Hamilton County lawyer Charles Gammons Wright Jr. has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Wright agreed to represent his client in pursuing a civil claim but delayed in taking action in the matter and failed to pursue his client’s legal objectives. Additionally, Wright failed to communicate with his client throughout the representation. The court found that Wright violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Davidson County lawyer Kevin William Teets Jr. from the practice of law for four years, with 15 months to be served on active suspension and the remainder to be served on probation. The court conditioned probation on (1) participating in a TLAP monitoring agreement and treatment and recovery plan, (2) practicing only in a group setting with a practice monitor for 12 months, (3) paying disciplinary costs and (4) paying $55,157.50 in restitution to eight victims. The court noted that the discipline involved nine matters, including failing to provide competent representation, act with reasonable diligence, respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility, comply with a court order, withdraw from representation after suspension, and refund unearned fees. Teets also was found to have charged unreasonable fees, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. These actions violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(a), 1.16(a)(1), 5.5(a), 7.1(a), 8.1(b), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(g). The court also granted a request to allow certain case documents to be filed under seal.

Davidson County lawyer Samuel Calvin Blink received a public censure today from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Blink represented a corporate client in filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition and filed the petition for bankruptcy but did not timely file the required schedules. Neither Blink nor the client appeared at the initial meeting of creditors despite notice. The court entered an order directing the required schedules to be filed but the schedules were not timely filed. Blink then filed a motion for his law partner’s pro hac vice admission, but the motion did not comply with the requirements of the court. After a show cause hearing, Blink was sanctioned by the bankruptcy court for this conduct.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated three lawyers to the practice of law who had been suspended for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements. Two were reinstated after failing to complete requirements in 2023. One was reinstated for failing to complete requirements in 2015. View all administrative suspensions and reinstatements here.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for not paying their annual registration fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility. They include 25 lawyers who did not pay their fee in 2023, three who did not pay the fee in 2022, one who did not pay the fee in 2021 and one who did not pay the fee in 2012. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated four lawyers suspended for not paying their professional privilege tax: one who did not pay in 2015, one who did not pay in 2021, one who did not pay in 2022 and one who did not pay in 2023. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated 12 lawyers to the practice of law who had been suspended for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements in 2023. One was reinstated for failing to complete requirements in 2021. View all administrative suspensions and reinstatements here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday suspended 20 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 16 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 Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday rejected a reinstatement petition filed by Weakley County lawyer Thomas Allen Tansil, who was suspended by the court on Sept. 1, 2022, for five years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to conditions. After consideration of the reinstatement, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court dismiss the petition with prejudice and assess the costs of the disciplinary proceeding to Tansil. The court adopted the board’s recommendation.

Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness filed a petition for reinstatement to active status on Nov. 7. On Dec. 5, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court remove his disability status but leave his license on inactive status until he resolves an outstanding disciplinary complaint. The court adopted the board’s recommendation. The court also issued an order allowing Chamness to file documents in his case under seal.