Candidates who passed the July 2024 Tennessee Bar Exam were admitted to the practice of law at a ceremony in Nashville today. Representatives from the Tennessee Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division were on hand to congratulate the new admittees. Ceremonies continue in Jackson tomorrow and Memphis on Thursday. Watch for coverage and photos from these events coming soon in TBA Today and on social media. See photos from today's event.

Smith County recently received a $1.8 million grant to restore the Historic Smith County Courthouse. The grant comes as part of a larger allocation of $101.6 million in funding from the Department of Economic and Community Development as part of the second round of broadband and digital opportunity grants. The grant will cover the replacement of windows with energy-efficient models and the HVAC units. The first floor will be remodeled for office space and a free Wi-Fi room for citizens, including a designated area for health screenings and telehealth visits. The second floor will be revamped for county commission meetings and local business training sessions. Free Wi-Fi will be accessible on and around the courthouse grounds. The Smith County Insider has the story.

Morgan & Morgan, one of the country's largest personal injury law firms, recently announced that seven college football players — two from the University of Louisville, three from the University of Kentucky, one from the University of Georgia and one from the University of Southern California — have signed Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals with the firm. Sports Illustrated reports that the deal will allow all seven of the athletes to be featured on billboards, social media advertisements and YouTube ads as the firm promotes its NIL practice. Morgan & Morgan has offices in Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville.

In October, 13 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against TikTok — the culmination of a two-year investigation into the social media company — which alleges the social media platform was designed with the express intention of addicting young people to the app. The suit argues the multi-billion-dollar company deceived the public about the risks. According to NPR, internal TikTok communications, now public, allegedly show a company unconcerned with the harms the app poses for American teenagers, despite the company's own research validating many child safety concerns. The documents reveal, among other things, that TikTok implemented a time-limit tool aimed at "improving public trust" rather than actually limiting time spent on the app; that content moderation features are missing content around self-harm and eating disorder videos; and that the company changed its algorithm to prioritize users it viewed as beautiful. The Associated Press reported on the original lawsuit.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has proposed a new rule to increase federal contracting opportunities for small businesses by expanding the “rule of two” to multiple-award contracts. This rule mandates that agencies set aside contracts for small businesses if two or more can provide competitive bids. Business Journals reports that, if adopted, the SBA estimates this change could unlock up to $6 billion annually in federal spending for small businesses. The SBA has been actively expanding support for small businesses through increased certification, expanded loan programs, and reforms to make loans more accessible, aiming to foster growth and inclusivity in federal contracting and financing.

Nashville Criminal Court Judge Angelita Dalton on Monday maintained her September order to restore the rights of four voters with prior felony convictions. Nashville Public Radio reports that attorneys for the state had appealed the ruling, citing a new rule that requires voters to restore their gun rights before their voting rights can be restored, which is often not possible with felony convictions. In her order, Dalton ruled that the state did not have standing to appeal the case, since Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk did not object to the original order.

Join your colleagues on Dec. 3 for the webcast "Making 'Difficult Communications' Less Difficult: Best Practices and Strategies for Success" from 3-4 p.m. CST. This presentation examines the five barriers to healthy communications and provides strategies for addressing each. It also identifies the most common communication mistakes employers make. Presenters will provide tips for individuals to become better communicators and explore de-escalation techniques. Learn more and register here.

There is still time to sign up for this week’s Topgolf Estate Planning Tee-off! Topics to be covered include trust modifications, during which presenters will explore nonjudicial settlement agreements and decanting, along with the benefits and pitfalls of each. Other topics include tax considerations for estate plans and the Corporate Transparency Act. This unique event provides attendees with planning essentials and a chance to earn CLE, as well as fine-tune their golf game. The tee-off is a great team building opportunity and offers practical information for those entering the practice or brushing up on basics. Learn more and register here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear arguments Nov. 6 in Jackson in the case of State of Tennessee v. Pervis Tyrone Payne. The court will look at whether the trial court had jurisdiction to reconsider the consecutive alignment of sentences after a determination of intellectual disability. Payne was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder. He was sentenced to death for the murder charges and to 30 years in the assault case, to be run consecutively. In 2021, the General Assembly provided a process by which death row inmates may challenge the death penalty due to an intellectual disability. Payne filed under the new law and after evaluation was determined to meet the definition of intellectual disability. Payne’s attorneys and the state agreed that he should receive two life sentences but disagreed whether the sentences should be served consecutively or concurrently. The trial court found that the sentences should run concurrently. The appeals court affirmed. The state is appealing that decision. Arguments will begin at 1 p.m. CST and be livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page.

Kingsport trial lawyer Jack Muller Vaughn died Friday at age 80. Vaughn, a Kingsport native, served in the Army from 1965 to 1971, earning two Purple Hearts. He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and practiced law in Kingsport from 1976 until his retirement earlier this year. He was a partner at the firm of Fuller & Vaughn for the majority of his career. He also served as president of Kingsport Bar Association and was appointed by the state Supreme Court to the Lawyers Fund for Client Protection, where he served as chair for four years. Vaughn later moved to Waynesboro, Virginia. Visitation will be Nov. 7 at the Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes in Kingsport from 5-7 p.m. EST. A funeral will follow Nov. 8 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Kingsport from 1-2:15 p.m. EST. Memorial donations may be sent to Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Ave., Charlottesville, VA 22903.