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.
In an editorial, the Times-Free Press says "it is entirely reasonable that Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill linking welfare benefits to drug tests for recipients" who are suspected of using drugs. The paper says multigenerational dependence on welfare is a serious enough problem already and the move should help "stop subsidizing lifestyles of drug abusers."
The ABA YLD Spring Meeting wrapped up this past weekend with a legal clinic for veterans, a presentation by the TBA YLD, and an award ceremony honoring two Tennessee lawyers. Attorneys from across the country in Nashville for the meeting helped serve 20 veterans during Project Salute. Later, Memphis lawyer and YLD Diversity Committee Chair Ahsaki Baptist spoke to attendees about the group’s Diversity Leadership Institute, which was named one of four finalists for the ABA’s Next Steps Challenge Grant. The conference wrapped up Saturday with a panel discussion featuring Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch, Vanderbilt Law School Professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick and Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch speaking about recent funding cuts and attacks on the judicary. TBA Executive Director Allan F. Ramsaur moderated the discussion.
Of the 33 legislative primary races this year, the majority involve GOP incumbants, the TNReport says. There are 26 GOP legislators facing challengers, while only 10 sitting Democratic lawmakers face primary opposition. As a result of redistricting, however, four of these races will pit incumbent against incumbent. The primary election is Aug. 2.
The East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (ETLAW) will celebrate Law Day with a luncheon on Wednesday at noon, with the justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court. The event will take place at the Foundry, 747 Worlds Fair Park Drive in Knoxville. The guest speaker is Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Email Terry Woods or call 865-384-2175 for more information. Download a copy of the invitation
Legal Aid of East Tennessee -- in collaboration with the Bristol Motor Speedway, Speedway Children’s Charities and East Tennessee Region Sports Car Club of America -- held a benefit event at the Speedway on Sunday, where about 100 drivers competed in the “Solo Time” autocross. Competitors also had an opportunity to try out the drag strip. The first-time effort earned $9,000, to be shared between LAET and Speedway Children’s Charities. Commemorative t-shirts are available. For information, t-shirt, a schedule of upcoming fundraising events or registration information, contact Dave Yoder.
Watchdog organization Law School Transparency has recalculated estimates of the debt that law students stand to incur after discovering that a number of schools had low-balled the cost-of-living figures that they provided to U.S. News & World Report. On average, schools underreported those expenses by $5,000, Law School Transparency's Executive Director Kyle McEntee says. For the class of 2015 — that is, students who will enroll in the fall — the new figure is $210,796 (compared to the initial estimate of $195,265). The National Law Journal reports
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has affirmed the convictions of two disbarred Kentucky lawyers for a scheme to bilk clients of settlement money in the "fen-phen" diet drug litigation. The case, which alleged that the drug caused heart valve problems, settled for about $200 million, plus an extra $450,000 to settle new claims. The lawyers' retainer agreements with their individual clients called for each client's lawyer to collect about one-third of what the client recovered. According to the Sixth Circuit ruling, the clients ultimately received a total of about $73.5 million — less than 37 percent of the total settlement. Meanwhile, these lawyers and several others got $106.5 million. The National Law Journal has the story
The frantic efforts of Dewey & LeBoeuf's leaders to save the struggling firm appear to have reached a dead end, with sources inside and outside the firm familiar with its operations telling the The Am Law Daily Thursday that Dewey is poised to close by May 15 and possibly sooner.
Jacob W. Fendley and Elizabeth Fendley Hahn made history this spring by being the first siblings to simultaneously graduate from the Nashville School of Law. Following graduation, both passed the bar exam and now they practice in Clarksville with their father, Mart G. Fendley. The Leaf-Chronicle has a picture
A unique program started by Bradley County Juvenile Judge Daniel Swafford is using a garden to help improve student behavior. Kids from county schools who are either in detention or in a day treatment center program -- part of the Bradley County school system to provide mentoring about behavior -- have an opportunity to spend time weeding and helping out in the garden. Officer Ricky Tallent said about 90 percent of the day treatment center kids go back to their regular classrooms with fewer or diminished behavior issues. The Times Free Press has this story
While public employees are allowed to speak as citizens on matters of public concern, U.S. District Judge Raymond Jackson ruled that clicking Facebook's “like” button did not amount to expressive speech. In other words, it’s not the same as actually writing out a message and posting it on the site. The meaning of the word "like" in this context played a part in this Virginia case involving six people who say Sheriff B.J. Roberts fired them for supporting an opponent in his 2009 re-election bid, which he won. The workers who had "liked" the sheriff's opponent, sued, saying their First Amendment rights were violated. Jackson dismissed the workers' claims, granting summary judgment to Roberts. The First Amendment Center has this AP story
The American Bar Association notified Lincoln Memorial University's John J. Duncan Jr. School of Law two weeks ago that it would refer the school's appeal back to the organization's top accrediting body, according to court documents filed Thursday. The association said it would send certain issues back to the Council of the Section of the Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, which will consider the panel's written notice, including the opportunity for an appearance by representatives of the law school, at its June 8 meeting. In the meantime, the ABA has asked U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan to continue to stay the lawsuit Lincoln Memorial filed against the ABA until June 15, when lawyers would file another update on the appeal process. The suit alleges antitrust and due process violations. The school opted also to appeal the decision through the ABA. The News Sentinel has more
Tennessee lawyers are sharing their insights and expertise with young lawyers from across the country at this weekend’s meeting of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division in Nashville. The capstone of the three-day meeting is a luncheon on Saturday with Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch, Vanderbilt Law School Professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick, Tennessee Bar Association Executive Director Allan F. Ramsaur and Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch speaking on this year’s Law Day theme “No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom.” Other lawyers presenting seminars during the meeting include Gail Vaughn Ashworth, George Barrett, Lisa Cole, Mark Chalos, Matthew Curley, Margaret M. Huff, Anne C. Martin, Bruce McMullen, Barbara Moss, Lucian T. Pera, E. Todd Presnell, Eli J. Richardson, Lisa Rivera, Matt Sweeney, Kendrick Vaughn and Heather Howell Wright.
The Knoxville Bar Association celebrated Law Day today with its annual luncheon, featuring a panel discussion led by University of Tennessee College of Law School Dean Douglas A. Blaze. The panel explored issues that impact the legal profession, the courts and the American justice system. Also at the event, the Young Lawyers Division recognized the Hon. Thomas W. Phillips for "his contribution to the advancement and protection of law through liberty" and awarded winners of the poster and essay contests, Liana Hu of Farragut Middle School and Gloria Yu of Hardin Valley Academy, respectively.
At its 19th annual Recognition Dinner on June 1, Nashville School of Law will celebrate the contributions of Aubrey B. Harwell Jr., George A. Dean, Bill Stinnett, Bill Wilkinson, and the late Dean James Gilbert Lackey Jr. (1915-1987). During the gala at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, Harwell will be presented the 2012 Community Service Award, Dean will be named the 2012 Distinguished Faculty Member, and Stinnett and Wilkinson will be jointly named 2012 Recognition Dinner Honorees. Lackey will be named the first “Legend of Nashville School of Law.” Learn more from NSL
The Cecil C. Humphreys Law School will honor Professor Francis Gabor’s many contributions to the law school and the greater legal community at a memorial service on May 24 at 5 p.m. at the school. All are invited. Gabor, a Holocaust survivor, received his first law degree in Budapest, an LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and his law degree from Tulane. He joined the law school faculty in 1976 and died in March of this year. A fund has been established in his memory at the law school. Make checks payable to University of Memphis Foundation and mail to Department 238, U of M Foundation, P.O. Box 1000, Memphis, TN 38148-0001, with designation to the Professor Francis Gabor Fund.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is seeking a staff attorney to defend second injury fund cases in Western Tennessee. The position could be located in either Jackson or Memphis. Interested candidates should send a resume and salary history to Legal Director, 220 French Landing Dr., B3, Nashville 37243 or fax to (615) 741-4169. Learn more on Joblink
Register now for the TBA’s 131st Annual Convention. Scheduled for June 6-9 at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, the event is packed with interesting programming and fun activities. Highlights include a visit to the famed Stax Records Museum of American Soul Music, a Bench/Bar luncheon featuring Bill Courtney, the dynamic coach at the center of the Academy Award winning documentary “Undefeated,” and high-quality CLE programming on the new Code of Judicial Conduct, tips for growing your practice and more.
The Williamson County Bar Association will honor four legal figures at its Friday Law Day luncheon. The Legal Aid Society and Nashville Pro Bono Program will honor Clerk and Master of Chancery Court Elaine Beeler for her work in establishing the Volunteer Lawyer Program, and it will honor Bill Lane, Diane Crosier and Ben Papa as 2012 Pro Bono Volunteers of the Year, the Tennessean reports.
A national law firm is seeking attorneys to start a long-term document review project in Nashville. The assignment is expected to last for at least two months. Recent law school graduates are encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should send a resume in Word format to Jeff Butler at jbutler@beaconhillstaffing.com. Beacon Hill Staffing Group provides executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting and temp/contract-to-hire resources. Its legal division focuses on customized staffing solutions for the legal marketplace. Learn more about the Nashville opportunity on the company website
