TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Apr 1, 2020

The Tennessee Supreme Court censured Memphis lawyer Kathleen Laird Caldwell today and directed her to reimburse a former client $2,750 in fees. The court found that after agreeing to represent a client in a post-conviction criminal appeal for a flat fee of $7,500, she did not obtain a signed fee agreement from the client and deposited a portion of the funds in an operating account. The court also found that when Caldwell met with the client she had not reviewed any materials related to the case and had not begun the appeals process. Less than a month after being retained, the client terminated representation and requested a refund of the unearned portion of the fee. Caldwell only offered to refund $950. Her actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.15.