Pathologists in litigation over medical practice partnership

GALVESTON � Alleging that her colleague Dr. Jameela Ahmeduddin is poised to terminate her from Mainland Pathology Associates PA as an employee and board director through illegal avenues, Dr. Mary Yang seeks a temporary restraining order from a local state district court judge.

According to a lawsuit filed Feb. 28 in Galveston County District Court, Ahmeduddin's actions violate the bylaws of the Mainland Pathology Associates adopted in 2002.

Court papers show the group operated on shareholders' share purchase and deferred compensation agreements from 2001 to the present time. Yang, who consented with the defendant as director, became the owner of 50 percent of the MPA shares last year.

According to the suit, Yang and Ahmeduddin were at odds over the unsuccessful profitability of the Cytology Associates of Houston, which MPA acquired in 2006. The plaintiff sought to obtain financial information about the venture, but Ahmeduddin neither handed the documentation over nor separated the entities, the suit states.

Yang points out that her relationship with the defendant deteriorated through the end of 2010 and into the start of this year, stating Ahmeduddin called for a special meeting to discuss termination to which she objected.

The complainant then received a termination letter requesting that she and the defendant work toward an amicable separation by March 15. She argues that the MPA must function with two directors and she must maintain her position since she and Ahmeduddin are the only members.

"Any attempt by Ahmeduddin to remove her as director is ineffective," the original petition says.

"Ahmeduddin does not have authority to terminate Yang because she is a duly appointed officer of MPA. Even if she did have authority to terminate Yang, she did so without the required board of director approval."

In addition to a ruling from Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Wayne Mallia, unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial are sought.

Attorney Brent C. Perry of Houston is representing Yang.

Case No. 11-cv-0352