The Tennessee Supreme Court today prohibited Kentucky lawyer Cassidy Teater from practicing law in the state and ordered her to pay restitution to two clients as a condition of reinstatement. The court reports that the action is “tantamount to disbarment.” While living in Nashville, Teater represented two individuals in the U.S. Immigration Court. After accepting payment for the cases, she ceased communicating with the clients and failed to perform the services for which she was paid. The court determined that her actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16, 3.2 and 8.4(a).

On Sept. 19, the Tennessee Supreme Court dissolved a suspension that had been imposed on Davidson County lawyer M. Andrew Holland on March 9, 2018, for failure to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility. On July 10, 2018, the disciplinary complaint was resolved, negating the need to continue the suspension. The court’s action was made retroactive to July 10, 2018.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended an additional 52 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee. Those suspended failed to meet this requirement during their birth month. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2019 or access all administrative suspensions.

Knox County lawyer Thomas F. Mabry was suspended from the practice of law for two years today. The Tennessee Supreme Court found that Mabry failed to communicate with clients and failed to provide competent representation. The court determined that his actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 5.5(1) and 8.4. Mabry is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 23.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the disbarment of Jennifer Elizabeth Meehan based on her conviction for bank fraud in federal court. The court reports that Meehan served as president of a sorority’s housing board overseeing construction and furnishing of a new sorority house at the University of Alabama. Through this work, she mishandled funds, including using false documents to open unauthorized banking accounts, submitting false invoices and moving funds to a personal account. After Meehan pleaded guilty to bank fraud, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama sentenced her to six months in prison and ordered her to pay restitution. The Tennessee Supreme Court initiated reciprocal action and the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended a disbarment. On appeal, the Davidson County Circuit Court held that the BPR’s decision was arbitrary and imposed a five-year suspension. The Supreme Court today reversed that decision and affirmed the BPR recommendation. Read the BPR press release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended 18 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee and seven lawyers for failing to submit the compliance statement that eligible client funds are held in accounts that participate in the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. Those suspended failed to meet these requirements during their birth month. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2019 or access all administrative suspensions.

Davidson County lawyer Andrew Harrison Maloney was immediately suspended from the practice of law on Wednesday after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he misappropriated funds and posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. Maloney may for good cause request dissolution or modification of the suspension.

Twelve attorneys have been reinstated from administrative suspension stemming from a failure to meet mandatory CLE requirements in 2018. See the full list of this year's CLE suspensions and reinstatements here, as well as all administrative suspensions on the TBA website.

Twelve attorneys have been reinstated from administrative suspension stemming from a failure to meet mandatory CLE requirements in 2018. See the full list of this year's CLE suspensions and reinstatements here, as well as all administrative suspensions on the TBA website.

Three Tennessee-licensed attorneys have been reinstated to the practice of law after being on inactive status for more than five years. Davidson County lawyer Sherrie Durham was reinstated in July; Missouri lawyer Loni Jennifer Hodge was reinstated in June; and Florida lawyer Lynette Mayfield was reinstated in July.