What did the Court decide?

The Court accepted Medley’s voluntary surrender of his Georgia law license, effectively removing him from the rolls of attorneys authorized to practice in the state.

Why was his license surrendered?

Medley pled guilty to a federal felony—conspiracy to commit wire fraud—and admitted that the conviction violated the state rule prohibiting attorneys from being convicted of a felony.

Who is affected by this decision?

Medley is affected directly because he is no longer permitted to practice law in Georgia; clients and the public are protected by removing an attorney with a felony financial conviction from practice.

Can this decision be changed or appealed?

Medley filed no exceptions to the Special Master’s report and the Court issued a final order; typical avenues such as reconsideration under court rules may exist but are limited and time-bound.

In the Matter of Leonard Richard Medley, III

Docket S26Y0660

Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research

OtherAffirmed

Filed: Apr 21, 2026 · 1 week ago
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Court: Supreme Court of Georgia
Type: Opinion
Case type: Other
Disposition: Affirmed
Docket: S26Y0660

Review of a Special Master’s recommendation to accept an attorney’s petition for voluntary surrender of license following a federal felony conviction.

Summary

The Georgia Supreme Court accepted attorney Leonard Richard Medley, III’s petition for voluntary surrender of his law license after he pled guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (a felony). Medley admitted his conviction violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct and asked the Court to accept surrender of his license, which is equivalent to disbarment. The Court reviewed the Special Master’s recommendation, noted no exceptions were filed, relied on precedent treating felony financial-crime convictions as warranting disbarment, and removed Medley from the roll of attorneys licensed in Georgia.

Issues Decided

Whether to accept an attorney’s petition for voluntary surrender of his license after a felony conviction for a financial crime.
Whether the attorney’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct (Rule 8.4(a)(2)).

Court's Reasoning

The Court accepted the Special Master’s recommendation because Medley admitted his felony conviction violated the professional conduct rule and requested voluntary surrender. No exceptions to the recommendation were filed, and the Court found acceptance consistent with prior decisions that routinely impose disbarment or accept voluntary surrender for felony convictions involving financial crimes. Protecting the public and uniform application of precedent tipped the outcome.

Authorities Cited

Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8.4(a)(2)
Bar Rule 4-102(d)
In the Matter of Norton315 Ga. 484 (2023)
In the Matter of Celello308 Ga. 339 (2020)
In the Matter of Fudge301 Ga. 793 (2017)

Parties

Petitioner: Leonard Richard Medley, III
Judge: Special Master Adam Hames

Key Dates

Decision date: 2026-04-21
Federal guilty plea: 2025-12-01

What You Should Do Next

1
Comply with Bar Rule duties
Medley should follow any obligations imposed by Bar Rule 4-219(b), such as handling client files and notifying clients, as required after license surrender.
2
Consult counsel regarding collateral consequences
Medley should consult criminal and civil counsel to address sentencing, restitution, or other consequences of his federal conviction and the state disciplinary action.
3
Consider petitions if appropriate
If there are procedural grounds, Medley may explore any available motions for reconsideration under the Court’s rules, keeping in mind strict deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Court decide?: The Court accepted Medley’s voluntary surrender of his Georgia law license, effectively removing him from the rolls of attorneys authorized to practice in the state.
Why was his license surrendered?: Medley pled guilty to a federal felony—conspiracy to commit wire fraud—and admitted that the conviction violated the state rule prohibiting attorneys from being convicted of a felony.
Who is affected by this decision?: Medley is affected directly because he is no longer permitted to practice law in Georgia; clients and the public are protected by removing an attorney with a felony financial conviction from practice.
Can this decision be changed or appealed?: Medley filed no exceptions to the Special Master’s report and the Court issued a final order; typical avenues such as reconsideration under court rules may exist but are limited and time-bound.

The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.

Full Filing Text

NOTICE: This opinion is subject to modification resulting from motions for reconsideration under Supreme Court
Rule 27, the Court’s reconsideration, and editorial revisions by the Reporter of Decisions. The version of the
opinion published in the Advance Sheets for the Georgia Reports, designated as the “Final Copy,” will replace any
prior version on the Court’s website and docket. A bound volume of the Georgia Reports will contain the final and
official text of the opinion.

In the
Supreme Court of Georgia
No. S26Y0660
In the Matter of Leonard Richard Medley, III

Decided: April 21, 2026

PER CURIAM.
This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the report
and recommendation of Special Master Adam Hames, who recom-
mends that the Court accept the petition for voluntary surrender
of license filed by Leonard Richard Medley, III (State Bar No.
500685). Medley, who has been a member of the State Bar of
Georgia since 2000, pled guilty in December 2025, pursuant to a
negotiated agreement, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire
fraud in violation of 18 USC § 371, a felony, in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Thereafter,
he filed a petition for voluntary surrender with the Special Mas-
ter. In his petition, as amended, Medley admitted that, by virtue
of his felony conviction, he violated Rule 8.4(a)(2) (lawyer shall
not be convicted of a felony) of the Georgia Rules of Professional
Conduct, see Bar Rule 4-102(d), the maximum penalty for which
is disbarment. Based on those admissions, Medley requested that
the Court accept his petition to voluntarily surrender his license
to practice law, which is tantamount to disbarment.
Medley has filed no exceptions to the Special Master’s re-
port, and the deadline to do so has passed. See Bar Rule 4-218.
Accordingly, the matter is now ripe for this Court’s review.
We have reviewed the record and agree that acceptance of
Medley’s petition for voluntary surrender of his license is best for
the protection of the public and is consistent with prior similar
cases. See, e.g., In the Matter of Norton, 315 Ga. 484, 489 (2023)
(agreeing with the Special Master that “[the] Court routinely im-
poses disbarment, or accepts a voluntary surrender of license,
which is tantamount to disbarment, as discipline in cases involv-
ing felony convictions for financial crimes”); In the Matter of Ce-
lello, 308 Ga. 339, 339 (2020) (accepting voluntary surrender of
license for attorney convicted of conspiracy to commit securities
fraud); In the Matter of Fudge, 301 Ga. 793, 793 (2017) (accepting
voluntary surrender of license for attorney convicted of conspiracy
to commit bank fraud). Accordingly, the name of Leonard Richard
Medley, III, is hereby removed from the rolls of persons entitled
to practice law in the State of Georgia. Medley is reminded of his
duties under Bar Rule 4-219(b).
Voluntary surrender of license accepted. All the Justices
concur.