Memphis attorney Homer L. Cody was suspended for one year by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Thursday, with the suspension to begin July 17. A hearing panel found Cody’s actions violated the Rules of Professional Conduct 3.4(c) and 8.4(a), (c) and (d). He appealed the decision to the Shelby County Circuit Court, which affirmed the panel’s decision. Cody appealed that court's decision to the Supreme Court of Tennessee, which dismissed his appeal because the brief he filed did not comply with the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. Read the BPR release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended Shelby County lawyer William C. Gosnell for two years, effective July 11. The court also ordered him to pay restitution of $600. The action was taken after the court found that Gosnell altered a settlement document to remove the opposing party’s name from the release without informing opposing counsel and delayed returning the release to opposing counsel after disbursing the settlement funds. In a second matter, the court found that Gosnell filed a bankruptcy petition without his client’s consent. Read the BPR release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Shelby County lawyer Katherine Evett Smith on June 24 after determining that she failed to respond to an inquiry from the Board of Professional Responsibility. The suspension will remain in effect until modified or dissolved by the court. Read the BPR notice.

Davidson County lawyer Randall Lowrie Bostic Jr. was reinstated to the practice of law on June 6. Bostic was placed on inactive status in May 2006 and, according to the Tennessee Supreme Court, has remained compliant with all registration requirements. The court issued the reinstatement order on June 22.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Memphis lawyer Paul James Springer Sr. for two years and 60 days, and directed him to pay $10,000 in restitution, engage a practice monitor, complete six hours of continuing education and obtain professional liability insurance. The suspension will take effect July 3 and remain in place until the court orders reinstatement. The action was taken based on two complaints. In the first case, the court found that Springer used his trust account to pay personal and business expenses. In the second case, the court found that he failed to pay a client's medical bills out of settlement funds and refused to release funds to the client. Read the BPR notice.

The law license of Shelby County lawyer and former judge Joseph B. Brown Jr. was transferred to disability inactive status on June 24. He may not practice law while on inactive status. He may petition the court for reinstatement by showing clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to resume the practice of law. Read the BPR notice.

Saint Simons Island, Georgia, lawyer Joanna Temple was suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court today (June 27) for four years, retroactive to the date of her summary suspension on April 28. Temple, who is licensed in Tennessee and Georgia, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of attempted criminal usury in the second degree in New York. Temple was serving as lead counsel for several payday lending companies when she directed them to violate state lending laws and assisted them in doing so. Read the BPR release.

Davidson County lawyer John Lyndon Lowery was disbarred from the practice of law on June 24 after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he settled nine cases without his clients’ knowledge or consent, signed their names to settlement checks without their permission, misappropriated settlement funds, and made misrepresentations to make them think their cases were progressing normally. In another case, the court found that Lowery failed to take any action – which resulted in the case being dismissed – and failed to inform his client of that result. Lowery pled guilty to seven counts of theft and eight counts of forgery, all felonies. He previously was suspended for failure to pay the 2015 professional privilege tax; that suspension remains in effect. In May 2015, he was temporarily suspended for posing a threat of substantial harm to the public. In light of the disbarment, that suspension is dissolved. Read the BPR notice.

Sullivan County lawyer Wendal Douglas Jackson was suspended from the practice of law on Friday after the Tennessee Supreme Court found he posed a substantial threat of harm to the public. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. Read the BPR notice.

By order of the Tennessee Supreme Court, the law license of Davidson County attorney Douglas Edwin Vick was transferred to disability inactive status on June 15. Vick may not practice law while on inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after being reinstated by showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to resume practicing. Read the BPR release.