Nashville- Today the Tennessee Supreme Court ordered an increase of $100 in the annual registration fee paid by attorneys to the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) and adjustment to the allocation of those funds. The order amends Supreme Court Rules 9 and 33 and will be effective March 1, 2025.
On October 4, 2024, the Court published for public comment the proposed amendments to increase the annual registration fee from $170 to $270 and adjust the allocation of funds as follows: $225 to the Board of Professional Responsibility (“BPR”), $30 to the Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program (“TLAP”), and $15 to the Tennessee Lawyers Fund for Client Protection (“TLFCP”).
Following the 30-day public comment period, and the Court’s review of the comments received and its own internal review of the registration fee amount and allocations, the Court adopted the proposed amendments for the following reasons: Tennessee’s annual registration fee is one of the lowest in the country and has remained unchanged since 2009, the fee of $270 is reasonable and well below the national average of $432, and the increased allocations to TLAP and TLFCP are appropriate. For example, for several years the TLFCP has annually paid claims that significantly exceed its average funding from the registration fee. Additionally, increasing TLAP’s allocation will also aid those impacted by substance use disorders and mental health issues.
Finally, the privilege tax lawyers must annually pay does not militate against increasing the annual registration fee. The General Assembly, not the Court, levies the privilege tax. The revenue the privilege tax generates is not earmarked to fund operations of the Judicial Branch or the Court’s boards and commissions, and the Court does not control how privilege tax revenues are utilized.
Lawyers will begin paying the increased annual registration fee as of March 1, 2025.