The Young Lawyers Committee of the Nashville Federalist Society is hosting a work/life balance event this Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. CST at the Union Stockyards Nashville Apartments, 222 Stockyard St., Nashville 37201. “Married to the Law” will feature Michael and Rachel Harmon as they talk about how they balance work, hobbies and family life. Michael is general counsel for the Tennessee Secretary of State and a former partner at Waller. Rachel is deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, a former attorney in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, and a triathlete. Registration is free for Federalist Society members and $10 for non-members. Dinner from Hattie B's will be provided. RSVP here.

The state trial court judges and chancellors of the 20th Judicial District have appointed attorney J. Bart Pickett as the district’s next state trial court administrator. Pickett will replace Tim Townsend, who is retiring after more than 12 years in the role, and many years of service before that as finance director and deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts. Pickett earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and began his career as a law clerk for two of the district’s judges. He then practiced law for nearly 13 years, largely in the area of insurance defense. Read the court's release.

Voting is now underway to help select the third book in the TBA's quarterly book club. Continuing with the theme of race relations and divides, voters will choose between “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson, “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi or “Memphis” by Tara M. Stringfellow. Cast your vote here by 5 p.m. CST on Friday.

The TBA Intellectual Property Law Section will hold its annual forum on April 28 starting at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Nashville. Attendees are invited to join section leadership for a networking reception the night before the program from 5-7 p.m. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

The TBA’s Career Center offers resources for employers and job seekers. Resources include career development articles on job searching, interviewing and negotiation. Job seekers can receive career advice, access job market data, get resume reviews and sign up for job matching notifications. Coaching is also available for a fee. Employers can create company profiles, use templates to post jobs and manage candidates, and search resumes. Jobs will be viewable by attorneys across the country, not just in Tennessee.

Metro Nashville is paying a Nashville man $236,000 and updating its police training materials following a 2019 wrongful arrest, WPLN reports. Nashville Metro Police arrested Ralph Ward for allegedly fleeing a traffic stop and evading arrest. Ward disputed his guilt and had GPS records of his driving route to prove he was not near the site. This exculpatory evidence should have been considered but Ward’s lawyer says he found the concept was hardly covered in the police manual. The department now says it has reviewed and updated its training materials.

Tennessee Lookout has launched a new legislative report to be published each Friday while the General Assembly is in session. The feature will not include every bill introduced but will highlight “legislation most likely to have an impact on Tennesseans.” Check out the first installment.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for vandalism at a women’s health clinic in Nashville. The Associated Press reports that a fire occurred at the Hope Clinic for Women on June 30. An incendiary device was thrown through the clinic's front window and the building's exterior was spray painted, according to the FBI’s Memphis field office. The device did not ignite, but the agency has labeled the case an arson investigation. Gov. Bill Lee called the incident an act of “terrorism.” The clinic offers pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and counseling.

An updated version of the bar exam is on track to debut in July 2026, but not all states are expected to use it right away, Reuters reports. States will be able to choose between giving the new version of the attorney licensing exam or administering the existing one during a temporary transition period. The National Conference of Bar Examiners says it is meeting with state officials to advocate for the new test.

The American Bar Association will hold its Midyear Meeting in New Orleans Feb. 2-6. The ABA House of Delegates — the  policy-making body — will meet in person on Feb. 6 and consider a range of proposals. Programming is also planned for attendees covering topics such alternatives to traditional juvenile justice measures, U.S. reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision, racial and gender inequity in the legal profession, use of extraordinary writs, prosecutorial bias and misconduct, and voting rights. Read more about these and other sessions. On Feb. 4, the TBA will host a Tennessee Reception honoring former TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson. If you are in town please join in!