Katherine Evett Smith received a public censure on Jan. 22 for improperly using her trust account as an operating account for more than one year. On three occasions, Smith commingled client settlement funds with the lawyer’s funds. In another matter, after receiving client settlement funds, Smith issued payment to a client’s medical provider by cashier’s checks. The medical provider did not receive the cashier’s checks and notified Smith in writing four times. Five months later, Smith issued new cashier’s checks to the provider. As such, Smith failed to promptly deliver funds to a third party, which the third party was entitled to receive. In another matter, Smith failed to file a final judgment on a petition for custody for five months and failed to respond to requests for information from her client. Download the BPR notice.

Tiffany Marcilynne Johns received a public censure on Jan. 22. The Board of Professional Responsibility found she violated Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 3.3(a) (candor to the tribunal) and 3.5(b) (ex parte communication with tribunal) for her behavior in a child custody matter in Kentucky.  Read the full BPR notice.

Carol Hardwick Stewart was transferred to disability inactive status on Jan. 21. Stewart cannot practice law while on disability inactive status, but may return after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court upon showing clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and she is fit to resume the practice of law. Download the BPR notice.

The law license of David Gregory Hays was reinstated on Jan. 17. He had been temporarily suspended on Dec. 9 for failing to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct. Download the BPR notice.

The Board of Professional Responsibility suspended Sharon K. Anderson's law license on Jan. 21 for entering a guilty plea to fraudulent transmission of money. Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended 11 lawyers who did not pay their annual registration fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility and/or did not file a mandatory compliance statement that eligible client funds are held in accounts participating in the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. The orders were signed Jan. 14. Those who have complied with the rules since the orders were issued, and for whom notification of a status change has been received from the Board of Professional Responsibility, are noted as reinstated. Download the orders and get the latest information.

Thomas Francis DiLustro received a public censure for accepting fees from a client without performing any legal work in the case and deceived his client into believing that a civil action had been filed when it had not. He constructively withdrew from the case without returning unearned fees to the client. In another case, DiLustro failed to turn over his client’s file upon request at the conclusion of the representation. In both instances, DiLustro failed to adequately communicate with his clients and failed to respond to requests for information from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Download the BPR notice.

Billy J. Reed was temporarily suspended from the practice of law for failing to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct. Download the BPR notice.

Philip Rubin Strang received a public censure on Jan. 13 for paying a personal expense from funds in his trust account resulting in an overdraft. Later, he issued a check to a client for funds collected for the client, but there were insufficient funds in the trust account to cover the check. Download the BPR notice.

Anderson County lawyer Raymond Andrew Shirley Jr. was censured on Jan. 6 for practicing law while suspended and failing to inform a client that he was suspended. Download the BPR notice.