Case Title: The Mississippi Bar v. Lanesha L. Sims

Citation: 2021-BD-01090-SCT

Docket Number: 

State: mississippi

Court: Mississippi Supreme Court

Date: 2022-04-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
Serial: 241512

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF MISSISSIPPI

‘No, 2021-BD-01090-SCT

FILED

THE MISSISSIPPI BAR
APR 21 pin
7 OFFIGE oF
supe Coon
LANESHA L. SIMS COURT OF APPEALS

EN RDER

 

{1. The Mississippi Barpetitionsthe Mississippi Supreme Courtto place Lanesha L. Sims
on disability inactive status and seeks reimbursement for the costs and expenses of the
proceedings. We grant in part and deny in part.

{2. On October 29, 2019, the Social Security Administration declared Lanesha L. Sims
disabled and awarded her monthly disability benefits as of June 4, 2019. On November 5,
2020, the Florida Bar placed Sims on is list of inactive lawyers following a joint petition
Pursuant tothe Rules ofthe Florida Bar. On May 10, 2021, Sims contacted the Mississippi
Bar! to share her disability inactive status, to announce her retirement from the practice of

Jaw, and to seek clarification about how to secure disability inactive status. Pursuant to Rules

" Lanesha Sims became licensed to practice law in Mississippi on May 3, 2007,
 

13(a) and 20(c) of the Rules of Discipline for the Mississippi Bar, the Bar, having already

received notice from Sims, obtained a certified copy of the order imposed in the state of
Florida.

The Supreme Court of Mississippi (the Court) has exclusive and
inherent jurisdiction of matters pertaining o attorney discipline, reinstatement,
and appointment of receivers for suspended and disbarred attomeys, and
hereafter such proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with these rules.
‘The court shall be the ultimate judge of matters arising under these rules, and
from time to time the Court shall review these rules and amend them when
necessary or desirable,

 

Mississippi Rule of Discipline Rule 20(c) states:

Upon notification from any source that an attorney admitted to practice
in the State of Mississippi has been transferred to disability inactive status in
nother jurisdiction, Complaint Counsel shall obtain a certified copy of the
‘transfer and file it with the Court. A final adjudication in another jurisdiction
that an attorney admitted to practice in the State of Mississippi should be
transferred to disability inactive status shall establish conclusively the
disability for purposes of a disability proceeding in the State of Mississippi
The Court shall transfer the attorney to disability inactive status unless the
attomey demonstrates or the Court finds that the reason for the original
transfer no longer exists. The burden shall be upon the attorney to demonstrate
‘that the reason for the original transfer to disability status no longer exists.

 

 

   

Miss. R. Discipline 20(¢).

{B. We grant the Bar's petition to place Lanesha L. Sims on disability inactive status.
‘Sims voluntarily and correctly contacted the Mississippi Bar regarding her disability, andthe
Bar received a certified copy of the order and further documentation of her disability from

the Social Security Administration. Rule 20(c) provides that the placement of a Mississippi

 

licensed attorney on disability inactive status by another state’s bar conclusively determines

disability forthe purpose of seeking the same status in Mississippi. The documentation sent

 
 

from Sims and received by the Bar shows the requisite information necessary for the
“Mississippi Supreme Court to grant the Mississippi Bar's petition to place Lanesha L. Sims
on disability inactive status.

4. In addition to being prohibited from practicing law, Sims is forbidden from holding
herself out as a lawyer or rendering legal advice inside ot outside the state of Mississippi.
15. Further, Sims must notify in writing all of her clients with active matters pending that
she is unable to practice law and advise each of them that she is unable to act as an attorney
‘on their behalf; to return all files, funds, and any other client property or funds belonging to
third parties related to her representation of clients to clients or the counsel for such clients

oo third parties; to notify in writing all parti

 

opposite as well as courts and agencies in
hich she has active cases that she is unable to practice law; to file a certificate with the
Clerk of the Supreme Court that she has complied with these provisions within sixty days of
the entry ofthe decision in this case.

$6. _ TIS THEREFORE ORDERED that the petition of the Mississippi Bar to transfer
Lanesha L. Sims to disability inactive status is granted and that the license of Sims to practice
law is hereby transferred to disability inactive status in a manner consistent with this order
‘until reinstatement of privileges by order ofthe Mississippi Supreme Court. The Mississippi

Bar's petition for reimbursement of costs is denied.
{7. __ITIS FURTHER ORDERED that Sims shall seek reinstatement pursuant to Rules
12 and 25 of the Rules of Discipline for the Mississippi State Bar should she seek to be
reinstated to the practice of law in Mississippi,

SO ORDERED, this the May of Api, 2022.

 

ALL JUSTICES AGREE.