BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (2016)
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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
FA24: (615) 367-2480
E-MAIL: ethics@tbpr.org
Website: www.tbpr.org
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: JOHN JAY CLARK, BPR #24360
CONTACT: ALAN D. JOHNSON
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
615-361-7500
December 15, 2016
WILLIAMSON COUNTY LAWYER DISBARRED
On December 14, 2016, the Tennessee Supreme Court disbarred John Jay Clark from the practice of law
pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 12.1. Mr. Clark must pay the Board of Professional
Responsibilityâs costs and expenses and court costs within ninety days.
The Board filed a Petition for Discipline against Mr. Clark that included five complainants. In two
complaints, Mr. Clark was paid for representation in criminal court and abandoned his clients. In another
complaint, Mr. Clark accepted a fee for a divorce case, and after obtaining a default judgment, he failed to file
an order memorializing the default and failed to get a final decree.
Mr. Clark also accepted a fee in another divorce case and never filed a complaint for divorce. For
several months thereafter, he misrepresented to the client that the case was pending, instructed the client to meet
him at court and informed her that she was divorced which was not true.
Finally, in another divorce case, Mr. Clark accepted a fee, filed a complaint for divorce, and then sent
his client a divorce decree on which he had forged the signature of the judge. Mr. Clark was suspended from
the practice of law while representing some of the clients who filed complaints.
The Hearing Panel found that Mr. Clark violated RPC 1.3 (diligence), 1.4 (communication), 1.5 (fees),
1.16 (terminating representation), 3.2 (expediting litigation), 5.5 (unauthorized practice of law), 8.1
(disciplinary matters) and 8.4 (a) (misconduct) and Rule 8.4 (a), (b) and (c) (misconduct, criminal conduct and
conduct involving dishonesty).
Mr. Clark must pay restitution to his clients as a condition of reinstatement to the practice of law.
In an unrelated case, Mr. Clark was suspended from the practice of law for four years on June 26, 2015.
To date, Mr. Clark has not been reinstated from his previous suspension.
Mr. Clark must comply with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 28 regarding the obligations and
responsibilities suspended attorneys.
Clark 2550-6 rel.doc