On June 23, 2023, Hugh Reid Poland, III, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, received a Public Censure from the Supreme Court of Tennessee and was ordered to pay the costs and fees of the Board of Professional Responsibility.
Mr. Poland represented a client who settled a custody dispute at mediation, which settlement set forth, in part, a new parenting and visitation arrangement for a trial period of 90 days and specifically required Mr. Poland to draft the required agreed order, parenting plan, and child support worksheet. Mr. Poland failed to respond to communications from his opposing counsel regarding the required documents and failed to draft the documents even after a Motion to Enforce the Mediation was filed.
Opposing counsel ultimately filed the required documents, which included inaccurate statements about Mr. Poland’s client, and Mr. Poland approved the same for filing without notifying his client or obtaining her approval. Finally, Mr. Poland made several misrepresentations to his client, in writing, that he would take specific actions to address her concerns; however, Mr. Poland took no further action and ultimately stopped responding to his client’s communications and requests for information.
Mr. Poland executed a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 (diligence), 1.4 (communication), 8.4(c) (misrepresentation), and 8.4(d) (prejudice to the administration of justice). A Public Censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.
Reid was elected to the General Sessions and Juvenile Court of Montgomery County, Division II, on August 4, 2022. Reid is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. Reid and his wife McClure reared their three sons in Clarksville. Poland is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, Class of 1985, and the Nashville School of Law, Class of 1987. He practiced law in Clarksville with his Dad, Hugh, for over 20 years prior to Hugh passing away in 2019. In private practice, he had a general trial practice with a focus on Criminal Defense and Family Law, practicing in his home county, and surrounding counties.
