The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 16 attorneys last week for failure to pay the annual registration fee; seven of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2023 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The state Supreme Court today permanently disbarred A. Sais Phillips Finney from the practice of law in Tennessee and ordered her to pay all costs incurred to the Board of Professional Responsibility. After final default hearing upon the disciplinary petition the hearing panel determined by a preponderance of the evidence that Finney failed to act diligently in the representation, failed to reasonably communicate with her clients regarding the status of their case, charged an unreasonable fee for the work performed, failed to refund all or a portion of client funds, failed to hold client funds in trust account, failed to respond to the disciplinary complaints and inquiries from the Board’s disciplinary counsel and knowingly violated the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct. Finney must comply with the requirements of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Sections 28.1 regarding the obligations and responsibilities of disbarred attorneys.

Montgomery County lawyer Hugh Reid Poland III was censured on June 23 by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Poland represented a client who settled a custody dispute at mediation. The settlement required the client to create a parenting and visitation arrangement for a trial period, and Poland to draft the required agreed order, parenting plan and child support worksheet. The court found that Poland failed to respond to communications from opposing counsel regarding the documents and ultimately failed to draft the documents. Poland also made misrepresentations to his client and ultimately stopped responding to the client’s requests for information. Opposing counsel ended up drafting the required documents but included inaccurate statements about Poland’s client. Poland approved the documents without notifying or obtaining approval from the client. The court found that these actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 8.4(c) and 8.4(d).

The state Supreme Court today permanently disbarred Steven Edward Sams from the practice of law in Tennessee. The panel found Sams’ conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 3.4 (knowingly disobeying an obligation under the rules of a tribunal), 5.5 (unauthorized practice of law), and 8.4 (misconduct) and warranted permanent disbarment. In certain instances, Sams’ conduct resulted in irreparable injury.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today transferred the law license of Williamson County lawyer Paul William Duty to disability inactive status. Duty may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the court for reinstatement after showing that the disability has been removed.

The Tennessee Supreme Court ordered that the disciplinary case of Hamilton County lawyer Ruth Helen Delange be referred to the Board of Professional Conduct for whatever action it deems warranted. Delange agreed to a negotiated Alford plea and judgment of guilty in the state of Georgia for the misdemeanor of disorderly conduct. She was sentenced to 12 months and placed on probation.

The Tennessee Supreme Court dismissed a reinstatement petition from Sumner County lawyer Judith-Anne Ross St. Clair on May 31. St. Clair had filed the petition after being suspended for three years on July 20, 2018. She was to serve six months on active suspension. The Board of Professional Conduct reported that St. Clair has not paid a required advance cost deposit of $2,000. The court dismissed the petition without prejudice. St. Clair may re-file when she pays the deposit.

Shelby County lawyer Ronald K. Anderson was reinstated to the practice of law on May 1. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on June 2. Anderson was placed on inactive status in May 2014. The Tennessee Board of Professional Conduct informed the court that Anderson’s petition was satisfactory.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday suspended Knox County Lawyer Bryan Lee Capps from the practice of law upon finding that he misappropriated funds for his personal use and poses a threat of substantial harm to the public.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Richard Allen Johnson to disability inactive status. Johnson may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the court for reinstatement after showing that the disability has been removed.