buck-10511-pc.pdf (2025)

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IN DISCIPLINARY DISTRICT IV
OF THE
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE
SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE

IN RE: LENA ANN GRAVES BUCK, BPR NO. 014764 FILE NO. 100511-2024-4-TT-INV
Respondent, an attorney licensed
to practice law in Tennessee
(Dekalb County)

PUBLIC CENSURE

The above complaint was filed against Lena Ann Graves Buck, #014764, an attorney

licensed to practice law in Tennessee, alleging certain acts of misconduct. Pursuant to Tenn. Sup.

Ct. R. 9, the Board of Professional Responsibility considered these matters at its meeting on June

13, 2025.

Ms. Buck provided consultation regarding a workers’ compensation case to a client. While

the client never signed a retainer agreement nor paid an attorney fee, between late 2020 and mid-

2021, Ms. Buck met with the client on three (3) occasions, where she provided legal advice

regarding workers’ compensation and social security disability issues. Their second meeting was

held the month before client’s statute of limitations ran to file his workers’ compensation claim

with the third meeting being held the month after the statute ran. During that time and over the

next three (3) years, while Ms. Buck represented the client in a disability claim, the client believed

Ms. Buck was also acting as client’s attorney in the workers’ compensation matter. Ms. Buck

discussed the workers’ compensation issue with the client at both 2021 meetings, but failed to keep

the client apprised of the statute of limitations deadline. The client did not discover the deadline
had passed until mid-2024.

Thereafter, Ms. Buck entered into a business transaction with the client without first

advising the client in writing of the desirability of seeking or giving the client a reasonable

opportunity to seek the advice of independent legal counsel on the transaction.

By these acts, Ms. Buck has violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1 (competence), 1.3

(diligence), 1.4 (communication), 1.8(a)(2) (conflict of interest), and 8.4(d) (misconduct) and is

hereby Publicly Censured for these violations.

FOR THE BOARD OF
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

2 We fh
R. Culver Schmid, Chair

J Aw 4 ZO2$~
Date ' 7

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