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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: JAHARI MABRY DOWDY, #24144
CONTACT: STEVEN J. CHRISTOPHER
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
615-361-7500
January 7, 2021
SHELBY COUNTY LAWYER CENSURED
On January 7, 2021, Jahari Mabry Dowdy, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, received a
Public Censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Ms. Dowdy agreed to facilitate payments on behalf of a client to a commercial lessor in fulfillment of an
agreement regarding the clientâs rent arrears. On March 2, 2020, Ms. Dowdy signed a trust account check
payable to the commercial lessor in partial payment of the clientâs rent arrears. Through an inadvertent office
error, a check drawn on Ms. Dowdyâs trust account was delivered to the commercial lessor before Ms. Dowdy
received funds from the client to cover the check. As a result, the check was returned for insufficient funds.
Ms. Dowdy failed to take proper remedial action after becoming aware of the error. Ms. Dowdy also
subsequently deposited personal funds into her trust account to provide enough funds for a replacement check,
thereby comingling her personal funds with her trust account funds.
By these acts, Jahari Mabry Dowdy, has violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 (safekeeping
property and funds), 5.1 (responsibilities of partners, managers, and supervisory lawyers), and 5.3
(responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistance) and is hereby Publicly Censured for these violations. As a
condition of the public censure, Ms. Dowdy shall be required to attend the Boardâs trust account workshop on
March 24, 2021.
A Public Censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorneyâs ability to
practice law.
Dowdy 63956n-9 rel.doc