REINSTATED

The following lawyers had their licenses reinstated after being suspended for violations of the Rules of Professional Responsibility:

• Daryl Andre Gray, Louisiana
• John Edward Hutson, White County
• TeShaun David Moore, Shelby County

The following lawyers had their law licenses reinstated after being on inactive status for more than five years:

• John Charles Bircher III, North Carolina
• Michael Victor Coleman, Georgia
• Ricky A.W. Curtis, Blountville
• Dalen L.P. Farmer, Murfreesboro
• Joseph Salvatore Imburgia, Sullivan County
• David Lee Mundy, South Carolina
• Sarah Jean Orellana, Davidson County
• Heather Chastain Parker, Florida
• Christopher Ryan Toms, Mississippi
• Andrew David Watts, Vermont
• Bradley David Williams, Anderson County
• Sarah Elaine Willis, Georgia

The following lawyers had their law licenses reinstated to inactive status:

• Danielle Cristene Droitsch, Utah

DISABILITY INACTIVE

The following lawyer(s) had their law licenses transferred to disability inactive status. They may not practice law while on inactive status. They may seek reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court after showing that the disability has been removed.

• Johnny D. Houston Jr., Chattanoga
• Sornavidya Saba Sankar, Nashville

DISCIPLINARY
Disbarred

The Tennessee Supreme Court permanently disbarred Knox County attorney Darren Vincent Berg from the practice of law on Feb. 17. The court also ordered Berg to pay restitution of $65,000 to two former clients. The court determined that in 11 separate matters, Berg engaged in ethical misconduct that involved failure to provide competent representation, act within the scope and authority communicated by clients, act with reasonable diligence, communicate with clients, properly terminate representation, expedite litigation, and provide legal services after accepting substantial fees. The court also found that he charged unreasonable fees, engaged in conflicts of interest, knowingly relied on non-meritorious claims, made false statements to courts and parties, engaged in improper communication with represented parties, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law after suspension of his license, repeatedly abandoned clients and their cases, and engaged in conduct involving deceit or dishonesty and prejudice to the administration of justice. These actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.16, 3.1-3.5, 4.2, 4.4, 5.5, 8.1 and 8.4(b) – (d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court permanently disbarred Sumner County lawyer Jocelyn Doria Mims on Jan. 30. The court took the action after determining that Mims’s felony convictions for tampering with evidence, making a false report and intentionally failing to report child sexual abuse constituted serious criminal conduct that was prejudicial to the administration of justice and reflected adversely on her honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer. Her actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2(d), 1.6(c), 3.3(h), 3.4(a)-(b), 4.1(a) and 8.4(a), (b), (c) and (d).

Suspended

On Jan. 30, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Shelby County lawyer Sheila L. Robinson-Beasley from the practice of law for six years, with five years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The court conditioned probation on Robinson-Beasley employing a practice monitor for one year, attending the Board of Professional Responsibility’s ethics workshop, and complying with all terms of the suspension, CLE requirements and fees and court costs owed. The court found that Robinson-Beasley did not follow proper protocol in the execution and use of a durable power of attorney and limited power of attorney prepared on behalf of an ill family member. In addition, following the death of that individual, she converted assets belonging to the estate and made false representations about the powers of attorney to those involved in the sale of the deceased’s residence and at the deceased’s bank. Her conduct was determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.15, 4.1 and 8.4.

Shelby County lawyer Andrewnetta Melissa Boyd was temporarily suspended from the practice of law on Sept. 9, 2025, after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that she failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning one complaint of misconduct.

Johnson County lawyer Harvey Randolph Fallin was suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 9 after the court found that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. A temporary suspension typically remains in place until the board determines final resolution of the matter.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 27 suspended Davidson County lawyer Michael Lloyd Freeman from the practice of law for six years with four years to be served on active suspension and the remaining two years to be served on probation. Additionally, Freeman must obtain an evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP), pay restitution and engage a practice monitor. A hearing panel found that during the representation of multiple clients, Freeman acted outside the scope of representation, acted in a way that was prejudicial to the administration of justice, and failed to protect client funds, communicate with clients, and act competently and diligently. These actions were found to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.15, 1.16, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4.

On March 23, the Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Carter County lawyer Jason Lee Holly from the practice of law after finding that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility on two misconduct complaints. Holly is precluded immediately from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by April 22. The suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Putnam County lawyer Stephanie Branam Johnson from the practice of law on Feb. 13 after finding she failed to respond to a complaint of misconduct. Johnson is immediately precluded from accepting new cases and must cease representing existing clients by March 15. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Knox County lawyer Loring Edwin Justice from the practice of law for four years on Feb. 19. The court imposed the discipline after finding that Justice and his firm entered into a fee agreement without client authorization, charged excessive and unreasonable fees that were unsupported by billing records, abused the fiduciary relationship with the client, failed to reasonably communicate with or diligently represent a client, failed to protect his client’s interests after withdrawal or termination, and engaged in misconduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. On Dec. 3, 2025, Justice entered into a conditional guilty plea that he violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 1.16 and 8.4(c).

Cocke County lawyer Charlotte Ann Leibrock was temporarily suspended from the practice of law on Dec. 16, 2025, after the Tennessee Supreme Court found she posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. Leibrock immediately is precluded from accepting any new cases, and must cease representing existing clients by Jan. 16, 2026. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

On Feb. 17, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Loudon County attorney William Anthony Paxton from the practice of law for one year, with the entire suspension stayed if Paxton refrains from further misconduct and complies with a Nov. 25, 2025, order from the Supreme Court of Ohio. On Jan. 7, the Tennessee Supreme Court entered a notice of reciprocal discipline directing Paxton to demonstrate why it should not impose the same discipline imposed by the state of Ohio. The court notes that Paxton did not respond to its order. He also must comply with requirements regarding the obligations and responsibilities of suspended attorneys and the procedure for reinstatement.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Shelby County lawyer Mary R. Rudolph from the practice of law on March 5 after finding she failed to respond to a complaint of misconduct. Rudolph is immediately precluded from accepting new cases and must cease representing existing clients by April 4. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

Knox County lawyer Keri Elizabeth Rule was temporarily suspended from the practice of law on Dec. 5, 2025. The Tennessee Supreme Court took the action after finding that Rule failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

Censured

The Tennessee Supreme Court on March 2 publicly censured Union County lawyer Anthony Marvin Avery for actions during representation of a client in a partition action. During the representation, the court found that Avery failed to provide his client with copies of relevant pleadings and following termination, failed to provide the client with her file. Upon termination of services by the client, Avery delayed his withdrawal and while still counsel of record, attended litigation related matters and failed to protect the interests of his client. The court found that Avery violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.3, 1.16 and 8.4(a).

Shelby County attorney Handel R. Durham Jr. received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 3. The court found that Durham mistakenly believed that an existing client had retained both him and another attorney for a separate matter and that the representation would be under the same arrangement as the existing representation. There was no written fee agreement executed for the new matter. The attorneys then improperly attempted to collect a contingency fee of approximately 33.3% from the client. These actions were found to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.5(c), 7.1 and 8.4(a).

The Tennessee Supreme Court on March 31 censured Green County lawyer Catherine Elizabeth Fezell. On May 14, 2024, Fezell was scheduled to appear for a court docket to represent clients in multiple matters. When she failed to appear, she was contacted by court personnel inquiring about her whereabouts. Upon arrival at court, Fezell was observed by multiple witnesses, including court staff and colleagues, to appear to be under the influence. Due to her apparent condition, she could not appear before the court, and the scheduled hearings had to be reset. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that Fezell violated Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3 and 8.4(d).

Campbell County lawyer J. Stephen Hurst was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 25 for violating Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 3.3 and 8.4(d) while representing a client in a property boundary action. During the representation, the court found that Hurst improperly negotiated and settled the pending action without his client’s knowledge or authorization and failed to inform the court that his client had not approved the settlement.

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.

The Tennessee Supreme Court censured Dyer County attorney Matthew Wayne Willis on March 30. While representing a client before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, the court says Willis used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid him in preparation of a reply brief. The court found that more than 70% of the citations were fictitious, and Willis took no action to check the accuracy of the citations. Willis stated that he believed a paralegal in his office performed a full citation check including verifying references to the technical record, transcript and legal authorities. But the court found that he failed to verify his paralegal checked the citations before filing the brief. His actions were found to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 5.3 and 8.4.

Administrative Suspensions

Notice of attorneys suspended for, and reinstated from, administrative violations – including failure to pay the Board of Professional Responsibility licensing and inactive fees, file the required IOLTA report, comply with continuing legal education requirements, and pay the Tennessee professional privilege tax – is on the TBA website at www.tba.org/administrative_suspensions. |||