Rutherford County is suing its insurance provider for refusing to cover the costs of a large class action settlement over unlawful policies for arresting and detaining children, Nashville Public Radio reports. A denial letter from insurer Lloyd’s of London indicates it believes the county knew of the problems prior to coverage and “concealed or misrepresented material facts.” The county now is suing on three counts, including breach of contract. It also is asking to be made whole for its costs, including more than $5 million it paid out, attorney’s fees, damages, interest and a 25% penalty fee. The county was sued over its juvenile court polices, which led to more than a thousand children being illegally arrested and jailed. The case was settled in 2021.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and 20 other Republican governors are calling on congressional leaders to remove the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. military members, News Channel 9 reports. The letter argues that the mandate is hurting military retention and recruitment: current service members are leaving and new recruits are not signing up. Lee called the situation a “threat to national security.” Read the letter.

Despite the Hamilton County Commission’s efforts to halt county Mayor Weston Wamp from ousting longtime county attorney Rheubin Taylor, Wamp is vigorously pressing on with those plans, Chattanoogan.com reports. Wamp responded to legal action brought by Taylor by asserting his “clear authority and obligation under state law to appoint all department heads.” He also detailed “extensive evidence” justifying the termination of Taylor for cause, asked Chancellor Jeffery Atherton to recuse himself from the case, and asked the court to order a permanent injunction blocking Taylor from acting as county attorney. On the last point, Wamp’s office says it is not seeking an injunction at this time, but included it if needed "at a later date." A few weeks ago, Wamp told the county commission he was compliant with all of its resolutions regarding Taylor, who is challenging his firing on the basis that he has a contract through June 30, 2025.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold three clinics next week. On Wednesday, a clinic will be held from 4-6 p.m. at the downtown Nashville Public Library. On Thursday, the group will hold its Greenhouse Ministries clinic in Murfreesboro from 3-4:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, it will hold the McHugh Clinic at Belmont from 8:30-10:30 a.m. All times are central. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. Get more details and see all December clinics.

The Memphis Bar Association will hold its Annual Meeting Thursday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. CST at the Memphis Botanic Garden. During the meeting, President Tannera Gibson will pass the gavel to incoming president Jennifer Sink and the incoming secretary/treasurer and the 2023 board of directors will be announced. The evening also will feature the presentation of three awards. Terrence Reed will receive the Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award. Amber Floyd will receive the Sam A. Myar Jr. Memorial Award and the W.J. Michael Cody Access to Justice Award. Download a flyer for the event or register online.

Many federal appellate court judges say they struggle to hire Black and Hispanic law clerks even though they aspire to bring on a more diverse cohort, according to a new study. At the time of the study, Black judges made up less than one-eighth of active appellate court judges, yet they hired more than half of the Black clerks in federal appellate courts annually. Federal clerkships are a gateway to well-paid legal jobs and sought-after positions in government and academia. Read more about the study from Reuters.

The law firm of Cornelius & Collins is seeking a litigation associate for its Nashville office. The associate will work in a range of areas, including insurance defense, construction law, employment law and health care liability. According to the firm, the ideal candidate will have a solid academic background, good communication skills and a strong work ethic, and will be a team player. A Tennessee law license is required. Get the full job description and instructions for applying on the TBA’s JobLink platform.

Public speaking is a core leadership skill and in today’s business environment, attorneys are expected to be comfortable with everything from moderating a panel discussion to leading a virtual meeting. Mimi Bliss of Bliss Communications has updated her previous highly rated CLE on virtual presentations to cover a range of professional situations, including virtual courtrooms, professional conferences, panel discussions and informal communications. The interactive Essential Presentation Skills for Attorneys will help attendees sharpen their message, engage their audiences, and use voice, gestures and eye contact to speak effectively. The program will be offered live on Dec. 8 and will replay on Dec. 30.

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