The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated four lawyers suspended for not paying their professional privilege tax: one who did not pay in 2015, one who did not pay in 2021, one who did not pay in 2022 and one who did not pay in 2023. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated 12 lawyers to the practice of law who had been suspended for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements in 2023. One was reinstated for failing to complete requirements in 2021. View all administrative suspensions and reinstatements here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday suspended 20 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 16 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 2023 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday rejected a reinstatement petition filed by Weakley County lawyer Thomas Allen Tansil, who was suspended by the court on Sept. 1, 2022, for five years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to conditions. After consideration of the reinstatement, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court dismiss the petition with prejudice and assess the costs of the disciplinary proceeding to Tansil. The court adopted the board’s recommendation.

Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness filed a petition for reinstatement to active status on Nov. 7. On Dec. 5, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court remove his disability status but leave his license on inactive status until he resolves an outstanding disciplinary complaint. The court adopted the board’s recommendation. The court also issued an order allowing Chamness to file documents in his case under seal.

Knox County attorney John Kenneth Hoffmeister was reinstated to the practice of law today after being on inactive status since May 24, 2018. Hoffmeister petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility found that reinstatement would be appropriate. The court made his reinstatement effective as of Dec. 8.

Alabama lawyer Larry Wayne Brantley was censured on Friday by the Tennessee Supreme Court in response to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publicly reprimanding him and placing him on probation for 36 months with conditions. On Oct. 25, the court directed Brantley to respond to a notice of reciprocal discipline and provide any reason why the same discipline should not be imposed in Tennessee. The court reports that Brantley did not provide a response.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today denied a petition from Williamson County lawyer Connie Lynn Reguli for “immediate relief of reversal” of a Nov. 20 order temporarily suspending her law license. The court did grant Reguli’s request for an evidentiary hearing and stated that she can present “applied constitutional challenges” to the order at that time.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Hamilton County lawyer John Scott Wesson from the practice of law for seven years and ordered him to contact the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP). The hearing panel found that Wesson failed to respond to a summary judgment motion, respond to opponent’s application to the court for attorney’s fees, reasonably communicate with clients, represent his clients, inform his clients of his previous suspension, make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation, and appear at multiple show cause hearings. The court found that he also knowingly terminated and/or refused to comply with his TLAP monitoring agreement. The panel found Wesson violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 (diligence), 1.4 (communication), 3.2 (expediting litigation), 3.4(c) (fairness to opposing party and counsel) and 8.4(a)(d)(g) (misconduct).

The Tennessee Supreme Court today granted a motion to file a notice and petition for evaluation or examination under seal in regards to Davidson County attorney Alex Fletcher Thompson. The court is also directing Thompson to contact the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) for an evaluation within 10 days to determine if he is capable of practicing law and defending himself on a pending request for conditional admission.