Tennessee State House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, are unopposed in their bids for reelection to their leadership positions in the House, the Tennessee Journal reports. One race will see a contested election: Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, is challenging Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, for floor leader. House Democrats, by contrast, saw contested elections in two key leadership races. House Minority Leader Karen Camper faced a challenge from fellow Memphian Rep. G.A. Hardaway, while Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, faced a challenge from Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, for caucus chair. Both incumbents were reelected. In the Senate, Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, was reelected while Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and Caucus Chair Ken Yager, R-Kingston, were renominated, the Nashville Post reports. Democratic members reelected Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari and Caucus Chair London Lamar, both of Memphis, and Vice Chair Charlane Oliver of Nashville, Chattanoogan.com reports.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Maury County lawyer Ashlyn Elizabeth Blevins from the practice of law on Nov. 22 after finding that she poses a threat of substantial harm to the public and is substantially non-compliant with a Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program monitoring agreement. The court reports that Blevins failed to complete certain testing and additional treatment as required. Blevins is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Dec. 22. The court also approved a motion from the Board of Professional Responsibility to file an exhibit in the case under seal.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Nov. 22 transferred the law license of Shelby County lawyer Cynthia Jeanne Tobin to disability inactive status. Tobin may not practice law while on inactive status. She may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court by showing that the disability has been removed.

The TBA’s third annual "Raising the Bar" program, hosted by the Women in the Profession Committee, will take place Dec. 4 at Baker Donelson’s Nashville office. This event is open to all attorneys and law firm management professionals. The program will begin with keynote speaker Megan Barry, who will discuss her new book "It's What You Do Next: The Fall and Rise of Nashville's First Female Mayor." The second and third sessions will focus on personal and professional transitions for attorneys, featuring panelists such as Chancellor Anne Martin, former Judge Bernice Donald and Chancellor Ellen Lyle, Casey Duhart, Paul Ney and Kisha Cheeks Rucker. The program will include a session that covers career development, specifically ways to advocate for your professional advancement. The day will wrap up with a one-hour dual credit attorney well being session. Networking opportunities will be available. Don't miss your chance to register for this dynamic program.

The Tennessee Bar Association will be open Monday and Tuesday this week, but closed Wednesday through Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. TBA Today will be published Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit the TBA website at any time to access CLE offerings and contact information for individual staff members. The office will reopen Dec. 2 at 8 a.m. CST. Happy Thanksgiving!

TBA’s Entertainment and Sports Law Section will host its annual forum on May 7, 2025, at Belmont College of Law in Nashville. The event, which runs from 1-4:45 p.m. CDT, will feature discussions on the latest legal issues in the entertainment and sports industries. A networking reception will follow from 4:45-6:30 p.m. For more information on the program and to register, visit TBA’s website.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division is continuing its Rookie Series with a live webcast on Feb. 13 at noon CST on the topic of "Combating Burnout Through Mentorship: Supporting the Next Generation of Attorneys." In this course, a panel of experienced young lawyers and judge will discuss the critical role mentorship plays in preventing burnout among young lawyers. Panelists will share their personal experiences on how mentorship has supported their careers and well-being and how they are now paying it forward by guiding the next generation of lawyers. The session is free for all TBA members. CLE credit is available for a nominal fee. Visit the TBA's website for more information and to register.

The third installment in TBA's Indigent Representation Primer is now available. This week's post reviews the most common models indigent representation systems tend to follow, including the use of public defenders, appointed or contracted counsel, or a hybrid approach. Some jurisdictions also create specialized programs to address the unique needs of certain types of indigent defendants, such as those with mental health issues, individuals pursuing appeals or those facing the death penalty. Tennessee's system would be considered a hybrid, with two primary components: public defender offices in each judicial district and the indigent representation program administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Read more about these differing structures or see past primer posts here.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments received only three applications to fill a vacancy on the Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section. As a result, the council will not hold a meeting as previously announced and will forward the applications directly to the governor. The applicants are Sevierville lawyer Bryce William McKenzie, Greenville lawyer Willie Santana and Knoxville lawyer Steven W. Sword. Feedback on any applicant can be submitted to the governor’s legal office at 615-734-8314 or emailed to Katelin.Brown@tn.gov. The deadline for submitting feedback is Jan. 3, 2025. More information about the applicants can be viewed on the Administrative Office of the Court's website.

Tennessee legislators are increasing pressure on the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) to revise its restrictive transfer rule. According to the Tennessean, several state lawmakers have expressed interest in the issue and requested a meeting with TSSAA executive director Mark Reeves, who expects the meeting to occur before the new year. Reeves anticipates potential legislation addressing the transfer rule could be introduced in the upcoming legislative session. Some lawmakers argue that the TSSAA's current policy may be unlawful, and that the association is violating the law by enforcing the rule. TSSAA seeks to maintain autonomy in governing high school athletics and TSSAA member schools have said they don’t want to loosen the association’s current transfer rule, as it's viewed as a way to curtail recruiting among high schools, the newspaper reports.