Williamson County lawyer Randy Wayne Hardison was reinstated to the practice of law today after being suspended for five years by the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 17, 2019, retroactive to a temporary suspension imposed on Aug. 29, 2017. On Oct. 12, 2023, Hardison filed a reinstatement petition and the court found it to be satisfactory.

The Tennessee Supreme Court censured Shelby County lawyer William Ray Glasgow on April 3. The court found that a lawsuit Glasgow filed on behalf of a client against a sitting judge lacked any meritorious basis in fact or law, and was done solely to advance his own interests as a candidate challenging the judge in an upcoming judicial election. The court also found that the lawsuit contained a false or reckless statement that the sitting judge had engaged in "constructive kidnapping" of a minor child with "willful and deliberate malice and intent" while presiding over a dependent and neglect proceeding. These actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 4.4(a)(l), 8.2(a) and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court on March 22 suspended 20 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 12 of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2024 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Williamson County lawyer Melanie Valunas Dillender has been reinstated to the practice of law. Dillender had been on inactive status since Jan. 3, 2007. The Board of Professional Responsibility reviewed the reinstatement petition and reported to the Tennessee Supreme Court that it was satisfactory. The court issued the reinstatement order today and made the action retroactive to March 22.

Georgia lawyer Erik Todd Fuqua has been reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee. Fuqua was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on Oct. 5, 2014. He petitioned for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility deemed it to be satisfactory. The court issued its order today but made the reinstatement effective as of March 22.

Sevier County lawyer James Ralph Hickman Jr. was reinstated to the practice of law on March 22 with the condition that he engage a practice monitor and continue to comply with the terms and conditions of a judgment entered on June 30, 2023. Last summer, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Hickman for one year, with six months to be served on active suspension. Hickman filed a petition for reinstatement on Feb. 15. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported to the court that the petition was satisfactory.

On March 22, the Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Hawkins County lawyer Terry Risner after finding that he was substantially non-compliant with his Dec. 20, 2023, Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program Preliminary Evaluation and Assessment Monitoring Agreement. Supreme Court Rule 9 Section 12.3 requires immediate summary suspension of an attorney’s license to practice law when an attorney substantially fails to comply with a TLAP monitoring agreement. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. The court also granted a motion to file documents in this case under seal.

Connecticut lawyer Wesley Shelman Spears was suspended for two years, retroactive to Oct. 25, 2023, by the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 22. The court reports that Spears received a two-year suspension from the State of Connecticut Superior Court in the Judicial District of Hartford on Sept. 25, 2023. On Feb. 13, the Tennessee Supreme Court directed Spears to respond as to why the same discipline should not be imposed in the Tennessee. Spears failed to respond.

On March 20, the Tennessee Supreme Court ordered former Nashville attorney Brian Manookian to pay the Board of Professional Responsibility $30,251.50 in costs associated with his disciplinary proceedings. The court had notified Manookian of the assessment, allowing him to contest the amount. It said today that it had not received an objection from him in the time permitted. The court permanently disbarred Manookian on Feb. 16.

Sullivan County lawyer Nicholas C. Cooper was reinstated to the practice of law recently after being on inactive status for more than five years. The Tennessee Supreme Court notes that Cooper was placed on inactive status on May 3, 2011. The Board of Professional Responsibility found the reinstatement petition to be satisfactory and recommended the court approve it. Cooper was reinstated as of March 12.