The Supreme Court of Tennessee temporarily suspended the law license of Hamilton County lawyer Jeffrey Andrew Stinnett on June 29 for his failure to respond to a complaint of ethical misconduct. Effective June 29, Stinnett is precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by July 29. Download the BPR notice

The Tennessee Supreme Court last week issued two new orders suspending Tennessee-licensed attorneys who did not pay their 2012 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 lists reflect lawyers not in compliance as of their May birthdates. Those who have been reinstated are noted as such. Previous orders covered lawyers with birthdates in January through April. See the updated lists and download the orders

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended the law license of James F. Taylor pursuant to Section 4.3 of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9 on June 29. The Board of Professional Responsibility petitioned the court to temporarily suspend his law license for misappropriation of funds for Taylor’s own use and posing a threat of substantial harm to the public. Download the BPR release

The Tennessee Supreme Court has reversed a lower court’s decision and reinstated a Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel’s ruling suspending a Knoxville attorney for misconduct. While working at the Knoxville law firm of Kennerly, Montgomery & Finley, William S. Lockett Jr. received payments for legal services and failed to remit those payments to the firm as required by his employment agreement. Lockett pleaded guilty to theft and to willful failure to file income tax returns. The Chancery Court of Knox County had reduced the original four-year suspension to two years. In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed that decision, holding that the chancery court failed to base its discipline modification on any of the criteria set forth in Supreme Court Rule 9, section 1.3. The court conducted its own review of the hearing panel’s decision and agreed that the four-year suspension was consistent with sanctions imposed on other attorneys for similar criminal conduct. Read more from the Supreme Court

Hickman County lawyer Douglas P. Nanney was reinstated to the practice of law by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court June 29. He had been suspended Feb. 3, 2005. He must still subject himself to monitoring by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and complete additional ethics and professionalism requirements with the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. Download the BPR release

Memphis lawyer Gail Ostby Mathes was summarily and temporarily suspended from the practice of law June 26 for failing to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct. Mathes is now precluded from accepting any new cases and she must stop representing existing clients by July 26. This suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the Supreme Court. Download the BPR release.

Seven Tennessee-licensed lawyers have been reinstated after being administratively suspended for failing to comply with 2011 CLE requirements, pay the 2011 registration fee, submit the 2011 registration fee and IOLTA report or submit the 2012 registration fee and IOLTA report.

Montgomery County attorney Donrua Barnes-Hulsey was disbarred by the Tennessee Supreme Court on June 22 for neglecting client matters, failing to communicate with clients and abandoning her practice. The court found that her actions violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, 3.2 and 8.4 of the Rules Supreme Court of Tennessee. Download the BPR release

Sevier County lawyer Jerry DeWayne Kerley was suspended from the practice of law June 21 based on his conviction on serious crimes. The Supreme Court further ordered the Board of Professional Responsibility to institute a formal proceeding to determine the extent of final discipline to be imposed as a result of the conviction.  Download the BPR release

The Tennessee Supreme Court summarily and temporarily suspended the law license of Memphis lawyer Richard Bryan Fields today after finding that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct. The suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. Fields may for good cause request such action. Download the BPR notice