The Memphis Bar Association (MBA) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and will mark the occasion with a special event on Oct. 19 at the Museum of Science & History (MoSH). The evening will run from 6:30 to 11 p.m. CDT and feature food, drinks and music by the Soul Shockers. Each attendee also will leave with a special anniversary gift. The deadline to register is Oct. 4. Learn more here and purchase tickets here.

Arizona's program that allows people who are not lawyers to co-own law firms now has more than 100 approved businesses, Reuters reports. In 2020, Arizona became the first U.S. state to eliminate rules barring non-lawyers from having an economic interest in law firms, allowing lawyers and non-lawyers to co-own legal service businesses if approved by the state's Supreme Court. The court earlier this week approved additional applications, including one from online legal services company Rocket Lawyer. Other national legal services businesses such as LegalZoom, Elevate and Axiom previously were approved. Supporters of the program argue that loosening barriers for non-lawyers to hold a stake in legal services firms can make legal advice more affordable, spur innovation and expand access to justice. Critics contend the changes can lead to abuses if providers are not fully bound by professional ethics rules. The article also looks at pilot programs in Utah, Washington State, California and Florida.

Following release of a state investigative report, which found that the Nashville District Attorney’s Office secretly recorded criminal defense attorneys, office employees and visitors, Comptroller Jason Mumpower is calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor to determine if any laws were violated. Mumpower made those comments in an interview with NewsChannel 5 after Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said he would not prosecute anyone. While Skrmetti said there may have been ethical breaches, he determined that “the facts and law do not provide sufficient basis for a successful criminal prosecution.” District Attorney Glenn Funk has maintained that the recordings were lawful because there is no expectation of privacy within a district attorney's office.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has updated Rule 11 of its rules to reflect the assignment of justices to the state’s various judicial districts. Jeffrey S. Bivins has replaced recently retired Roger A. Page as the justice for Circuit No. 2, which consists of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 31st Judicial Districts. Mary L. Wagner has replaced Bivins as the justice for Circuit No. 4, which consists of the 17th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 26th and 32nd Judicial Districts. The court issued a corrected version of this order on Oct. 8. Read the order.

The TBA’s Corporate Counsel Section will hold a one-hour webcast on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on corporate governance. The program will air at 9 a.m. CDT on Oct. 25. Tune in to hear from Matt White, a shareholder with Baker Donelson and co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Team, and Barbara Bennett with Frost Brown Todd, a nationally recognized health care, data privacy and AI governance attorney. The course offers one hour of dual CLE credit. Learn more and register online.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued an order soliciting comments on proposed changes to the Appellate, Civil, Criminal and Juvenile Rules of Procedure as well as the Tennessee Rules of Evidence. The deadline for submitting written comments is Nov. 19. Submit comments by email to appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or by mail to Appellate Clerk James Hivner, Re: 2025 Rules Package, 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37219-1407. Submissions should reference docket number No. ADM2024-01134.

Shelby County lawyer Joann Nicholson Bell was reinstated to the practice of law on Sept. 12 after being on inactive status since March 19, 2009. Bell petitioned for reinstatement and the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility determined that reinstatement would be appropriate. The court released the order today.

Former state Sen. Brian Kelsey is getting a three-month reprieve from reporting to federal prison while he appeals his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Tennessee Lookout reports. Kelsey pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance fraud charges then sought to change his plea. A federal district court judge and a three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied that effort. When his motion to have the matter reheard by the entire appellate court was rejected, he was ordered to report to federal prison by Oct. 1. Now the original three-judge panel has granted him 90 days to appeal the decision to the nation's highest court. Kelsey pleaded guilty in November 2022 to funneling more than $100,000 from his state campaign account through two political action committees to bolster his bid for a congressional seat.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson has ruled against a motion for default judgment in the case of Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. In finding against special counsel Robert Meyers, Corbin-Johnson said Halbert deserves a full hearing on an ouster complaint. She also used the opportunity to urge the state legislature to revise the more than 100-year-old ouster statute to make the process more clear. Meyers had sought to declare Halbert in “default” and immediately remove her from office based on the argument that her attorneys had not responded directly to the complaint. That hearing was held earlier this week. Read about the parties’ arguments from the Daily Memphian.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on Sept. 24 on alcohol taxes. Department staff will discuss issues associated with entities that manufacture, sell and/or distribute alcoholic beverages, wine and beer in Tennessee. Learn more or register here. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month.