The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Madison County lawyer Sherry Marie Percival from the practice of law for five years, with six months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. Percival entered a conditional guilty plea acknowledging that she failed to reconcile her trust account, mismanaged the account and the settlement funds it contained, executed a release on behalf of her client, and endorsed the client’s name on a settlement check without permission. She must enter into a practice monitoring agreement with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, engage an accountant to reconcile her trust account, and attend the Board of Professional Responsibility’s Trust Account Workshop.

Davidson County lawyer Mark Christopher Scruggs was today censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Scruggs represented a client against criminal charges alleging rape of a child. The victim in the case had been removed from the home and removed from the mother’s custodial rights. Scruggs arranged with the mother for the victim to be interviewed by a private investigator but failed to seek and obtain permission from the court-appointed custodian prior to the interview. A public censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated four lawyers who were placed on inactive status more than five years ago. On May 18, the court reinstated Hawaii lawyer Semmes Hill Bobo, Shelby County lawyer Daniel H. Kiel and Kentucky lawyer Casey Marie Keller. On May 7, the court reinstated Davidson County lawyer Jing Geng.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 17 attorneys today for failure to pay the annual registration fee and/or file proof that client funds are being held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order or the IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2021 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Davidson County lawyer C. LeAnn Smith from the practice of law last Friday after finding that she was “substantially non-compliant with a Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) monitoring agreement and her non-compliance posed a threat of substantial harm to the public.” Smith is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and she must cease representing existing clients by June 6.

Rutherford County attorney Benjamin Douglas Groce was reinstated to the practice of law on April 19. The Tennessee Supreme Court approved the petition for reinstatement saying Groce had paid all delinquent fees. He had been suspended for fee violations in 2011 and 2013. Florida attorney Jason Matthew Mayberry was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on April 21, retroactive to April 12. He was placed on inactive status more than five years ago.

Colorado lawyer Katrina M. Jones recently filed a petition for reinstatement. On Jan. 7, the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility notified Jones that she had not paid reinstatement fees or the professional privilege tax. The CLE Commission also notified her that she was not compliant with CLE requirements for 2018, 2019 and 2020. The board sent a second letter advising that if she did not respond by April 15, the petition would be dismissed. Jones did not respond so the Tennessee Supreme Court dismissed her petition on April 19.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 19 attorneys today for failure to pay the annual registration fee and/or file proof that client funds are being held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order or the IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2021 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday permanently disbarred Knox County lawyer Wendell Kyle Hall from the practice of law in the state. The court found that Hall failed to (1) provide competent representation to his clients; (2) act with reasonable diligence and promptness in his representation; (3) respond to requests for information; (4) communicate with clients and keep them informed about their cases; (5) inform clients of his suspension; (6) notify clients of his withdrawal as attorney of record; (7) expedite litigation; (8) respond to complaints filed with the Board of Professional Responsibility; and (9) comply with court orders. Finally, the court found that Hall improperly requested and received a loan from a client without memorializing the loan in writing and without advising the client in writing to seek independent legal counsel.

Sullivan County lawyer Kyle Douglas Vaughan was suspended from the practice of law today by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Vaughan pled guilty in July to theft of property over $60,000 and under $250,000. The court directed the Board of Professional Responsibility to institute a formal proceeding to determine the extent of final discipline to be imposed as a result of Vaughan’s guilty plea. On Jan. 21, Vaughan was temporarily suspended by the court for misappropriating funds and posing a threat of substantial harm to the public. Vaughan’s temporary suspension remains in effect pending further order of the court.