U.S. District Court Chief Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. of the Middle District of Tennessee is seeking a temporary full-time judicial assistant to work from approximately April 10 to May 26 in Nashville. The position will provide administrative and law-related support to the judge and law clerks. Those interested should submit a resume no later than close of business on April 6. Read the full job announcement on the court’s website.

Butler Snow LLP has expanded its presence in Alabama by opening a new office in Huntsville. With this addition, the firm welcomes 23 attorneys in Huntsville. It also adds nine new staff members including managers, paralegals, legal assistants and marketing staff. It is the third office in the state, joining offices in Montgomery and Birmingham. The firm has two offices in Tennessee: in Memphis and Nashville.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, stripped two Democratic lawmakers of their committee assignments today as punishment for their role in a protest and demonstration in support of gun control at the Capitol last week. The Tennessean reports that Sexton took the action against Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville. Last Thursday, Jones and Johnson, along with Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, interrupted a debate on an education bill to join protesters in calling for gun control. With a bullhorn, the three led protestors in the galleries in several chants. Sexton said other sanctions, including expulsion, will be considered. Pearson does not serve on any committees. Sexton had earlier likened the protestors' activity to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol but tempered those remarks today, the paper said.

In the wake of last week’s school shooting in Nashville, federal and state lawmakers are calling for a range of responses. Tennessee Lookout reports that Gov. Bill Lee today called for increased funding for school security measures and mental health support. Read more on that proposal. According to WPLN, Tennessee Senate Speaker Randy McNally has expressed support for “red flag laws,” which would allow guns to be removed from those who pose a threat to themselves or the public. Former governors Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen offer their proposed solutions in an editorial written for the Tennessean. On the federal level, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Columbia has asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to charge the shooting suspect with hate crimes, The Hill reports, while Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty unveiled legislation last week to create a $900 million federal grant program for school safety measures. Chattanoogan.com has more on that initiative.

The Tennessee Court Talk podcast is out with a new episode that explores the work of the state’s general sessions courts. In Tennessee, these courts have broad jurisdiction over civil claims and play a key role in almost every criminal prosecution in the state. Join Judges Lee Bussart of Marshall County, Lynda Jones of Davidson County, Alex McVeagh of Hamilton County, and Kee Bryant-McCormick of Sumner County as they discuss the role of general sessions courts in the state judicial system. The podcast is available on the court's website, or anywhere podcasts are normally available.

Georgia attorney Jason Wesley Lawless was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee last week after having been on inactive status for more than five years. The court took the action on Friday after the Board of Professional Responsibility reported that it found the petition for reinstatement to be satisfactory.

Due to the recent death of 21st Judicial District Attorney General Kim Helper, the governor’s office is accepting applications to fill the office until the next biennial election takes place in August 2024. To be considered, interested attorneys should submit a resume and cover letter by mail to Chief Counsel to the Governor Erin Merrick, State Capitol, First Floor, 600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37243 or by email to Katelin.Brown@tn.gov by 5 p.m. CDT on April 14. Applicants must have been a resident of the state for five years and of the judicial district for one year. The 21st Judicial District serves Williamson County. Read the full announcement.

The deadlines for nominating individuals for three of the TBA’s annual awards have been extended due to technical issues with the online forms. Nominations for the Claudia Jack Award and Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award are now due on Wednesday. Nominations for the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award are due on Friday.

The Board of Professional Responsibility on Friday released two proposed formal ethics opinions and asked the legal community to provide comments on them. The first, FEO 2023-F-169, deals with the ethical obligations of attorneys and their firms to notify clients of their options when an attorney leaves a firm. The second, FEO 2023-F-170, deals with updated guidelines for an attorney’s acceptance of electronic payments. Comments should be submitted no later than May 1 by email to Laura Chastain or by mail to The Board of Professional Responsibility, 10 Cadillac Dr., Ste. 220, Brentwood, TN 37027.

Kevin G. Ritz, U.S. attorney for the western district of Tennessee, has launched a new initiative aimed at educating high school students on identifying, reporting and preventing hate crimes and other civil rights violations. “Civil rights enforcement is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office,” Ritz said. “Ensuring that our citizens, even the young ones, understand the law and how to report what they believe are civil rights violations or hate crimes is essential.” The first event was held at Central High School in Memphis. Learn more about the program or read the full release from Ritz’s office.