The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 21 disbarred former Memphis lawyer William T. Winchester and ordered him to pay restitution to five clients. Since August 2011, Winchester has been serving a two-year suspension in another case of misconduct. He also was suspended in 2010 for failure to pay his professional privilege tax and in 2011 for failing to comply with continuing legal education requirements. The latest action was taken in response to 10 complaints of ethical misconduct alleging lack of diligence, lack of communication, incompetent representation, abandoning a law practice, and misrepresentations to clients, other lawyers and the Board of Professional Responsibility. Download the BPR notice.

The law license of Samuel Wilson Bartholomew Jr., was transferred to disability inactive status on June 11. Bartholomew may not practice law while on disability inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to practice law. Download the BPR notice.

Knoxville lawyer Whitney Suzanne Bailey was reinstated to the practice of law on May 31 by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court. However, the court imposed several conditions on her reinstatement, including an evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and engagement of a practice monitor. Bailey, who had been temporarily suspended on April 26 for failing to respond to a request for information, also was ordered to pay the costs of the proceeding. Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court transferred the law license of Shelby County lawyer Joe Lee Wyatt to disability inactive status on May 31. Wyatt may not practice law while on inactive status. He may petition the court to be reinstated by showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to resume the practice of law. Download the BPR notice.

Shelby County attorney Richard Mark Nummi received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility for accepting employment as general counsel for a Tennessee company while not licensed to practice law in Tennessee. He did not apply for registration as in-house counsel within the time frame, resulting in the unauthorized practice of law. Download the BPR notice.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee temporarily suspended the law license of Daniel Rafael Solla upon finding his continued practice of law poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. Effective May 22, Solla is precluded from accepting any new cases and he must cease representing existing clients by June 21.  Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court this week issued two orders suspending Tennessee-licensed attorneys who did not pay their 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. Lawyers who since have complied with the requirements are noted as reinstated. See the updated lists and download the orders.

On May 8, Duncan Cates Cave received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility for failing to prepare an order for the court. After being personally served with a show cause order commanding him to appear and show cause why he had not submitted the order, Cave failed to attend the hearing. The court held Cave in contempt of court for continually and willfully failing to comply with an order of the court and failing to appear. Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 13 transferred the law licenses of Knox County lawyer Beverly Ann Buster Clemmer and Shelby County lawyer Jay L. Grytdahl to disability inactive status. The lawyers may not practice law while on inactive status. They may return to the practice of law after showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and they are fit to do so.

Attorney James S. Powell of Savannah was suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court for two years and ordered to pay $750 restitution to a former client. Powell caused several overdrafts to occur to his client trust account and neglected the representation of a former client, causing the former client’s case to be dismissed for failure to prosecute. He also failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning complaints that had been filed against him. Download the BPR notice.