Nine attorneys from Tennessee were admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court during the 38th annual TBA Academy yesterday. TBA President Jim Barry moved for admission of the members during a regular court session in Washington, D.C. Attorneys admitted before the high court were Sean Aiello, Kenneth “Ken” Bryant, Charles Frazier, Theodore “Ted” Goodman, Ashley Jefferson, Billy Leslie, Randall “Randy” Russell, Rebekah Spotts and Sheree Wright. Following the swearing in ceremony, the group stayed to observe oral arguments in the case of Charles G. Moore et al. v. United States, which centers on the constitutionality of the federal mandatory repatriation tax.

A legal clinic for veterans, sponsored by Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. and the Memphis Bar Association, will be held in Memphis on Dec. 12 from noon to 2 p.m. CST. The clinic will be at the Veterans Affairs’ (VA) social work offices at 575 Phelan Ave., Memphis 38126, but telephonic options are still available. Volunteers do not have to be certified by the VA to help. Cases include wills and estates, family law, child support, criminal defense, expungement, housing and consumer protection. Those interested in assisting should contact Jake Dickerson.

Do you dread completing your required ethics hours each year? We have good news! All of TBA’s Year End CLE packages include dual hours to meet ethics requirements. Choose from tried and true programs like the Ethics Homeshow and Essential Presentation Skills for Attorneys; fun and engaging programs like From Bach to Beyonce and ChatGPT, Siri, and Alexa are Out to Get You; or our new in-person program TBA Magical Mystery CLE: Legal Ethics & The Beatles in downtown Nashville on Dec. 14. With 50 ethics courses to choose from, we have you covered.

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) will hold its monthly clinic at the Benjamin Hooks Library this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon CST. The library is located at 3030 Poplar Ave., Memphis 38111. Lawyers and non-lawyers are needed for this high-volume clinic. Questions commonly raised by clients include issues involving housing, family, consumer and employment law. Come volunteer for a portion of the event or the full time. Sign up here to help.

Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will host four clinics this week. Tomorrow, the group will hold a clinic at the Nashville Public Library from 4-6 p.m. On Thursday, it will hold an expungement clinic in Columbia from 1-4 p.m. On Friday, it will hold a legal aid clinic in Columbia from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. And on Saturday, it will hold its McHugh Clinic in Nashville from 9:30-11:30 a.m. All times central. Get additional information on the LAS website or volunteer to help at any of these clinics by contacting Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131.

Don't miss this year's open enrollment period for TBA’s BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee group health plan, an affordable and quality association insurance plan. The deadline to apply is Dec. 15. This TBA-exclusive plan is guaranteed issue, has no health questions and no pre-existing condition exclusions. The plan also now includes the added benefit of a $15,000 life insurance policy for each employee subscribed to the health plan. Don’t delay, get a quote today!

Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Nashville Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) will hold a pro bono tax consultation clinic for artists, musicians and creatives on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. CST. Attendees will learn how to file their taxes or can meet with a financial counselor to discuss ways to manage debt or repair credit scores. The clinic is presented by the United Way of Greater Nashville. It will take place at the FEC office, 217 South 10th St., Nashville 37206. Learn more or sign up to volunteer.

A special report looking at the state of the Shelby County Criminal Court has found a significant decline in the number of annual trials and an increase in the length of time it takes for cases to come to trial. The Commercial Appeal looks at the findings of former Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Bobby Carter, who was asked to conduct the investigation by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. Carter found that fewer than 40 trials occurred this year compared to years past when some 200 trials took place. Carter also found that the length of time it takes cases to reach trial has made plea deals less attractive to defendants, amplifying the backlog of cases. Read the full report and Carter’s recommendations for addressing these challenges.

U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided over Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy deal today, questioning whether it can immunize the Sackler family from civil lawsuits for their role in the opioid crisis, The Hill reports. The Biden administration and a small group of creditors have raised objections to the liability releases. During the session, several justices reportedly raised concerns that the administration’s position would unravel the settlement and deprive victims of a timely resolution to the case. Others appeared sympathetic to the government’s position, saying the protection would raise due process concerns. The bankruptcy deal is on hold under an emergency ruling from the court. A decision is expected in June.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases this week at the University of Tennessee at Martin as part of its SCALES program. The event on Wednesday will feature arguments in Robert L. Trentham v. Mid-America Apartments, LP et al. and Pharma Conference Education, Inc. v. State of Tennessee. Sessions will be livestreamed starting at 9 a.m. CST on the court’s YouTube page. SCALES, which stands for Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students, educates high school students about the Tennessee legal system and the functions of the judicial branch.