Nashville lawyer Brian P. Manookian — who was suspended in 2019 for sending threatening and coercive emails — is asking the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive his claims that the Board of Professional Responsibility violated antitrust laws and his constitutional rights, Bloomberg Law reports. In imposing the suspension, the state Supreme Court found that Manookian sent opposing counsel an email that contained photos of the lawyer’s wife, information about her, and a photo of their home. The court also found that he sent an opposing client an email that was designed to intimidate. Manookian appealed the suspension to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. In February, that court dismissed most of the claims, finding that the state Supreme Court not the BPR imposed the suspension. He is now asking the federal appellate court to reverse that ruling and reinstate his claims.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated to the practice of law after completing required continuing legal education hours. They include 22 who were suspended last week, two who were suspended in 2019, two who were suspended in 2018, one who was suspended in 2017 and one who was suspended in 2016. See all administrative suspension lists going back to 2005.

Carroll County lawyer Benjamin Dempsey was suspended today for five years, with three years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that Dempsey entered an Alford plea and was convicted of the Class B misdemeanor offense of simple assault by offensive touching. In another matter, he was suspended for three years by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee for misappropriating funds, engaging in improper trust accounting, making misrepresentations to his client and the court, and failing to refund fees to his client in a timely manner. Dempsey admitted violating Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 1.16, 3.4, 5.3 and 8.4(a), (b), (c) and (d).

Christopher M. Vlachos, a licensed attorney in Florida and Michigan and whose admission to practice in Tennessee is pending, received a public censure today from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Vlachos’ application for comity admission to practice law in Tennessee was approved in 2018, pending admission. He then represented clients for his law firm in at least three active court matters, without filing for pro hac vice admission in those courts as required by Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7. Vlachos signed multiple pleadings with a signature block that listed his name followed by the BPR number of his supervising attorney, also his supervising attorney’s name with the same BPR number. The signature block did not otherwise indicate that Vlachos was practicing “pending admission” in Tennessee. The firm’s website also incorrectly listed Vlachos as licensed to practice law in Michigan, Florida and Tennessee at that time.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended 149 attorneys yesterday for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements in 2019. Since yesterday, 20 of these attorneys have been reinstated. Read the Aug. 18 order or see the full list, which notes those who have been reinstated. Access all administrative suspension lists dating back to 2005.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee today temporarily suspended Anderson County lawyer Kevin Carmack Angel from the practice of law after finding that he poses a threat of substantial harm to himself and the public. Angel is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Sept. 18. After that time, Angel shall not use any indicia of lawyer, legal assistant or law clerk or maintain a presence where the practice of law is conducted. Angel must notify all clients, co-counsel and opposing counsel in pending matters of the order suspending his license and he is required to deliver to all clients any papers or property to which they’re entitled. This suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the Supreme Court. Angel may for good cause request dissolution or modification of the suspension by petition to the Supreme Court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today referred the case of Shelby County attorney Keisha Moses Richardson to the Board of Professional Responsibility for whatever action the board “may deem warranted.” Richardson was convicted of violating Tenn. Code Ann. 39-13-113 by a Davidson County jury in the case of State of Tennessee vs. Keisha Moses Richardson. That statute makes it an offense to knowingly violate an order of protection or restraining order issued to a victim.

Hamilton County lawyer Michael Robie Buchanan was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court today for failure to timely remit agreed employee deferral contributions to the firm’s 401(k) plan and matching contributions. The suspension was conditioned on payment of fees to the Board of Professional Responsibility. Buchanan’s activities were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 and 5.3.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Rutherford County lawyer Robert John Foy from the practice of law for seven years, with five years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. In addition, the court ordered Foy to obtain an evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and engage the services of a practice monitor. The court found that he converted client settlement funds to his own business and personal use; failed to promptly pay third-party lien holders from the settlement funds; falsified bank records to prevent discovery of his misappropriation; and failed to keep client funds and estate funds in his trust account. Foy agreed to a conditional guilty plea and reimbursed his clients in full. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15, 3.4, 4.1, and 8.4 (a) and (c).

Davidson County lawyer Andrew Harrison Maloney was reinstated to the practice of law yesterday subject to conditions imposed on June 22 when he was suspended retroactively to Sept. 18, 2019, for 18 months. He served 10 months on active suspension and will serve the remaining eight months on probation. According to the terms of probation, Maloney must engage a practice monitor, reconcile his trust account at least monthly, properly account for client funds and make a good faith effort to contact those who are entitled to funds being held in escrow.