A bill that would cut the number of elected representatives on the Nashville Metro Council in half passed a legislative subcommittee on a party-line vote Wednesday, Tennessee Lookout reports. House Bill 48, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, chairman of the Finance, Ways and Means Committee, would shrink the 40-member council to no more than 20, beginning in 2024. The sponsors say the measure is designed to make government functions more efficient as Nashville experiences exponential growth. City officials argue that if changes are needed, Nashville voters should be the ones to make the decision.

The next legal clinic for veterans in Knoxville will take place Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. EST at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office in Knoxville. This is a general advice clinic sponsored by the Knoxville Bar Association, KBA Barristers, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, the University of Tennessee College of Law, the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office and the local Veterans Affairs office. To volunteer, email Caitlin Torney at ctorney@laet.org. View a flyer for the clinic.

The TBA’s Estate Planning & Probate Section will host its annual forum later this month, offering the insight you need to stay on top of key developments in the practice area. The program will feature the annual clerk & master’s panel and presentations on legislative updates, ethics, real estate in probate court, estate administration and more. Lunch will be provided during this in-person event. Join the program on Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST at the Embassy Suites Cool Springs in Franklin. Get more information and register here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended 16 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; six of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the Jan. 31 fee suspension order and Jan. 31 IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2023 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

All courts housed in the D'Army Bailey Courthouse at 140 Adams Ave. in Memphis will remain closed for the second day tomorrow due to inclement weather. This includes the circuit, chancery, probate and general sessions civil courts. In addition, the following courts will also be closed: general sessions criminal court; criminal court and the court clerk's office; juvenile courts and their offices; municipal courts Divisions 1, 2 and 3; state workers' compensation claims court; and the Memphis and Jackson courthouses of the federal district court.

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Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz — with offices across Tennessee — has prevailed over a malpractice lawsuit brought by a company that invested $5.8 million in mass-tort litigation stemming from the BP oil spill, Bloomberg Law reports. Duncan Litigation Investments (DLI) and owner Max Duncan had accused the law firm of negligence for allegedly fumbling a lawsuit against attorney Mikal Watts, who was accused of seeking investors to fund numerous claims against BP. Judge George C. Hanks Jr. held that Baker owed no duty to DLI because at the time it represented Duncan individually. It wasn’t until later in a separate case that the firm represented the company.

Following the death of Tyre Nichols, state lawmakers representing the Memphis area are working on legislation to reform police practices in Tennessee. Local Memphis reports that legislators are rallying around measures to strengthen laws related to choke holds, use of force by police officers, duty to intervene, and what Nichols' family attorney Ben Crump calls “Tyre’s Law." According to Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, legislation passed in the wake of George Floyd’s death did a lot but needs to be strengthened. “It’s hard to legislate a cultural change. But you can certainly create the conditions around punishment for use of force or for a failure to intervene or duty to render care and I'm not talking about losing their jobs. I’m talking about criminal charges.” She said the group is working on specifics and should have more to reveal in the coming weeks.

The equity shareholders at Ogletree Deakins have elected Nashville lawyer Liz Washko as the firm’s next managing shareholder, and the first woman to serve in the role. She will take office in January 2024. Washko has practiced in the Nashville office since 2000 and has held almost every leadership role within the firm. She is currently one of two managing directors and has served on the board of directors since 2021. She was a member of the Compensation Committee from 2017-2021, office managing shareholder of the Nashville office from 2010-2018, and co-founder of the Pay Equity Practice Group in 2016. She continues to co-chair that group. Washko earned her law degree from Rutgers University. She practices in the areas of health law and labor and employment. Read more from the firm.

The Memphis & Shelby County Justice & Safety Alliance is inviting the public to come together to process what the community has been going through, lift up the importance of relationships and solidarity during times of grief, support each other, and work for true systemic change. The “We Heal Together” event will take place tomorrow from 6-8 p.m. CST at Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church, 3890 Millbranch Rd., Memphis 38116. Food & childcare will be provided. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. Those who attend are asked to bring an object to use in the healing circle. RSVP here