Seventeen sponsors have signed up to help underwrite the costs of this year's TBA Annual Convention. Thank you to diamond presenting sponsor Fastcase; platinum sponsor TriStar Court Reporting; gold sponsor Attorneys Insurance Mutual of the South; silver sponsor TBA Member Insurance Solutions; bronze sponsors Clio and The Bar Plan; and YLD sponsors Lexitas and SoFi. Exhibitors include Conservatorship Association of Tennessee, HealthCare Appraisers, JAMS, PageOne, ProbateCash, Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and Tradeline LLC. Non-exhibiting sponsors include SoFi and Time Miner. Check out our sponsor page for more information and make sure to visit exhibit booths during the Convention. If you're at convention, please visit all exhibitors and enter our Exhibitor Passport drawing for great prizes!

The TBA’s 2023 Convention gets underway Wednesday with a meeting of the TBA House of Delegates, training for new section chairs and a welcome reception for all attendees. Pre-registration for the event is now closed but those still interested in attending may register on site at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown Hotel, 525 Henley St., Knoxville 37902 beginning at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Those unable to attend this year’s convention in person are invited to join us for a livestream of the annual Lawyers Luncheon at noon EDT Friday on TBA’s Facebook page. Watch as President Tasha Blakney closes out her year of leadership, Tennessee lawyers are recognized for their contributions to the profession and TBA President-elect Jim Barry is sworn into office. Questions about this year’s event? Email convention@tnbar.org.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Richard Allen Johnson to disability inactive status. Johnson may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the court for reinstatement after showing that the disability has been removed.

The Trousdale Turner Correctional Center was on lockdown over the weekend after two separate incidents resulted in the death of an inmate and the hospitalization of two correctional officers, WKRN News 2 reports. A spokesperson for the facility, told the station that an individual was found unresponsive at approximately 4:41 a.m. on Saturday. Medical attention was given but the individual was pronounced dead shortly before 5:45 a.m. The Tennessee Department of Correction is now investigating the incident. The second situation, unrelated to the first, happened at approximately 8:11 a.m. when two correctional officers were assaulted by two inmates. The officers were taken to the hospital to be evaluated. The alleged assailants have been transferred to a different facility.

Metro Nashville has filed suit against Gov. Bill Lee and legislative leaders in an effort to stop the state’s planned takeover of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, the Tennessean reports. The law vacates the mayor-appointed airport board and creates a new system by which the governor and Republican legislative leaders appoint a majority of the board members. In the suit, the city argues the law violates the state constitution’s prohibitions of legislation targeting one local government.

Tennessee is expected to collect $419 million over 15 years as its share of a $17.3 billion multistate settlement with opioid manufacturers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced the settlement amount on Friday. Money is expected to start flowing to state and local governments by the end of this year. The settlement also imposes restrictions on future activities by the companies. Teva must stop marketing opioids and put a system in place to prevent drug misuse. Allergan must stop selling opioids for the next 10 years. CVS and Walgreens have agreed to monitor, report and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.

The Howard H. Baker Jr Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee is out with a new podcast episode hosted by former governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam. In this episode of “You Might be Right,” the pair discuss whether a new strategy is needed to address disparities in public education. They are joined by Robert Pondiscio, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Dr. Carol Johnson-Dean, former school superintendent in Memphis, Boston and Minneapolis. The show was recorded live at the National Civil Rights Museum. Access the feed on the Baker Center’s website, Apple Podcast, Spotfiy or Sticher.

The Nashville School of Law (NSL) held its Annual Recognition Dinner on Friday night and honored class of 1964 alumnus Tom F. Cone. A Nashville business leader, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Cone joined the NSL board in 1991 and served as its chair from 1993 to 2015. Cone and his wife, Charlotte, have been long-standing supporters of NSL, including funding the Charlotte and Tom Cone Scholarship Fund. See photos from the event in the Nashville Post.

The Tennessee Supreme Court last week dismissed a petition for reinstatement from Sumner County lawyer Ronnie Huggins. The court took the action after the Board of Professional Responsibility reported that Huggins had not satisfied outstanding obligations with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education, had not paid the required reinstatement fee and remained in default of a student loan. On April 13, the court gave Huggins until May 29 to satisfy these obligations. Because the obligations were not met, the court dismissed the motion without prejudice.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider applicants for three new judicial positions throughout the month of July. The positions, recently approved by the Tennessee General Assembly, will be effective Sept. 1. On July 12, the commission will hear from four applicants for the 19th Judicial District Circuit Court. They are: Gregory D. Smith, Ashleigh L. Travis, Kimberly G. Turner and Jeff K. Walker. The hearing will be held at the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse, 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville 37040 at 9 a.m. CDT. On July 13, the commission will consider three applicants for the 22nd Judicial District Circuit Court. They are: Lee E. Brooks, Julie C. Heffington and P. Nicole Long. A hearing will be held at 9 a.m. CDT at the Maury County Tom Primm Commission Meeting Room, 6 Public Square, Columbia 38041. On July 18, the commission will hear from five applicants for the 13th Judicial District Criminal Court. They are: William M. Blaylock, Rebecca Brady, Shawn C. Fry, Brandon S. Griffin and Benjamin Marsee. A hearing will be held at the Stone Memorial High School, 2800 Cook Road, Crossville 38571 beginning at 9 a.m. CDT. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews to forward three names for each position to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. For more information, contact John Jefferson, 615-741-2687.