The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that it will move to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug (like heroin and LSD) to a less dangerous Schedule III drug (like ketamine and some anabolic steroids). The Associated Press reports that the proposal would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use. Schedule III drugs are controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and those who traffic them without permission still can face federal criminal prosecution.

American Bar Association (ABA) President Mary Smith was in Nashville recently on business and had the opportunity to get together informally with members of the local legal community. She was welcomed to Tennessee by Nashville lawyer Jonathan Cole, who has been nominated to be the next chair of the ABA House of Delegates, the second ranking officer position in the ABA. Cole, who practices at Baker Donelson, will take office at the group’s annual meeting in August. Cole also is chair of the TBA’s ABA Resource Committee. A reception for Smith was held at Baker Donelson. See photos from the gathering.

Attorneys from Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) joined representatives from several other partner agencies for an expungement clinic on April 13. Held at Mt. Gilead Missionary Baptist Church in Hermitage, the event provided free legal assistance to nearly 100 attendees. LAS representatives Savannah Quintero, Tomi Robb, Shelby Dodson and Mustafa Enver took part in the clinic, partnering with Judges Robin Kimbrough Hayes and Cynthia Chappell, as well as representatives from the Tennessee Justice Center, Napier-Looby Bar Association, the Office of Howard Gentry, Davidson County Criminal Court and District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s office. A total of 324 expungements were handled during the clinic, resulting in thousands of dollars in court costs being waived for the participants. Read more in a news release from LAS.

A portrait of U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Julia Smith Gibbons will be unveiled May 30 and presented to the 30th Judicial District Circuit Court. The event will take place at 3 p.m. CDT at the Judge D'Army Bailey Courthouse, 140 Adams Ave., 2nd Floor, South Corridor, Memphis 38103. A reception including drinks and light hors d'oeuvres will follow. Gibbons announced last August that she would take senior status on the court. View the invitation or RSVP to alaina_vandeventer@cab.uscourts.gov.

The Tennessee Bar Association is now accepting applications from candidates interested in the position of Communications Coordinator. This full-time position is responsible for maintaining an effective TBA presence on social media, gathering news and court opinions for the TBA Today e-newsletter, contributing content for the TBA website and other publications, and producing TBA’s podcasts. The TBA currently works in a hybrid arrangement. To apply, send a cover letter explaining interest in the position and a resume by email to Human Resources and Administrative Coordinator Tanja Trezise. The full job description can be accessed here.

Presented by the Women in the Profession Committee, this webcast — the third in a series of wellness programs — will cover mental health and substance abuse issues among women in the legal profession and the help they received. Join colleagues May 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT to learn more.

J. Daniel Breen, a senior judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and a former Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) president, will be honored in June with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award. The award, given jointly by the TBA and the Tennessee American Inns of Court, will be presented at the TBA Annual Convention’s Bench Bar Luncheon June 13 in Memphis. In a letter nominating Breen for the award, Jackson lawyer Sarah Barnett wrote of his "legal professionalism and outstanding character" and his work co-founding the Howell Edmunds-Jackson American Inns of Court Chapter. Others highlighted his mentorship of younger lawyers and new judges, his support for colleagues rising to leadership roles and his work promoting mediation as an alternative to trial. TBA President Jim Barry praised Breen's selection. “Judge Breen exemplifies the ideals of the Tennessee Professionalism Award. His service to the judiciary and the legal profession reflects the highest standards of the rule of law and the legal profession in Tennessee.” Read more in the TBA's press release.

The law license of Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness was reinstated to active status today, retroactive to April 17. Chamness previously was on disability inactive status.

Hamilton County lawyer Arthur C. Grisham was suspended from the practice of law today. The Tennessee Supreme Court took the action after finding that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility about a misconduct complaint. Grisham is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by May 29.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has announced that he will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. CDT tomorrow about Tennessee’s response to the federal government’s attempted overhaul of Title IX and women’s equality in sports. Joining Skrmetti at the event will be Chief Deputy Attorney General Lacey Mase, Solicitor General Matt Rice, Strategic Litigation Unit Senior Director Whitney Hermandorfer, Litigation Counsel and Assistant Solicitor General Jenna Adamson and Skrmetti’s Chief of Staff Brandon Smith. The event will take place on the steps of the John Sevier Building, 500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Nashville 37219. RSVP to timothy.meads@ag.tn.gov if you would like to attend.