1. An attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee may petition the Supreme Court to accept the surrender of his of her license to practice law by completing the Petition to Surrender Law License. The petition shall state under oath:
- a. the reason(s) for the requested surrender;
- b. whether disbarment, suspension, disciplinary, or other administrative action of any nature is in effect or pending as to the petitioner;
- c. whether there is a potential grievance, complaint, disciplinary or administrative action of any nature in any jurisdiction which may likely be filed against the petitioner;
- d. whether the attorney is currently on probation, under criminal charge(s), or under investigation for criminal charge(s), of any nature in any jurisdiction.
2. The original petition shall be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Appellate Courts in Nashville, attaching the law license or shall attach an affidavit fully explaining why the license is not attached. The petitioner shall also submit an additional copy of the petition to each of the following:
Sandy Garrett
Chief Disciplinary Counsel
Board of Professional Responsibility
10 Cadillac Drive
Brentwood, TN 37027
Board of Law Examiners
511 Union Street, Suite 525
Nashville, TN 37219
Michele Wojciechowski
Executive Director, CLE
1321 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 810
Nashville, TN 37217
3. Upon consideration of the petition, the Court may grant the petition or deny it. Please note that if the surrendering attorney has a pending administrative matter, i.e. unpaid annual fees to the Board of Professional Responsibility, or unfulfilled CLE requirements, the Court will decline to consider any petition until the matter is resolved. If the Court grants the petition, the order accepting the surrender shall state the date the surrender shall take effect. The Clerk shall mail a copy of the order to the surrendering attorney, the Board of Professional Responsibility, the Board of Law Examiners, and the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.
4. As of the effective date of the order accepting surrender, the attorney shall have no license to practice law in this state. After the effective date of the order, this license shall not be reinstated, and the attorney may not be licensed to practice law in Tennessee until he or she applies for a law license in Tennessee and meets the requirements of Rule 7, Rules of the Supreme Court.
5. There is a $100.00 filing fee payable to the Appellate Court Clerk’s Office due upon receipt. Please send the fee, original petition, law license and one copy of the petition to the address and attention of the Chief Deputy Clerk listed below:
Chief Deputy Clerk, Mary Beth Lindsey
Supreme Court Building
401 Seventh Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37219-1407
(615) 253-1470
Revised 10-2-2025