The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Mitchell Stanley Givens Jr. from the practice of law Aug. 13 for one year with 30 days to be served as a suspension and the remainder served on probation. The BPR filed a petition against Givens alleging the Washington county attorney misrepresented himself online as a Supreme Court Rule 31 listed mediator and failed to promptly distribute settlement proceeds to his client. Read the BPR release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended the law license of William Caldwell Hancock on Aug. 17 for one year and ordered Hancock to pay restitution in the amount of $22,126. The BPR filed a Petition for Discipline against Hancock after determining he pursued a frivolous lawsuit with the intent to embarrass a third party. Read the BPR release.

Robert Lawson Cheek Jr. was disbarred Aug. 12 after entering a guilty plea to mail fraud. Cheek misappropriated settlement funds, withheld money from settlements to pay subrogation claims, paid only a portion of the claims, and in some cases forged his clients’ signatures on settlement checks. Read the BPR release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Rebecca C. (Vernetti) Kaman, formerly of Knoxville, on Aug. 11 for one year. The suspension is to run consecutive to a three-year suspension entered on March 21, 2014. The court also ordered Kaman to pay restitution to two former clients. The action was taken based on Kaman’s failure to communicate with clients, refile a petition after filing it in the wrong court, refund client fees, serve a complaint, respond to an order and respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility. Kaman also filed a notice of voluntary dismissal without authority from her client and then misrepresented that the case was still pending. She entered a conditional guilty plea admitting violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Read the BPR release.

The law licenses of Jon Alan Ballew and John Thomas Jones were transferred to disability inactive status this week. They can not practice law while on inactive status, but may petition the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement by showing clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed. The court reported that Jones also remains suspended for misappropriating funds and posing a threat of substantial harm to the public.

Derek A. Artrip of Ona, West Virginia, was disbarred by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Aug. 12. The action was taken based on Artrip’s failure to respond to written discovery, a motion to compel, a motion to dismiss and a request for information from the Board of Professional Responsibility. The court also found that Artrip failed to timely refile a case, made misrepresentations that led his client to believe the case was ongoing and failed to properly terminate his relationship with the client. Finally, he failed to notify his client about two suspensions and a disbarment still in effect against him. Read the BPR release.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee ordered the immediate summary suspension of Patricia Lynne Stolinsky on Aug. 7 after finding that she posed a substantial threat of harm to the public. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. View the BPR notice.

Memphis lawyer James Marion Allen was suspended from the practice of law on Aug. 6 for six months. The Tennessee Supreme Court found that Allen engaged in the unauthorized practice of law after his law license was suspended on July 14, 2008, for failure to pay registration fees. Allen entered a conditional guilty plea admitting to the conduct. View the BPR notice.

Thomas Anthony Travaglini received a public censure on July 29 for practicing law while his license was suspended for CLE noncompliance. View the BPR notice.

Shelby County lawyer Homer L. Cody was suspended Tuesday (July 28) for 180 days starting on Aug. 7. The court found that Cody filed to represent two plaintiffs, which resulted in a concurrent conflict of interest. Cody previously received a public censure for the same conduct, but despite that warning, continued to represent both plaintiffs. In addition, while this second disciplinary proceeding was pending, Cody filed another suit on behalf of the same two plaintiffs. View the BPR notice.