Former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell has settled a suit filed over campaign finances in her 2022 run for Congress. Tennessee Lookout reports that Harwell and the Government of the People PAC reached a settlement with the Federal Election Commission for a $16,000 civil penalty. The group alleged that Harwell violated campaign finance rules regarding soft money during her campaign for the 5th District congressional race. Harwell claimed at the time that a transfer of funds from her state political action committee to a super PAC that supported her bid was vetted by attorneys working for her campaign. According to the news source, because Harwell did not try to hide the transfer she was not charged for violating the law.

Pharmaceutical company AbbVie has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up its fight to protect corporate records, warning that a lower court ruling threatens to erode the shield that protects most attorney communications. The company is appealing a decision from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the filing of a sham patent-infringement suit can overcome attorney-client privilege, Reuters reports. The appeals court found that such cases can be considered fraudulent activity and trigger the “crime-fraud exception,” which allows attorney-client privilege to be set aside.

The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission met rcently in Sevierville to consider eight applicants for a circuit court judge vacancy in the 4th Judicial District, which covers Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties. After holding a public hearing and interviews, the commission selected three nominees to forward to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. They are: Dandridge lawyer and Assistant District Attorney Jeremy D. Ball; Newport attorney Jeffery S. Greene with McSween, McSween & Green; and Sevierville lawyer Adrienne Waters Ogle with Ogle McCarter. Greene is also the attorney for the towns of Parrotsville and Dandridge. Ogle is also a Sevier County Juvenile Court magistrate and attorney for the city of Gatlinburg. The vacancy in this district was created when the General Assembly approved funding for a new judge.

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There is still time to sign up for the 2024 Elder Law Forum, which will take place in person Friday, July 19, at Belmont University College of Law. This annual staple for Tennessee attorneys provides insight from top professionals while allowing attendees to meet with other lawyers in the practice area. This year’s forum features timely topics such as conservatorships, dementia, client intake, ethics, litigation in elder law and more. The event will run from from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to learn and earn CLE with colleagues.

The Mid-South Commercial Law Institute recently named new officers and five new directors to its 25-member board. Officers are President Paul Jennings with Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville; Vice President/President-Elect Cara Alday with Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway in Chattanooga; Secretary Cynthia N. Podis with Podis & Podis in Nashville; Treasurer Stephen D. Barham with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga; and Immediate Past President James E. Bailey III with Butler Snow in Memphis. New directors, elected to five year terms, are: R. Bradley Banks with Richard Banks & Associates in Cleveland, Blair B. Evans with Baker Donelson in Memphis, Nashville attorney Erica R. Johnson, Chapter 7 Trustee F. Scott Milligan in Knoxville, and Daniel H. Puryear with Puryear, Pippenger and Cook in Nashville. See the list of the full 2024 board.

Georgia lawyer Lauren Catherine Foster was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee effective June 25. Foster had been on inactive status since May 10, 2016. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported that it found the petition for reinstatement to be satisfactory. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on July 10.

The Daily Memphian looks at three races that will be on the ballot for Aug. 1 primary in Shelby County. In state House District 96, five Democratic candidates will face off. They are Eric Dunn, Telisa Franklin, Gabby Salinas, Orrden Williams and David Winston. In House District 97, Republican incumbent John Gillespie faces a primary challenge from Christina Oppenhuizen. And in state Senate District 30, incumbent Sen. Sara Kyle faces a Democratic primary challenge from Erika Stotts Pearson. Read more about each of the races from the paper.

The State of Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday weekend will take place July 26-28, the Department of Revenue reports. On these days, Tennesseans may save nearly 10% on qualifying clothing and school supplies under $100 and computers priced $1,500 or less. Read more in a release. For more information about the sales tax holiday, including a list of qualifying items, visit www.tntaxholiday.com, call 615-253-0600 or email revenue.support@tn.gov.

The University of Tennessee College of Law has named Jordan Houser as associate director of the Bettye B. Lewis Career Center. Houser, who graduated from the law school in 2017, previously practiced in the Knoxville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, where he served on the recruiting committee, and as a staff attorney with the Tennessee Valley Authority Office of the General Counsel. He also previously served as director of career services and alumni relations at Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. Career Center Director Carol Anne Long said, “Jordan brings with him a wealth of experience in working with both students and employers, and we are delighted to welcome him to our team.”