Recent instances of lawyers continuing to practice law after suspensions for non-payment of BPR annual fees or CLE non-compliance have come to the attention of the Board. The Board is treating these instances as matters of serious ethical misconduct which are deserving of significant discipline. Discipline will be imposed based upon violations of the following provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct. (Rule 8, Tenn. S. Ct. R.)

RPC 8.4 Misconduct
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:
(d) engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; or
(g) knowingly fail to comply with a final court order... .

The summary suspension orders by the Supreme Court for non-payment of BPR annual fees and CLE non-compliance are provided for in Section 20.3 of Rule 9 and Section 7.07 of Rule 21, Tenn. S. Ct. Rules.