Virginia lawyer Justin Grey Woodward has been censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that while representing a client in a contract dispute, Woodward failed to take prompt action after filing a lawsuit, resulting in a significant delay in the proceedings. He also failed to keep his client updated regarding the status of the proceedings or respond to his client’s requests for information. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.16(a) and 3.2.

Wilson County lawyer Lindsey Leigh Lawrence has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that in the representation of clients in a civil proceeding, Lawrence failed to file a reply to a counterclaim in compliance with applicable rules, failed to respond to written discovery (resulting in dismissal of her clients’ claims) and failed to keep clients advised of case status. In another case, Lawrence failed to pay an adult ward’s ongoing expenses, resulting in her removal as conservator by the court. Her actions were determined to violate Rule of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 3.2.

Davidson County lawyer Sheryl D. Guinn has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that she filed a health care liability lawsuit against a psychiatrist who treated her client at the urging of the client even though she did not believe there was a good faith basis for the suit. Guinn charged her client a $3,000 retainer and filed the suit. The other side was successful in getting the suit dismissed and the court awarded sanctions against Guinn. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.5, 3.1 and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that attorneys must promptly pay their annual professional privilege tax or face immediate suspension of their law license. Montgomery County attorney Colleen Ann Hyder was suspended in 2020 for non-payment but continued to represent clients in violation of state regulations. The court upheld a public censure against Hyder for this unauthorized practice, rejecting her claim that she had a grace period to wind down her practice following the suspension. Read more from the court about its findings and a press release from the Board of Professional Responsibility about the suspension.

Davidson County lawyer Wendy Sue O’Neill was reinstated to the practice of law on July 15. She had been on inactive status since April 23, 2015. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported that O’Neill’s petition for reinstatement was satisfactory.

Sumner County lawyer Joseph Timothy Zanger has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Zanger made several procedural errors in handling an adoption case for one client and failed to obtain entry of a qualified domestic relations order for over three years for another client. These actions were determined to violate Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.16 and 3.2.

Davidson County attorney Marvin Don Himmelberg has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. In defending a juvenile client against criminal charges, the court found that Himmelberg failed to appear for the client’s arraignment hearing, jeopardizing the client’s plea deal, and failed to refund any part of the client’s fee. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.

The law license of Knox County lawyer Keith Allen Pope has been transferred to disability inactive status. Pope may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement by showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to resume the practice of law.

Shelby County lawyer Kathryn Nan Maceri has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Maceri violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 5.3 when she failed to communicate with a client, provide competent and diligent representation, and breached her responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistants when her legal assistant provided the client with an altered work permit. As a result, the work permit was unusable, and the client had to hire a new attorney to complete the task.

Georgia lawyer Lauren Catherine Foster was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee effective June 25. Foster had been on inactive status since May 10, 2016. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported that it found the petition for reinstatement to be satisfactory. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on July 10.