On April 4, the Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Shelia L. Robinson-Beasley. On May 7, Robinson-Beasley petitioned the court for a hearing on dissolution of the suspension. The court notes that the authority cited in the petition for a hearing — Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 30.4(c) — does not govern the process, but that it will proceed with a hearing before the Board of Professional Responsibility or a disciplinary panel in accordance with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 12.3(d).

Virginia lawyer Atina Rizk Stavropoulos filed a petition for reinstatement of her Tennessee law license on April 29. In assessing the petition, the Board of Professional Responsibility found that Stavropoulos has outstanding obligations with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. The Tennessee Supreme Court has directed Stavropoulos to resolve those issues before June 24 or it will dismiss the petition for reinstatement.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has directed Hamilton County lawyer Shaheen Iltaf Imami to respond to its request regarding the imposition of reciprocal discipline. The response is due 30 days from receipt of the notice and should address why a public censure with conditions imposed by the state of Michigan should not also be imposed in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Knox County lawyer James Patrick Henry from the practice of law upon finding that Henry failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding six complaints of misconduct. Henry is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and must cease representing existing clients by June 5.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated to active or inactive status after being suspended for various administrative violations. They include 14 who had been suspended for CLE violations: 12 in 2023, one in 2022 and one in 2017; 14 who had not paid the professional privilege tax: 13 in 2023 and one in 2020; and 30 who had not paid the annual Board of Professional Responsibility fee: six in 2024, 15 in 2023, three in 2022, two in 2021, one in 2020, one in 2019, one in 2018 and one in 2009. See updated lists at the links above.

The law license of Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness was reinstated to active status today, retroactive to April 17. Chamness previously was on disability inactive status.

Hamilton County lawyer Arthur C. Grisham was suspended from the practice of law today. The Tennessee Supreme Court took the action after finding that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility about a misconduct complaint. Grisham is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by May 29.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on April 22 suspended 18 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 11 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 2024 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Cumberland County lawyer Melanie Beth Shada from the practice of law after finding that she failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. Shada is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and she must cease representing existing clients by May 25. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has directed Davidson County lawyer Howard MacCarthur Romaine to resolve outstanding obligations with the Tennessee Department of Revenue, the Appellate Court Cost Center and the Board of Professional Responsibility by June 10 or it will dismiss his petition for reinstatement to active status. Romaine petitioned the court on March 25 to have his law license transferred from disability inactive status to active status. He has been on disability inactive status since Jan. 24, 2017.