AUSTIN, Texas —
A Hays County woman charged with practicing law without a license appeared in court on Tuesday.
In a pretrial hearing, Nichole Humes’ case was reset for a later date. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years behind bars.
But the KVUE Defenders learned on Tuesday afternoon that the attorney who hired Humes was disciplined by the State Bar of Texas. The judgment of probated suspension said Dorothy Lawrence agreed to the conditions of the sanction. She is the owner of the Dorothy Butler Law Firm in Dripping Springs.
The Defenders first told you about Humes' arrest in July and about the grievances filed against Lawrence in September. The judgment covers grievances filed by six people with accusations that ranged from unprofessional conduct to facilitating that Humes was a licensed attorney.
An investigatory panel with the State Bar of Texas conducted a hearing in November. On Jan. 11, the panel handed down the sanction that ordered Lawrence to a two-year probated suspension, which means she can practice law but must follow nine terms. Those terms are:
- Respondent (Lawrence) shall not violate any term of this judgement;
- Respondent shall not engage in Professional Misconduct;
- Respondent shall not violate any state or federal criminal statutes;
- Respondent shall keep State Bar of Texas membership department notified of current mailing, residence and business addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers;
- Respondent shall comply with Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements;
- Respondent shall comply with Interest on Lawyers Trust Account requirements;
- Respondent shall promptly respond to any request for information from the Chief Disciplinary Counsel in connection with any investigation of any allegations of Professional Misconduct;
- Respondent shall pay all reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees and direct expenses, on or before the signing of this judgment, to the State Bar of Texas in the amount of $1,600.00;
- Respondent shall make contact with the Chief Disciplinary Counsel’s Offices’ Compliance Monitor.
The judgment states if Lawrence violates the conditions of her probation, it can be revoked. Lawrence’s probated sanction started on Jan. 1, 2024, and ends on Dec. 31, 2025.
Several grievances against Lawrence remain pending. KVUE reached out to the State Bar of Texas to see if it could tell us what happens to those grievances. We have not heard back. We also reached out to Lawrence but have not received a response.