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.
Detroit-based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC is merging with the law practice of Mariscal, Weeks, McIntyre & Friedlander PA in Arizona, and will operate under the name Dickinson Wright/Mariscal Weeks. In addition to Michigan and Arizona, the firm has offices in Tennessee, Nevada, Ohio, Washington, DC, Toronto, and Ontario.
Republican John Boehner was re-elected House Speaker yesterday at the convening of the 113th Congress, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. While there were grumblings amongst GOP ranks about the embattled Boehner, only 10 Republicans did not vote for him.
A new Robert Half Legal Salary Guide anticipates that lawyers across the country will receive a salary increase in 2013, the Birmingham Business Journal reports. The average salary for attorneys with four to nine years of experience is expected to increase 4.55 percent, while attorneys with 10-12 years experience will see an average 3.68 percent raise. Lawyers with one to three years experience and first-year associates are projected to receive a 2.6 percent and 1.9 percent increase, respectively.
Senior Judge Walter Kurtz says he will retire after presiding over the trials of Christian-Newsom murder defendants Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas. His retirement will be retroactive to Dec. 31, 2012, WATE Knoxville News Channel 6 reports.
As the opening of 108th General Assembly nears, many see the Legislature’s new Republican “supermajority” as divided, with one faction leaning towards moderate views and business interests and the other more conservative. Hot button issues that may cause division this year will include worker’s compensation, Medicaid expansion, and the sale of wine in grocery stores. The Knoxville News Sentinel has more.
Lawyers in Tennessee are helping those who need it, not only through pro bono representation, but by working to change the structure and services available. The January Tennessee Bar Journal details efforts like new funding and rules for court interpreters and a new legal telephone hotline, 1-888-aLEGALz.
The Judicial Nominating Commission will interview six attorneys who applied for the Chancery Court vacancy in the 8th Judicial District during a public meeting Jan. 18 at 9 a.m. at Woodlake Lodge, Golf & County Club in Tazewell. The vacancy was created by the death of the Hon. Billy Joe White. During the hearing, attorneys and members of the public may express their approval or objections to the candidates. Applicants are Elizabeth C. Asbury, James L. Cotton Jr., Kathy Parrott, Charles Patrick Sexton, Thomas Jackson Tabor Jr. and Andrew R. Tillman.
According to the 2012 Annual Report by the Second Look Commission, investigations into severe child abuse cases were left incomplete and failed to address the complicated needs of the family. The 23-page report details eight areas in which Tennessee can improve the protection of children including providing more training for child abuse investigators, Department of Children’s Services (DCS) caseworkers, mental health providers and law enforcement.
Of the nine Tennesseans who represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives, only Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, voted for the American Taxpayer Relief Bill yesterday, although he admitted he was not entirely happy with the agreement. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, voted against the legislation, claiming it produced "No real spending cuts. No real deficit reduction. No acknowledgement of America's out-of-control national debt." Meanwhile, both of the state’s Republican senators voted for the package. Sen. Bob Corker called it "legislation to rescue 99 percent of the American people from a rax rate increase." The Memphis Daily News has the story.
The Chattanooga Bar Association will host its 115th Annual Meeting at the Sheraton Read House Silver Ballroom on Jan. 23. Lunch will be provided to CBA Members.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts is defending the federal courts’ cost-containment strategy, stating in his year-end report that the Supreme Court will seek $75 million in the upcoming fiscal year, a 3.7 percent decrease from three years ago. Nationwide, federal courts spent about $6.9 billion last fiscal year, a “miniscule portion” of the overall federal budget Roberts said. In the report, Roberts also urged executive and legislative branches to fill open seats on the U.S. District and appellate courts which he said constitute “judicial emergencies.”
State Sen. Jim Tracy announced today he plans to challenge embattled U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais in 2014 for a seat in the 4th Congressional District, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. This will be Tracey’s second campaign for congress, after finishing a close third in the 2010 Republican primary for the 6th Congressional District. Tracey is the first Republican to launch a formal campaign against DesJarlais.
The U.S. Senate confirmed President Barack Obama’s nomination of four people to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The appointees are V. Lynn Evans of Memphis; Peter Mahurin of Bowling Green, Ky; Mike McWherter of Desden; and Joe H. Rich of Huntsville, Ala.
In a 62-26 vote that only took a few minutes, the Senate confirmed William Baer of Arnold & Porter as the new chief of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Legal Times reports. Baer is considered likely to continue the recent push on merger challenges and cartel enforcement action. With a wide range of experience in both private practice and government enforcement, many in the antitrust bar have widely lauded his qualifications for the job.
Practicing attorneys, judges, and law students are needed to judge the Fifth Annual Commodore Classic undergraduate mock trial tournament on Jan. 19-20 at Vanderbilt University. Twenty-four of the top collegiate mock trial teams from across the nation will participate in two mock trial rounds no longer than three hours both days. Contact commodorejudges@gmail.com with any questions.
New state laws regarding workers compensation, business organizations, mortgages, licenses and much more will take effect on Jan. 1. See a full list of new Tennessee laws going into effect with the new year from the Knoxville New Sentinel’s Tom Humphrey.
American Bar Association YLD -- The ABA YLD is accepting applications for its subgrant program, which provides funding for activities that benefit local communities, leaders or members. Applications should be submitted by March 1, 2013. The ABA YLD's next meeting -- the midyear meeting -- will take place Feb. 7-9 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. This year's meeting includes a New Partner Workshop, which will feature a nationally known law firm marketing expert and a day of interactive learning and networking to help new partners, aspiring partners and attorneys who have launched their own firms prepare for their new roles. For information about the ABA YLD or to get involved contact Matt Potempa at matt@potempafirm.com or (615) 255-5007.
The following Wills for Heroes events have been scheduled (as of 12/31/12) across the state during 2013. Please contact the event organizer for more details or to volunteer. To get involved in the Wills for Heroes Committee or to request a clinic in your area, please contact committee chair Bradley Carter. Learn more about the Wills for Heroes.
Application materials for the 2013 Summer Judicial Internship Program, which matches first and second year law students with Tennessee appellate and trial judges for six or 12-week internships, are now available. More than 40 law students served with trial court judges last summer and the Membership & Law School Outreach Committee -- which administers the program -- is hopeful that number will grow in 2013. Applications must be received in the TBA office by Feb. 4. Learn more about the program and get application instructions online.
