The TBA’s Court Square Series is back with stops planned in Jackson, Cookeville and Chattanooga this spring and summer. The Jackson program will take place the afternoon of May 22 and feature Judge Christy Little discussing courtroom best practices, John Day covering law office management and ethics and Nancy Choate talking about estate planning. The Cookeville program will take place the afternoon of May 30 and feature a panel of three judges, Beverly Sharpe with the Board of Professional Responsibility and a legislative update with Nathan Ridley. The Chattanooga program will take place June 7 and feature Judge Marie Williams talking about courtroom best practices, Judge Barry Steelman discussing criminal law and Rob Malin providing an update on estate planning. The Court Square Series is intended to bring top speakers to local legal communities and foster relationships and collegiality among lawyers across the state.

Day three of Well-Being Week in Law focuses on career and intellectual well-being with the goals of finding personal satisfaction, professional growth and financial stability. Lawyers are encouraged to engage in creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster ongoing development. These include picking an area for personal growth and making a specific action plan for the next three months; building breaks into the work day to maintain focus, brain health and mental well-being; and swapping TV-watching for activites that foster growth. Get resources to help with each of these.

E-signature vendors offer legally-binding signing services clients can execute from anywhere. Use this chart to compare the vendors on key features. Find this and more in the Building a Firm section of TBA’s Law Practice Management Center.

Greatness is in the little things, and LawPay helps ensure every detail is accounted for. Provide secure, flexible payment solutions while reducing administrative overhead and ensuring IOLTA compliance. Plus, with features built specifically for legal professionals, like automated scheduled payments and secure payment card storage, it’s no wonder over 50,000 law firms partner with LawPay to go above and beyond. It’s easier than ever to streamline your processes, enhance client satisfaction, and increase retention and referrals. Put simply, LawPay helps Tennessee Bar members exceed expectations every time. Learn more

The TBA’s International Law Section will host its annual forum on May 17 in Nashville. Topics include how to use the U.S. Federal Trade Office Market Diversification Tool, an introduction to practicing international law, and a discussion with Brie Knox, director of U.S. Commercial Service Tennessee (a division of the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce). Other speakers include Chattanooga lawyer Terry Olsen with the Olsen Law Firm, Nashville lawyer Michael Goode with Lewis Thomason and Hendersonville lawyer George Phillips with Phillips | Ralston. Learn more here.

Memphis lawyer James Torreyson Allison died April 19 at the age of 92. According to an obituary sent to the TBA, Allison was originally from Arkansas. He served in combat in the Korean War with the First Marine Division, and later graduated from the University of Arkansas and Vanderbilt University Law School. He began practicing law in Memphis in 1963 with the firm of Clifton and Mack and then established his own practice. He was well read and fond of jazz, movies and the outdoors. A graveside funeral was held May 2 at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens in Bartlett.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) today filed comments with the Tennessee Supreme Court in response to an order soliciting comments on proposed changes to its Rule 13, regarding the Appointment, Qualifications and Compensation of Counsel for Indigent Defendants. As noted in the order, the proposed revisions did not include any adjustments to the compensation rates and/or caps for appointed attorneys representing the indigent (which will be addressed later). Rather, they addressed the potential financial obligations of a child's parents, legal custodians or guardians when a guardian ad litem is appointed. The proposed changes also addressed the process for designating a case as complex or extended. The TBA’s comments focused on the financial responsibility provisions, the proposed procedure and deadline for requesting a review of compensation in non-capital cases, and the use of alternative agreements for providing representation to indigent persons in some situations. Read the full comments.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Knox County lawyer James Patrick Henry from the practice of law upon finding that Henry failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding six complaints of misconduct. Henry is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and must cease representing existing clients by June 5.

The Giles County Bar Association has elected Pulaski lawyer Rob Laxson as its new president. Laxson, who works at Robert D. Massey and Associates, succeeds Evan Baddour, who served in the role for approximately five years. The group also is planning to recognize the upcoming retirement of 22nd Judicial District Circuit Judge David L. Allen. Those interested in contributing to or participating in the retirement commemoration, or sending reflections and memories, should contact Laxson at rlaxson@robertdmassey.com.