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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
Website: www.tbpr.org
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: CYNTHIA JEANNE TOBIN, BPR #016318
CONTACT: TIFFANY D. TANT-SHAFER
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
615-361-7500
October 4, 2024
SHELBY COUNTY LAWYER CENSURED
On October 3, 2024, Cynthia Jeanne Tobin, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, received a
Public Censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Ms. Tobin is a Certified Estate Planning Specialist. From August 2004 to 2023, Ms. Tobin provided estate
planning services for a client, including drafting multiple Living Trusts. At the clientâs request, Ms. Tobin listed
herself in the estate documents as beneficiary of a substantial gift of $30,000 and a necklace. Ms. Tobin knew
that she could not prepare an estate document bequeathing a substantial gift to herself, but did not advise the client
of this restriction nor decline representation to avoid ethical violations. Rather, Ms. Tobin listed her law partner
as the drafter of the estate documents without his knowledge and presented the documents to the client for signing,
thereby knowingly making a false statement of fact and engaging in fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading conduct.
By these acts, Ms. Tobin, has violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.8(c) (conflict of interest),
1.16(a)(1) (declining or terminating representation), 2.1 (advisor), 4.1(a) (truthfulness in statements to others),
and 8.4(c) (misconduct) and is hereby Publicly Censured for this violation.
A Public Censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorneyâs ability to
practice law.
Tobin 74158-9 rel.doc