A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for non-payment of various fees. Included in the group are 14 suspended in 2022, six in 2021, one in 2013 and two in 2011, who had not paid their annual BPR fee. One was reinstated after paying the inactive fee for 2013. See all suspensions and reinstatements for administrative violations. The TBA has data going back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Brian Kirk Kelsey from the practice of law until further orders. Kelsey pleaded guilty to two felonies involving conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding and abetting the acceptance of excessive contributions. The matter has been referred to the Board of Professional Responsibility to institute formal proceedings to determine the extent of the final discipline to be imposed upon Kelsey as a result of his plea of guilty to conduct constituting a serious crime.

Williamson County lawyer Rebekah Henderson Bartlett was reinstated to the practice of law today after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that her delinquent student loans had been paid. The court made the reinstatement retroactive to Nov. 22.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an order reinstating the law license of Florida attorney Delana Sands McFarlin effective Nov. 28. McFarlin was placed on inactive status on Nov. 5, 2008. She filed a petition seeking reinstatement and the court found that it was satisfactory.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for various administrative violations. Three were reinstated after paying this year's annual professional privilege tax, while 43 were reinstated after completing required CLE hours. These included 37 from this year, three from 2021, one from 2020 and two from 2019. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

Shelby County lawyer A. Sais Phillips Finney was suspended today from the practice of law for four years, with three years to be served on active suspension and the remaining one year on probation. The Tennessee Supreme Court also directed Finney to employ a practice monitor during the probationary period. The court took the action after receiving two complaints that Finney failed to reasonably communicate with clients regarding the status of their case, charged an excessive fee for work performed, and failed to refund all or a portion of retainers. These actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.4(a), 1.5(a), 1.16(d)(6) and 8.4(d).

Hamilton County lawyer Justin Grey Woodward was reprimanded by the Tennessee Supreme Court today. The court said that it took the action based on a reprimand imposed on Woodward by the Supreme Court of Georgia. The Tennessee court reports that it notified Woodward of the pending reciprocal discipline but received no response from him.

A petition for reinstatement filed by Knox County lawyer Keri Elizabeth Rule has been referred to a hearing panel of the Board of Professional Responsibility. The board asked for the referral for a hearing on the merits of the petition. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed and ordered the referral on Nov. 15. Rule will bear the burden of proof to show by clear and convincing evidence that her disability has been removed and that she is no longer incapable of responding to or defending against pending disciplinary complaints. Her license had been transferred to disability status on April 20.

Oklahoma lawyer Alecia Mariana Ingram was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Nov. 7 after being on inactive status since 2015. In addition, Washington, D.C., lawyer Jason Douglas Kane was reinstated to the practice of law on Nov. 3 being on inactive status since 2003. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported to the court that the two petitions for reinstatement were satisfactory. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued both orders on Nov. 18.

The Tennessee Supreme Court last week suspended 21 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; nine of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the November fee suspension order and November IOLTA suspension order. One lawyer has since been reinstated. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2022 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.