TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Mar 24, 2026

Shelby County lawyer Kenneth Michael Margolis was censured on March 24 after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.5(c), 7.1 and 8.4(a). The court found that Margolis mistakenly took the word of his co-counsel that an existing shared client wanted both of them to handle a new matter. He did not verify that arrangement with the client, who in fact, had intended to hire only the lawyer with whom he was speaking. In addition, during this new representation, there was no written fee agreement executed, an existing medical authorization was used without the client’s authorization, and Margolis, along with co-counsel, improperly attempted to collect a contingency fee from the client.