The Supreme Court of Tennessee has suspended Shelby County attorney Robert Harris Golder from the practice of law for four years, with one year to be served as an active suspension pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 12.2, and the remainder to be served on probation. Complaints against Golder include allegations that he failed to communicate reasonably with his clients, failed to perform work necessary to the representation, failed to provide competent representation, disclosed confidential information during withdrawal, charged an unreasonable fee, failed to comply with multiple court orders and failed to expedite litigation. Golder executed a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4.

On Jan. 9, Henry County attorney Rebecca Carole Griffey received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Griffey filed an application for a chancellor position on May 29, 2019, with the Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission. She knowingly failed to disclose information responsive to questions on the application. The court found that Griffey violated Rules of Professional Conduct 8.2(a)(3), 8.2(b) and 8.4(c) and (d).

Effective Jan. 18, the Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended Knox County lawyer Matthew David Barocas from the practice of law for one year, with three months to be served on active suspension and the remainder to be served on probation. The suspension is conditioned on Barocas incurring no new complaints of misconduct related to this suspension during the year, engagement of a practice monitor, completion of the Board of Professional Responsibility's Trust Account Workshop and additional continuing legal education hours, and payment of disciplinary costs. Barocas agreed to a conditional guilty plea, acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.5(e), 1.15(a), (d) and (e), 3.3(a), 3.4(b), 3.5(e) and 8.4(a)-(d) and (g).

Davidson County attorney James Daniel Marshall was issued an order of temporary suspension by the Tennessee Supreme Court after the court found that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a misconduct complaint.

Davidson County lawyer Dana L. Nero was censured on Jan. 8 for failing to notify a client that she had been suspended. The Tennessee Supreme Court says that Nero was temporarily suspended from the practice of law on Oct. 7, 2022, and while suspended represented a client in Davidson County Criminal Court. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 28, requires that those suspended notify all clients of the suspension within 10 days of the order. The court also found that Nero failed to give the client any papers or other property they were entitled to receive. Her actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 3.4(c) and 8.4(g).

Hamilton County lawyer Charles Gammons Wright Jr. has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Wright agreed to represent his client in pursuing a civil claim but delayed in taking action in the matter and failed to pursue his client’s legal objectives. Additionally, Wright failed to communicate with his client throughout the representation. The court found that Wright violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Davidson County lawyer Kevin William Teets Jr. from the practice of law for four years, with 15 months to be served on active suspension and the remainder to be served on probation. The court conditioned probation on (1) participating in a TLAP monitoring agreement and treatment and recovery plan, (2) practicing only in a group setting with a practice monitor for 12 months, (3) paying disciplinary costs and (4) paying $55,157.50 in restitution to eight victims. The court noted that the discipline involved nine matters, including failing to provide competent representation, act with reasonable diligence, respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility, comply with a court order, withdraw from representation after suspension, and refund unearned fees. Teets also was found to have charged unreasonable fees, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. These actions violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(a), 1.16(a)(1), 5.5(a), 7.1(a), 8.1(b), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(g). The court also granted a request to allow certain case documents to be filed under seal.

Davidson County lawyer Samuel Calvin Blink received a public censure today from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Blink represented a corporate client in filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition and filed the petition for bankruptcy but did not timely file the required schedules. Neither Blink nor the client appeared at the initial meeting of creditors despite notice. The court entered an order directing the required schedules to be filed but the schedules were not timely filed. Blink then filed a motion for his law partner’s pro hac vice admission, but the motion did not comply with the requirements of the court. After a show cause hearing, Blink was sanctioned by the bankruptcy court for this conduct.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated three lawyers to the practice of law who had been suspended for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements. Two were reinstated after failing to complete requirements in 2023. One was reinstated for failing to complete requirements in 2015. View all administrative suspensions and reinstatements here.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for not paying their annual registration fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility. They include 25 lawyers who did not pay their fee in 2023, three who did not pay the fee in 2022, one who did not pay the fee in 2021 and one who did not pay the fee in 2012. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.