On April 30, attorneys Charlotte Prather Milton and William Leon Hendricks Jr. of Shelby County were summarily and temporarily suspended. Milton failed to respond to the Board regarding a complaint of misconduct. Download the BPR notice. Hendricks was suspended upon a finding that he poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. Download the BPR notice.

Washington County lawyer Bryan Bradley Martin was summarily and temporarily suspended upon finding he failed to respond to the Board regarding a complaint of misconduct. Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended the law license of Knoxville lawyer Whitney Suzanne Bailey on April 26 for her failure to respond to a complaint of ethical misconduct. The suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. Download the BPR release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated 11 Tennessee-licensed lawyers after they were administratively suspended for failure to meet their 2000, 2011 and 2012 CLE requirements, pay the 2012 professional privilege tax, pay the 2012 inactive licensing fee and file their 2012 annual fee and/or IOLTA report. See the updated lists at the links above.

The Tennessee Supreme Court this week issued two orders suspending nine 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.

Henderson County lawyer Bradley Glenn Kirk received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility on April 18 after the board found he abandoned a client’s case and failed to return a client’s file. In 2010, a client retained Kirk to represent him in a personal injury case. After several months, the client contacted the court clerk’s office and learned that apart from filing the complaint, Kirk had taken no additional action in the case. The client attempted to contact Kirk, but his calls went unreturned. The board determined that these actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16 and 8.4. Download the BPR notice.

The Tennessee Supreme Court disbarred Shelby County lawyer David J. Johnson on April 22, retroactive to a previous disbarment effective Nov. 25, 2011. Johnson consented to the disbarment after determining he could not defend himself against charges brought by the Board of Professional Responsibility based on his conviction for federal wire fraud. The board determined that his actions violated Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4. Download the BPR notice.

Nashville lawyer Ashley Denise Preston was suspended on April 17 for one year, but the Tennessee Supreme Court allowed her to serve the entire suspension on probation so long as she meets several conditions, including engaging a practice monitor and participating with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program. She also may continue practicing law during the probationary period. The discipline was taken in response to complaints alleging that Preston neglected clients’ cases, failed to communicate with clients and the Board of Professional Responsibility, and failed to respond to court orders after failing to file a brief in a criminal case. Download the BPR notice

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order April 12 suspending 62 lawyers who have assumed inactive status but have not paid the required annual inactive status fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility. In January 2012, the court adopted amendments to Rule 9, Sections 20.1, 20.2 and 20.8, which included the new fee requirement. The fee is due on or before the first day of the attorney’s birth month each year. The order issued this week reflects lawyers who did not pay the fee for the first and second quarters of the year. Going forward, the BPR will issue suspension orders monthly. See the list of those suspended.

On April 16, Knoxville lawyer Ta Kisha Fitzgerald received a public censure for failing in her capacity as assistant district attorney to make a timely disclosure to the defense of letters written by the defendant and of phone calls by the defendant. Download the BPR notice.