TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Oct 27, 2020

The Tennessee Supreme Court today permanently disbarred Unicoi County lawyer William Branch Lawson and ordered him to make restitution to clients in the amount of $67,850. The court took the action after finding that he (1) failed to appear in court or provide any legal services for which he was paid fees by clients; (2) failed to refund unearned fees to his clients; (3) misappropriated fees paid to him as well as funds held in his trust account for a third party; (4) failed to act with diligence in the representation of clients; (5) abandoned his practice; (6) failed to respond to requests for information; and (7) engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentations. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.5, 1.15, 1.16, 8.1 and 8.4(a) and (c).