Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus was recently sworn in as the 145th president of the Tennessee Bar Association. A shareholder in the Knoxville office of Lewis Thomason, Barcus has dedicated her legal career to advocating for professionals and institutions in the complex arena of health care liability. She has been active in the TBA and other legal and community organizations for many years, serving most recently as TBA president-elect, Second District representative on the TBA Board of Governors and as a member of the TBA’s Law Office Technology & Management Section and its Tort and Insurance Practice Section. She is a past chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Practice Division and currently serves on the ABA’s TECHSHOW Board. The oath of office was administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater during the TBA’s Annual Lawyers Lunch. During remarks following the swearing in, Barcus announced several initiatives, including a focus on helping first generation lawyers, those who fail the bar the first time they take it and lawyers in the twilight of their careers. She also announced a CLE Abroad trip to Morocco in February 2026 and a technology focus for the 2026 TBA Convention in Knoxville. Watch her remarks, as well as the full footage of the Lawyers Lunch, on the TBA's YouTube page. See photos from the lunch or read the TBA's full press release.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection on May 29 paid a claim filed against Knox County attorney Melvin Jacob Werner in the amount of $100,000. The fund also directed Werner to reimburse it for the costs. The Fund for Client Protection was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reimburse individuals for losses caused by dishonest conduct by attorneys. The fund is operated by a board, which meets quarterly to consider claims. In September 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court amended Rule 25 to require the fund to notify the Tennessee Bar Association of claims paid. News releases also are posted online.

Members of the Tennessee legal community met for the second day of the TBA Annual Convention in Franklin today. The morning began with a Public Service Awards Breakfast featuring presentation of the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award to a group of private attorneys representing families from Nashville’s Covenant School, the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year to the executive directors of the state's three Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded organizations, the Law Student of the Year Award to recent Belmont University College of Law graduate David "Lee" Myers, and the 2025 CASA Volunteer of the Year to Amy Dorman with CASA Works Inc. in Tullahoma. At the annual Bench Bar Luncheon, Nashville lawyer Margaret Behm received the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, while Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft received the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Following the awards, Nashville lawyer Ed Yarbrough, of counsel with Spencer Fane, gave the keynote address, highlighting the work of a dozen lawyers who went on to make great contributions to the profession by staying true to their convictions. He told attendees, "Integrity is the most important thing — the only thing that lets you make history." The afternoon continued with CLE programs on artificial intelligence and the most recent legislative session. The evening will wrap up with a reception. See pictures from today's events.

A Tennessee law that requires some convicted felons to provide documentation proving they are eligible to vote can stand for now, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has said. The court found that the NAACP did not prove it had standing to bring the suit, Bloomberg Law reports. The group had argued that a state rule requiring some felons to file additional records with their voter registration form violated the National Voter Registration Act. The district court had agreed and blocked the policy. The appellate decision reversed that ruling and remanded the case for proceedings consistent with its opinion. Read the opinion.

A Chattanooga attorney pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to sexually exploiting a 14-year-old Pennsylvania girl. Patrick Bryant Hawley, 43, coerced the girl into engaging in sexually explicit acts for the purpose of producing images and videos from September to November 2024, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The move comes after Hawley reached a plea deal that includes registering as a sex offender. The charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors dismissed six other criminal counts involving animal crushing, coercion, enticement and child pornography. Hawley was temporarily suspended from the practice of law in November 2024.

Maury County’s 9th Annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place June 21 at Riverwalk Park, 102 Riverside Dr., Columbia. The free event will include live music, food and local vendors. The same day, Cultural Arts Murfreesboro will hold an event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT at Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center along South Academy Street. This year’s festival will include a Kids’ Zone with free games and activities, food vendors, artists and live music with dancing. Get details in this article from Williamson Source.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on June 9 issued an order granting permission for the Board of Professional Responsibility to file a response to Brian Kirk Kelsey’s filing seeking immediate reinstatement. It also allowed Kelsey to file a response to the board’s response if he chooses to do so. The court suspended Kelsey from the practice of law in 2022 after he pleaded guilty to an illegal campaign finance scheme. President Donald Trump pardoned Kelsey in March.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on June 3 directed Davidson County attorney Carrie Archie Russell to complete outstanding requirements with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education (CLE) after she filed a petition for reinstatement. The court ruled that if the outstanding obligations are not satisfied by July 17, it will dismiss the petition for reinstatement.

The Rutherford County Library Board has reversed its decision to ban books on transgender topics, according to the Daily News Journal. The change comes after board members were counseled they likely would lose any First Amendment-based legal challenges. Board member Cody York, who had presented the ban as a way of protecting children, said he will make it a priority to craft new policies on the issue when he assumes the board chair position next month. In 2023, the board voted to remove four young adult books. The Rutherford County Board of Education also has taken action against certain books in 2024 and 2025.

Knoxville lawyer Donald Eugene Ray, 89, died June 2 after a lengthy battle with cancer. A graduate of the law school at the University of Wisconsin, Ray served four years with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps and later worked as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Energy at Oak Ridge and in Ohio and with Lockheed Martin in Ohio and Oak Ridge. He volunteered for several charities in the Knoxville area including Lions Club, Foster Care Review Board, Domestic Violence Shelter Board and America's Promise mentoring program.