The Tennessee Supreme Court recently rejected a conditional guilty plea and disciplinary action proposed by the Board of Professional Responsibility against Williamson County lawyer Melissa Ann Baker. A petition for discipline was filed against Baker on May 22, 2020. She agreed to a conditional guilty plea on Nov. 18, 2021. After reviewing the entire record in the matter, the court said it had concerns “that the recommended punishment, particularly the period of active suspension, is too lenient.” The court therefore rejected the plea and referred the matter back to the board for further proceedings.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued several orders yesterday transferring the law licenses of four lawyers to disability inactive status. They are Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness, Hardeman County lawyer Karen Tucker Fleet, Wilson County lawyer Ruth Raber Murphy and Madison County lawyer Charles Michael Purcell. They may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the court for reinstatement upon showing that their disability has been removed.

Shelby County lawyer Mariann Tait Barksdale was reinstated to the practice of law on Jan. 24. The Tennessee Supreme Court filed the reinstatement order on Feb. 9 saying that Barksdale had demonstrated that the required reinstatement fee and all delinquent annual registration fees had been paid to the Board of Professional Responsibility.

Knox County lawyer Grace Ingrid Gardiner was reinstated to the practice of law today. She had been suspended in August 2021 for three years, with four months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. Gardiner filed a petition for reinstatement, which the Tennessee Supreme Court deemed satisfactory so long as she complies with the terms and conditions of her probation. Under the court’s order, Gardiner must not practice law in any bankruptcy court until she engages a practice monitor who will review basic bankruptcy procedures and submit monthly written progress reports to the Board of Professional Responsibility. She also must not incur any new complaints of misconduct related to the conduct that led to her suspension.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday suspended Thomas Francis Jackson III from the practice of law for one year. A hearing panel found Jackson knowingly and repeatedly communicated with the opposing parties through their agents about the substance of the litigation without the consent of the attorneys representing the defendants and continued to do so after being instructed to communicate only with opposing counsel. The panel also found that, after being suspended from practicing law, Jackson advertised his professional services on the internet, met with a potential client about representation, sought to collect fees for professional services for which he had not been retained and failed to disclose his suspension.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated a number of lawyers suspended for not paying their annual registration fee or professional privilege tax. Of the group, 16 were suspended for fee violations in 2021, two in 2020, one in 2019, three in 2018, one in 2013, one in 2011, one in 2009 and one in 2006. They are now noted as reinstated on these suspension lists. In addition, two lawyers have been reinstated after paying their professional privilege tax: one in 2021 and one in 2009/2010. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Jody Rodenborn Troutman from the practice of law for four years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The court conditioned the probation on compliance with any monitoring agreement recommended by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and the requirement that Troutman incur no new complaints of misconduct related to the violations that led to this suspension. Troutman entered a conditional guilty plea acknowledging that her theft of property and driving under the influence convictions and her appearance in court while under the influence violated the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for failure to complete required CLE hours. Of the group, 14 were suspended in 2021 for 2020 violations, two were suspended in 2020 for 2109 violations, one was suspended in 2019 for 2019 violations, one was suspended in 2017 for 2016 violations and one was suspended in 2014 for 2013 violations. The TBA also has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 23 attorneys on Tuesday for failure to pay the annual registration fee. Sixteen of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the Feb. 2 fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2022 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Hamblen County lawyer Alan C. Lee from the practice of law for three years. Lee knowingly failed to timely comply with an injunction issued by the U.S. District Court and misrepresented to the court that he was unaware of the court’s order. Lee entered a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his rule violations and must now comply with the Supreme Court’s requirements regarding the obligations and responsibilities of suspended attorneys and the procedure for reinstatement.