Fraud Draws Permanent Disbarment

A permanent disbarment imposed by the Tennessee Supreme Court is summarized on the web page of the Board of Professional Responsibility

Effective May 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of Tennessee permanently disbarred attorney Melvin Jacob Werner from the practice of law and ordered him to pay all costs and fees of the Board of Professional Responsibility.

After a hearing upon the disciplinary petitions filed against Mr. Werner arising from two (2) separate complaints of ethical misconduct, a Hearing Panel determined Mr. Werner committed fraud; made false representations of fact; knowingly violated Massachusetts law by engaging in unlawful, unfair, or deceptive acts or practices; misled a client in order to induce her to enter into a fraudulent investment agreement, resulting in a loss to the client of $650,000.00; misappropriated and converted client funds without his client’s knowledge or consent; impermissibly commingled client and personal funds; and made knowing misrepresentations of fact to his client.

The Hearing Panel determined that Mr. Werner’s actions and omissions described herein violated Massachusetts Rules of Supreme Judicial Court 8.4(a) (misconduct) and 8.4(c) (misconduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation), and violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 (safekeeping property and funds) and 8.4(c) (misconduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation)

(Mike Frisch)