A Buford lawyer who admitted in court in 2010 that he spent $188,000 from a client’s account without authorization, voluntarily surrendered his license in August. But he is still legally allowed to practice law.

That’s because the State Bar of Georgia just last month filed a formal complaint against Thomas S. Sunderland with the state Supreme Court. Because the high court, which must authorize penalties in lawyer discipline cases, has not ruled on whether to accept Sunderland’s license surrender, he is listed as an active member of the bar “in good standing.”