Stay current with legal news in Tennessee. This page features the latest news for and about the Tennessee legal community, either produced by the Tennessee Bar Association or collected from news sources.
A free legal clinic for Nashville area residents who need advice on immigration issues will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hillcrest United Methodist Church, 5112 Raywood Lane, The Tennessean reports. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Justice for Our Neighbors of Tennessee (JFON) and the MidSouth Chapter of AILA will host the event. Volunteer attorneys will be available for one-on-one meetings, to answer questions, make assessments and give recommendations. Languages spoken will include Chinese, Finnish, French, Hindi, Polish, Spanish, Telegu Urdu, and others. Cases will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Two Tennessee-licensed lawyers have been reinstated after being administratively suspended for failure to file the 2012 registration fee and IOLTA report; one lawyer has been reinstated after being suspended for failure to file the 2011 registration fee and IOLTA report; one lawyer has been reinstated after completing 2011 CLE requirements; and three lawyers were reinstated after paying past due fees – one from 2007 and two from 2008. See updated lists at the links above.
The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order June 6 suspending Tennessee-licensed attorneys who had not paid their 2012 registration fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility and had not filed a mandatory compliance statement that eligible client funds are being held in accounts participating in the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. The list reflects lawyers not in compliance as of their April birthdates. See the updated list or download the order
The deadline for employers hoping to take part in the 2nd Annual TBA Diversity Job Fair is June 29. This year's job fair is set for Sept. 7-8 in Nashville. Building on the success of last year's event, the 2012 job fair will provide legal employers the opportunity to interview diverse 2L and 3L law students from law schools in Tennessee and surrounding states. Twenty seven law schools have already signed up. All legal employers in Tennessee are invited to take part, regardless of size or sector. Participants are asked to consider candidates for summer associate positions, clerkships and attorney openings.
After adding 37 Miller & Martin attorneys, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada is operating temporarily out of Miller & Martin's space in downtown Nashville. A spokesperson for the firm, however, tells the Nashville Business Journal that it is looking at several options for a long-tem home. The Mississippi-based firm also has an office in Memphis.
Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew today stopped short of halting construction on a new mosque in Murfreesboro, but blocked local officials from issuing an occupancy certificate for it. Last month Corlew voided construction approval for the facility. At a hearing today, opponents of the mosque asked him to order county officials to halt construction at the site. He declined, saying his ruling was not enforceable until after a 30-day appeal period. The Planning Commission voted on Monday to appeal. The County Commission will take up the issue Thursday. Read more from News Channel 5
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced an executive order to change the management and oversight of state drug court programs as part of an ongoing effort to increase government efficiency and effectiveness. Executive Order No. 12 transfers the drug court program from the Department of Finance and Administration to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) effective July 1. In signing the order Haslam said the transfer would reduce duplication of effort and better align the drug courts with TDMHSAS’ role as the substance abuse authority in the state. Read more in the Cannon Courier
A Chattanooga man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges that he forged the signature of U.S. District Court Judge Harry "Sandy" Mattice to try to get out of prison early on parole. Shaun Steven Kidd now faces up to five years for the charge on top of separate bank fraud charges to which he previously pleaded guilty. The presiding judge set a sentencing date of Oct. 1. Read more in the Times Free Press
Former Hawkins County General Sessions Judge James "Jay" Taylor pleaded not guilty to 41 counts of theft of property in a Nashville courtroom today. During the hearing, the presiding judge reduced bond to $100,000 from $175,000, though Taylor returned to jail after the proceeding. He faces 12 similar charges in Hawkins County. News Channel 9 reports
About two years ago, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told state chief justices that their states must provide free translation services to parties in any court case or risk losing all federal funding. So Tennessee found the money and is set to expand translation services following a comment period on proposed new rules. But a new question has been raised about whether the state is doing enough to make sure non-English-speaking victims understand what is happening in the courtroom. While a translator is provided for victims during their testimony, once they leave the witness stand those services end. The Tennessean explores the issue
Local and national groups are taking aim at Samar Ali, a lawyer recently hired by Gov. Bill Haslam as the new international director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD). The groups, including the Center for Security Policy and the 8th District Tea Party Coalition, depict Ali as an Islamic fundamentalist with close ties to President Barack Obama. Such claims are spurious says Clint Brewer, an ECD spokesman, who also said there were no plans to replace her. The Daily News Journal reports
Two decades and two opinions later, Knox County Public Defender Mark Stephens is firing his brother-in-law. Stephens said he was forced to fire Mike Stone, an investigator assigned to the DUI division, after the state attorney general found that Stephens' employment of his brother-in-law violated Tennessee's Nepotism Act, though Stephens exercises no direct control over Stone. Read more in the News Sentinel
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville have named finalists for the 2012 Nashville Emerging Leader Awards. In the legal services category, the following five Nashville lawyers were announced: Rachel Bell with Bell & Kinslow PLLC; Christy Crider with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC; Kolin Holladay with Adams and Reese LLP; James Mackler with Bone, McAllester, Norton PLLC; and Matt Potempa with the Law Office of Matt Potempa PLLC. A networking reception with the nominees will take place June 28 at the Bound’ry. Winners in each category will be announced on July 26 at an awards ceremony at Lipscomb University’s Collins Alumni Auditorium.
The Upper Cumberland Young Lawyers Association is sponsoring the 37th Annual Anne Cameron Golf Classic this Saturday at Ironwood Golf Course in Cookeville. The four-person team scramble raises money for the Cookeville Regional Medical Center Foundation Cancer Fund in memory of Cookeville attorney, Anne Cameron. To sign-up or for more information contact Lindsay Cameron Gross at (931) 526-3366 or lindsay@cameronyounglaw.com
Murfreesboro lawyer Jerry Scott was transferred to disability inactive status by the Tennessee Supreme Court on June 11. He may not practice law while on disability inactive status, but may resume the practice of law after showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to return to the practice of law. Download the BPR notice
Former Maury County lawyer Rhonda D. Hooks received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on June 5. The court also ordered her to attend 10 additional hours of ethics legal education in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The court found that she filed a motion in a client's criminal case without notifying and receiving permission from the client’s current counsel; assisted a client in the unauthorized practice of law; and failed to ascertain the status and complexity of a client’s case prior to representing that client. Download the BPR notice
Members of the Tennessee Supreme Court today welcomed the latest class of attorneys to join the practice of law in Tennessee. About 60 new lawyers took part in the ceremonies at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. Following introductions and administration of the oath by Chief Justice Connie Clark, the group heard remarks from each justice and TBA President Jackie Dixon. An open house and luncheon at the Tennessee Bar Center followed the ceremonies.
35 graduate, one honored with service award at TBA convention
NASHVILLE, June 12, 2012 -- Thirty-five attorneys from across the state graduated from the Tennessee Bar Association's Leadership Law program during the association's annual convention in Memphis last week.
Andree S. Blumstein, Scott Griswold awarded annual honor
NASHVILLE, June 12, 2012 -- The Justice Joe Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing was given to two Tennessee Bar Journal authors this year: Nashville lawyer Andree S. Blumstein and Knoxville lawyer Scott Griswold at the TBA's annual meeting in Memphis Friday.
Judge Robert Childers honored for work with lawyer assistance programs
NASHVILLE, June 12, 2012 -- Memphis Circuit Court Judge Robert L. "Butch" Childers was honored with the Tennessee Bar Association's Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award at the group's annual meeting in Memphis on Friday.
