Strawn 25437-9-sg rel.PDF (2003)
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BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
of the
SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
LANCE B. BRACY WILLIAM W. HUNT, III
CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL 1101 KERMIT DRIVE, SUITE 730 CHARLES A. HIGH
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37217 SANDY GARRETT
LAURA L. CHASTAIN
DEPUTY CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL TELEPHONE: (615) 361-7500 JESSE D. JOSEPH
(800) 486-5714 JAMES A. VICK
BEVERLY P. SHARPE FAX: (615) 367- 2480 THERESA M. COSTONIS
CONSUMER COUNSEL/DIRECTOR E-MAIL: ethics@tbpr.org DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: THOMAS H. STRAWN, BPR # 2710
CONTACT: SANDY GARRETT
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
615-361-7500
October 21, 2003
DYERSBURG ATTORNEY CENSURED
On October 21, 2003, Thomas H. Strawn, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, received a
conditional public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Strawn was
given notice of the censure and did not request a hearing.
The Board of Professional Responsibility engaged a certified public accountant to
audit Strawnâs trust account. The audit revealed the following inappropriate trust
accounting practices by Strawn:
1. Writing checks for payments for utilities directly from Strawnâs trust account
allegedly for earned fees; and
2. Allocating draws to himself in excess of deposits; and
3. Depositing earned fees into Strawnâs trust account instead of the business
account; and
4. Failure to maintain client ledger sheets, settlement statements and contracts
of employment making the appropriateness of draws payable to Strawn
impossible to determine; and
5. Strawn failed to maintain a trust receipts book and trust disbursement book.
For Strawnâs mishandling of his trust account the Board of Professional
Responsibility censured Strawn and imposed the following conditions on Strawn:
1. Strawn must pay the costs and expenses of the audit by the certified public
accountant; and
2. Strawn must consult with and comply with any and a ll recommendations of a
law practice management expert; and
3. Strawn must have a monitor for his trust account for a period of one (1) year.
Strawnâs mishandling of his trust account violates Disciplinary Rules 1-
102(A)(1)(5) and (6) and DR 9-102(A) and (B) of the Code of Professional
Responsibility.
The Board of Professional Responsibility declares Strawnâs actions to be
improper but does not limit his right to practice law.
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Strawn 25437-8-sg rel.doc