Davidson County lawyer Wendell Cornelius Dawson was suspended from the practice of law for three years on Jan. 26, with three months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The Tennessee Supreme Court conditioned the suspension on Dawson incurring no new complaints of misconduct related to the discipline, additional continuing legal education, engagement of a practice monitor and payment of costs in the amount of $6,265. The court found that Dawson failed to communicate with clients adequately about the status of their cases, move his clients’ cases forward diligently and expeditiously, respond to requests for evidence from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and represent his clients competently. These actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 8.4(a).

The TBA's 2024 Tax Law Forum will take place live in person in Knoxville on Feb. 1, with a focus on the tax implications of the NCAA's new policy on name, image and likeness (NIL) activities. Join E. Michael Brezina, a Knoxville attorney and law professor who also co-founded Next Level Athletics and Varsity Sports Group, for this fascinating discussion. The program still start at 4 p.m. EST at Tennessee Tax Law. Can't make it to Knoxville? The program also will be live streamed to locations in two other cities: Nashville at the offices of Lewis Thomason and Chattanooga at the Olsen Law Firm.

The TBA’s next book club discussion event will take place tomorrow with Preston Lauterbach, author of “Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis.” The rescheduled event will take place virtually on Zoom beginning at 4 p.m. CST. Register to attend. The book, selected by TBA President Jim Barry, centers on an ex-slave who becomes the south’s first Black millionaire in Prohibition-era Memphis. Lauterbach brings history and the realities of race relations to life in his works, which also include “The Chitlin’ Circuit” and “Bluff City.” He also has co-authored three memoirs on significant figures in Black music: American blues musician and song writer Robert Johnson, Memphis soul drummer Howard Grimes, and a soon-to-be released biography of the Blind Boys of Alabama.

In a letter sent to the legislative leaders, the Board of Judicial Conduct has recommended the removal of Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd. The Commercial Appeal reports that the formal action follows the board’s notice to the General Assembly last fall that Boyd had received a second public reprimand. In the letter, the board summarizes allegations of substance abuse and harassment as well as Boyd’s failure to comply with agreements with the board and says, “Judge Boyd is solely responsible for the untenable situation she has created for herself, the judiciary and the public,” concluding that “there is no end in sight but for her removal." Read the letter.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and its Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA) program will hold a pro bono clinic on Feb. 7 for those needing legal advice on issues surrounding their creative practice. The free 30-minute in-person appointments are available to income-qualified artists, musicians, creatives and arts organizations in the state. The clinic will run from 6-8 p.m. CDT at the McGruder Family Resource Center, 2013 25th Ave. N., Nashville 37208. Those who would like to participate should register by Feb. 2. To volunteer at the clinic email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

Curtis L. Collier, U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, writes in a Chattanoogan.com opinion piece about U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ 2023 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary. Collier, who serves as chair of the district’s Civics and Outreach Committee, says the report showcases “the remarkable steadfastness of the federal courts in the face of societal and technological change.” He highlights the courts’ adaptation to ever changing technology, including giving citizens more opportunities to follow the work of the judicial system, while remaining true to fundamental principles of justice, fairness and the rule of law. Collier was joined in the op ed by his law clerks Carrie Brown Stefaniak and Erienne Reniajal Lewis.

TBA President Jim Barry recently sent a letter to Gov. Bill Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton and members of the Tennessee General Assembly, urging support for the Tennessee Supreme Court's request to increase funding for court-appointed attorneys representing the indigent. The TBA's letter points to the "significant impact" indigent representation has on the judicial system, and commits to giving this issue its full support in discussions with the General Assembly: "This situation has resulted in a crisis in our legal system, and especially in the juvenile courts. Nearly half of all cases requiring court-appointed attorneys are in juvenile court and involve families and children, such as adoptions, dependency and neglect allegations, reports of child abuse, proceedings to terminate parental rights, and a vast number of cases in which the interests of a child or other vulnerable person are protected by a guardian ad litem." Read the full text of the letter. Learn more about funding for indigent representation and how Tennessee lawyers can join these efforts from TBA's Government Affairs team.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host a Diversity & Pre-Law Day for interested undergraduate students on Feb. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST. Participants will hear tips on how to prepare for law school and apply for financial aid and scholarships, as well as learn why diversity is important. Register here. For more information email LawDiversity@memphis.edu.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is seeking comments on two proposals regarding the accreditation of fully online law schools, the ABA Journal reports. The proposed changes to Standards 102 and 306 would allow these schools to seek provisional and full ABA accreditation. Under the current standards, law schools must already be accredited to apply for either partial or full online operations. The comment period will run for 60 days with additional comment periods possible. In a memo explaining the process, the section’s Strategic Review Committee (SRC) writes: “Because of the significance of this change and the potential for disruption to existing schools, the SRC anticipates that this proposal may go through more than one round of notice and comment.”

The owner and operator of a network of orthopedic clinics in the Memphis area has agreed to pay the state of Tennessee more than $540,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly billed TennCare for the use of compounded steroids at its practices. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced the settlement saying, “In the past few years, Tennessee has seen increasing numbers of clinics using fraudulent billing rates for compounded drugs” and that his office will continue to “hold fraudulent medical billers accountable” and “protect the financial integrity of the TennCare system.” The action was brought against Tri-State Orthopedics LLC and Dr. Apurva Dalal for allegedly using a compounded version of a drug but billing TennCare for a higher cost, commercially available version.