5 finishers hours prior to the pageant’s broadcast. The report quoted her Facebook post as having stated, “In my heart I believe in honesty, fair play, a fair opportunity, and high moral integrity, none of which in my opinion are part of this pageant system any longer." Trump then reportedly vowed to sue Monnin during a live interview with ABC’s Good Morning America.

According to court documents published by Justia, Monnin was represented by attorney Richard Klineburger, III. Monnin’s contract with the Miss Universe Organization had an arbitration clause, but the July 2013 judgment notes that “neither Monnin nor Klineburger participated in the arbitration process, and they both failed to appear at the Arbitration Hearing, which took place on November 5, 2012.”

The arbitrator then awarded the Miss Universe Organization $5 million in monetary damages, finding that Monnin had defamed the organization through her public statements, according to the judgment.

In upholding the arbitration award, the court emphasized the work of her attorney: “Monnin, as the individual affected by, and initially served with, the Statement of Claim, cannot be absolved entirely for her indifference to the proceedings that occurred… without her participation.

Nevertheless, it does well to note that Monnin was repeatedly advised by counsel that she need not participate in the Arbitration. Blindly, but perhaps understandably, Monnin put her trust in her attorney, believing that he would represent her interests to the best of his ability throughout the Arbitration process. Unfortunately, Klineburger chose to ignore the responsibilities owed to his client, along with the ethical duties governing his profession. And while the notice given to Monnin and Klineburger was legally valid, and the arbitral process fundamentally fair, Monnin is now faced with dire consequences due, in no small part, to her counsel’s ineptitude, which constitutes a harsh result.”