BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (2014)
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BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE
SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
10 CADILLAC DRIVE, SUITE 220
BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE 37027
TELEPHONE: (615) 361-7500
(800) 486-5714
FAX: (615) 367-2480
E-MAIL: ethics@tbpr.org
Website: www.tbpr.org
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: CHARLES RANDY PETTIGREW, BPR# 6601
CONTACT: WILLIAM C. MOODY
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
615-361-7500
July 17, 2014
MADISON COUNTY LAWYER SUSPENDED
On July 3, 2014, Charles Randy Pettigrew, of Jackson, Tennessee, was suspended from the practice of
law by Order of the Tennessee Supreme Court for three (3) years, retroactive to May 16, 2013. Mr. Pettigrew
must pay the Boardâs costs and expenses and the court costs within ninety days of the entry of the Order of
Enforcement.
The Board filed a Petition for Discipline on June 26, 2013 and a Supplemental Petition for Discipline on
October 7, 2013. The petitions contained three (3) complaints of misconduct related to Mr. Pettigrewâs failure
to supervise a non-lawyer assistant to whom he had given significant authority over his trust account. Mr.
Pettigrew exercised very little supervision of his assistantâs use of the trust account. The assistant engaged in a
pattern of inappropriately transferring significant sums of money between the trust and operating accounts. The
assistant misappropriated approximately $74,000 from a trust account. Thereafter, the assistant engaged in
kiting checks between Mr. Pettigrewâs trust accounts for months in an effort to conceal the misappropriations.
As a result of the misappropriations, the sellers in a real estate transaction did not receive the purchase money.
In addition, funds belonging to two other clients were missing from the trust account. The losses have all been
made whole by Mr. Pettigrewâs malpractice insurer.
Mr. Pettigrewâs ethical misconduct violated Rules of Professional Conduct 5.3(b), Responsibilities
Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants and 8.4(a), Misconduct. Mr. Pettigrew must comply with the requirements of
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 18 (2006) and Section 30 (2014), regarding the obligations and
responsibilities of suspended attorneys and the procedure for reinstatement.
Pettigrew 2232-7 rel.doc
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