The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold two clinics next week. On Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. EDT, the group will hold a clinic at its Oak Ridge office, 575 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Ste. 201, Oak Ridge 37830. On Saturday, a general advice clinic will be held from 8:30-10:30 a.m. CDT at Belmont University, 2005 12th Ave. S., Nashville 37204. To volunteer for these clinics, contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all June clinics.

At the TBA Annual Convention in Knoxville today, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee and First Judicial District Chancellor John C. Rambo were recognized for their contributions to the legal system. Lee, who is retiring at the end of August, received the TBA’s Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award. Rambo, who is from Jonesborough, received the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, which is given jointly by TBA and the Tennessee American Inns of Court. The award was presented by Reeves’ children, who are now both practicing lawyers. The luncheon keynote address was given by Rick Barnes, head coach of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team. Barnes spoke of his troubled childhood and the difference several key individuals made in his life. He challenged the group to make every day special and to invest in those who need a helping hand.

The day also included several tracks of CLE programming, author book signing, a puppy wellness break, a reception hosted by the TBA, Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers and Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women, and a joint event with state judges at Neyland Stadium. See photos from the day.

Make plans now to attend this year’s Elder Law Forum, which will take place in person on July 21 at the Belmont University College of Law in Nashville. This annual staple for Tennessee attorneys provides an optimal learning experience, while allowing attendees to meet with other professionals sharing their focus. Topics for this year’s program include a probate judge’s panel, redetermination, ethics for elder law attorneys, crisis planning, tax considerations and more. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity! Learn more about our speakers and register here.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will hold a free webinar on June 27 at 9 a.m. CDT for people interested in state tax issues for the hospitality industry. Participants will discuss how taxation affects food/beverage, lodging and recreation businesses in Tennessee. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month. Learn more or register.

The Nashville office of Maynard Nexsen will relocate from Edgehill Village to the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, the Nashville Post reported today. The firm, which was formed when Birmingham-based Maynard Cooper & Gale merged with Nexsen Pruet of Columbia, South Carolina, is home to 17 attorneys in Nashville. It will lease about 7,600 square feet at Nashville Warehouse Co. starting in July. The address of the building is 1131 Fourth Ave. S., Nashville 37210.

Following the Tennessee Supreme Court’s decision striking down a $50 cap on TennCare reimbursements for emergency room non-emergency health conditions, the state agency says it is “considering next steps.” The cap, which has been in place for more than a decade, was originally set to help cut costs as the agency was facing a $100 million shortfall. At the time, the agency promised to go through a standard rule-making process to put the cap in place, but that never occurred, Tennessee Lookout reports. The court ruling now potentially opens up taxpayers to years of back claims from hospitals and doctors in the state.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Courts held a hearing today on U.S. Supreme Court ethics. Those testifying included George Mason University Law School Assistant Professor Jennifer Mascott, Hofstra University School of Law Professor James Sample, and Donald Sherman, chief counsel and executive vice president for Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics. The session comes on the heels of a full committee hearing last month into whether Congress or the U.S. Supreme Court itself should adopt a code of ethics for justices. Watch the proceeding on the committee’s website.

The Nashville Bar Foundation recently honored its 2023 class of fellows at an evening event, which also included presentation of the David Rutherford Award. This year’s award was presented posthumously to Judge Philip E. Smith, who served as a circuit court judge in Nashville from 1990-1994. The award is given to a fellow who exemplifies the memory and ideals of David Rutherford, which include professionalism, charitable contributions in the legal field and in the community as a whole, and the spirit of collegiality among bench and bar. Read more in a press release from the group.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined 22 other attorneys general in urging the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to advance artificial intelligence governance policies that prioritize robust transparency, reliable testing and assessment requirements, and allow for government oversight and enforcement for high-risk uses. Read more about the issue or read the letter.

A story in yesterday’s issue of TBA Today about two Jackson individuals prosecuted for bank fraud did not include details about the sentence for Benjamin Vargason. He was sentenced to time served and placed on supervised release for three years, with six months to be served in home confinement. Read the full press release from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Tennessee.