KNOXVILLE — Horace Maynard Brown, a Knoxville attorney, received a Public Censure on October 14, 2015 from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Brown was rebuked for knowingly violating rules of professional conduct.

Brown represented one of his clients in a bankruptcy case. While the bankruptcy case was pending, the client settled a personal injury case. He did not file a motion to approve the personal injury settlement or the payment of attorney’s fees to the personal injury lawyer, and none of the money was paid to the bankruptcy trustee. Brown retained a portion of the settlement fund but failed to place the settlement proceeds in a trust account and he did not maintain records of the disbursements of the funds to his client’s creditors. Brown used only one bank account for both his funds and client funds. The bankruptcy trustee moved for sanctions and Mr. Brown was ordered to puke up his fee.

A Public Censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.