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Knox County lawyer censured
April 14, 2021


KNOXVILLE - On April 13, 2021, Terrill Lee Adkins, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, received a Public Censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Mr. Adkins agreed to represent a defendant in a pending product liability trial when an attorney at his office had previously been substantially involved in the same matter at a law firm which continued to represent the plaintiff. Mr. Adkins’ colleague then left employment of Mr. Adkins’ firm. Thereafter, the attorney returned to the employment of Mr. Adkins’ firm, and the attorney reminded Mr. Adkins of his prior work on the still-pending case. Mr. Adkins re-hired the attorney and attempted to put screening procedures in place. Because the attorney was substantially involved in the representation of the plaintiff in the matter, the screening procedures are not able to be used to avoid the imputed disqualification of Mr. Adkins’ law firm under Rule 1.10(d) (imputation of conflicts of interest). Mr. Adkins’ conduct resulted in harm to his client and prejudice to the administration of justice.

In the same matter, Mr. Adkins was granted approval for a limited deposition of an opposing attorney on particular substantive topics. After the deposition, Mr. Adkins issued a subpoena for the employment file of the opposing attorney, seeking documents related to an alleged claim of sexual harassment made against the attorney in the course of his employment. The text of the subpoena described the documents sought in crass, sexist language. After a motion to quash was filed, Mr. Adkins withdrew the subpoena.

By these acts, Terrill Lee Adkins, has violated Rule of Professional Conduct 1.10(d) (imputation of conflict of interest), 8.4(d) (prejudice to the administration of justice) and 4.4 (respect for rights of third persons), 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 attorney’s ability to practice law.
















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