The conservative group Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education with the intent of stopping President Joe Biden's student loan cancellation plan, Reuters reports. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the South District of Indiana, comes a day after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said that Biden's plan to cancel some student loan debt will cost $400 billion. "Congress did not authorize the executive branch to unilaterally cancel student debt," said Caleb Kruckenberg, an attorney at the foundation. The Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released a formal opinion today that seeks to clarify interpretation of the ABA model rule related to a lawyer’s communication with represented persons when the lawyer is self-representing or pursuing the case pro se. Formal Opinion 502 states that under ABA Model Rule 4.2, lawyers who represent themselves may not communicate directly, under most circumstances, with a represented person about the matter. The opinion makes it clear that the self-representing or pro se lawyer must communicate with the represented person through the other person’s lawyer unless the communication is authorized by law or court order or consented to by the person’s lawyer. The committee said the clarification was necessary as application of the rule to pro se lawyers was not clear.

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and the U.S. General Services Administration have rescheduled the dedication ceremony for the new Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in downtown Nashville for Oct. 21. The ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. CDT followed by a reception. The courthouse, which is named for former U.S. Sen. Fred D. Thompson of Lawrenceburg, has been in the works for more than 25 years. View the invitation. Please RSVP by Oct. 19 to ceremony@tnmd.uscourts.gov or 615-736-7551.

A portrait unveiling and reception honoring Davidson Circuit Court Judge Hamilton Gayden will take place Oct. 20 at the historic county courthouse in downtown Nashville. The event will be held on the fifth floor from 3-5 p.m. CDT. Gayden decided last year not to seek reelection in 2022. He was appointed in 1974 by then-Gov. Winfield Dunn and served 47 years on the bench. "It's been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Davidson County,” Gayden said in a statement. “I will miss being on the bench but at 82 years old, it is time to hand the gavel over to a younger judge." View an invitation for the event.

Kevin G. Ritz was sworn in today as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. In a brief ceremony at the federal courthouse in Memphis, Chief U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson administered the oath of office, in front of Ritz’s family and colleagues. Ritz, a native Memphian, was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Sept. 22. He previously was an assistant U.S. attorney in the narcotics unit. He later served as appellate chief and special counsel. From 2008 to 2016, Ritz was an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis School of Law. From 2020 to 2021, he was chair of the TBA’s Appellate Practice Section. Read more about Ritz in a release from the Department of Justice.

Bulso PLC, a litigation boutique firm in Brentwood, is seeking an associate attorney with one to four years of experience in business litigation. Exceptional research and writing skills are required. Salary is competitive and is based upon applicant's experience and abilities. Read the full job description and instructions for applying on the TBA’s JobLink platform.

The TBA’s Tax Law Section will hold its annual forum in person this Friday in Nashville. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT and include sessions on the SECURE Act; required minimum distributions; state business, excise, sales and use taxes; ethics; and more. Speakers include Shelton Chambers with Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, Hannah Smith with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Steven Christopher with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. Get more details here.

Welcome South is a coalition of nonprofit legal service providers working across Tennessee to provide representation to individuals with immigration issues. The groups utilize an online platform for referrals, communication and support for pro bono counsel. Learn more about volunteering here. Despite some of the far deadlines, the pro bono attorney would be expected to start work on these cases soon. More details will be given on acceptance of the case. To volunteer, email Alix Rogers or Savannah Quintero. Current opportunities include:

1. Minor in Maryville needs a predicate order for SIJS. Child lives with her father and has no memories of her mother. Deadline: 2025 (minor's 18th birthday)
2. Minor in Sevier County needs an SIJS predicate order. Minor has not seen or heard from her mother since she was five years old. She has no memories of her mother and lives with her father. Deadline: 2026 (minor's 18th birthday)
3. Minor in Chattanooga has a predicate order and an approved I-360 (SIJS application); however, the guardian died and grandmother needs to be appointed as successor guardian. Deadline: 2028 (minor's 18th birthday)
4. Seeking an attorney to handle only the guardianship/SIJS predicate order portion of a case involving a 13-year-old in Bradley County. The guardian is the maternal aunt. The grounds for the petition are neglect and abandonment by the father, who moved out of the family home when minor was 11 years old. The father drank excessively, did not support the child or her mother before or after moving out. He has since passed away. The aunt and client do not want the mother to be named as one of the abandoning parents. The client is in middle school. Deadline: minor's 18th birthday.

The Knoxville Bar Association and its Bankruptcy Section, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight, will hold a Pro Bono Debt Relief Clinic on Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon EDT. The event will take place at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville. Judge Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and other solutions for clients before volunteer lawyers meet with them to discuss their options. Email ctorney@laet.org to volunteer.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law will host a wills clinic on Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to Noon EDT. Volunteer lawyers will supervise law students as they draft and execute simple wills. Sign up by emailing ctorney@laet.org.