The new Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in downtown Nashville officially opened last week after several days of partial operations and years of planning, designing and construction, the Nashville Post reports. The new building has already been christened with its first protest, as hundreds of pro-choice advocates gathered there earlier this week following news of a draft U.S. Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade. The process of building the new courthouse began in 2015 when Tennessee’s congressional delegation secured funding. Initial work began in 2016. The Church Street property had been eyed as a possible location for a new courthouse for at least two decades.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that Wisconsin’s mandatory bar does not violate the First Amendment rights of lawyers in the state, the ABA Journal reports. The appeals court turned down a challenge, which argued that the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME implicitly overruled the 1990 decision in Keller v. State Bar of California. In Keller, the court held that compulsory state bars can use dues to regulate the profession and improve legal services, but not for political or ideological activities. In Janus, the court held that mandatory union dues for collective bargaining violate public employees’ free speech rights. Despite the apparent tension between the two decisions, the appeals court said Keller remains binding precedent. “The foundations of Keller have been shaken,” the court wrote. “But it’s not our role to decide whether it remains good law. Only the Supreme Court can answer that question.” So far, the high court has declined to review the issue.

Well-Being Week in Law wraps up today with a focus on emotional well-being, which means we value emotions, think resiliently, savor positive experiences and seek mental health help when needed. The Institute for Well-Being in the Law offers several guides to help lawyers develop these habits. Activity guides include “Retraining Unhelpful Thoughts,” “Savoring Positive Experiences” and “Vanquishing Languishing.” A conversation guide also is available to spur discussion on “Managing Mental Health in the Workplace.” Check out these and other resources from the institute.

The TBA’s 22nd Annual Health Law Primer will take place Oct. 19 from noon to 4:15 p.m. CDT. The primer is designed for newer health law practitioners, providing a general overview of health law as well as tips on identifying and avoiding the pitfalls of real life situations in the heavily regulated health care industry. The in-person program will take place at the downtown Nashville office of Bass Berry & Sims, 150 Third Ave. S., Suite 2800, Nashville 37201. Thanks to Mark Ison with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison who is producing this program.

In celebration of Law Day 2022, the American Bar Association unveiled results from its Fourth Annual ABA Survey of Civic Literacy. The survey measures the American public’s civics knowledge as well as their views on a range of topical issues. This year’s results include public opinion on proposed changes to voting requirements, why people say they vote and whether they think their vote makes a difference. The survey was released during a program featuring NBC News correspondent Yamiche Alcindor, NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Janai S. Nelson, former chair of ABA Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice Wendy K. Mariner, and Phillip J. Strach, a litigator in redistricting cases.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee welcomed Rachel Ralston Mancl as a newly appointed bankruptcy judge for the district, Chattanoogan.com reports. District Judge Clifton L. Corker administered the oath of office to Mancl in a private ceremony. Mancl, who was selected by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, will serve as the primary judge for the Greeneville Division. She succeeds Chief Judge Shelley D. Rucker, who has been the acting bankruptcy judge in Greeneville since former Chief Bankruptcy Judge Marcia Phillips Parsons retired in September 2020. Prior to her appointment, Mancl was in private practice at Hunter, Smith & Davis, with offices in Johnson City and Kingsport. Mancl is a former member of the TBA Board of Governors, former TBA Young Lawyers Division president and a former president of the Kingsport Bar Association. A public investiture will take place in the coming months, the court said in a release.

Community organizer and Equity Alliance founder Charlane Oliver announced her candidacy this week to represent Nashville’s District 19 in the state Senate, Main Street Nashville reports. Oliver co-founded the Equity Alliance in 2017 as a nonprofit advocacy organization aimed at building independent Black political and economic power. Sen. Brenda Gilmore, D-Nashville, who has held the seat for 17 years, is retiring this year. Former Metro Councilmember Jerry Maynard also is in the running for the seat. Nashville advocate and former public defender Keeda Haynes had previously filed a petition for the seat but has since withdrawn.

In celebration of Law Day 2022, the American Bar Association today unveiled results from its Fourth Annual ABA Survey of Civic Literacy. The survey measures the American public’s civics knowledge as well as their views on a range of topical issues. This year’s results include public opinion on proposed changes to voting requirements, why people say they vote and whether they think their vote makes a difference. The survey was released during a program today featuring NBC News correspondent Yamiche Alcindor, NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Janai S. Nelson, former chair of ABA Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice Wendy K. Mariner, and Phillip J. Strach, a litigator in redistricting cases.

Matt Stowe, district attorney general for the 24th Judicial District and currently running for reelection, fired Assistant District Attorney and Henry County Chief Prosecutor Rebecca Griffey on Wednesday, The Courier reports. Stowe told the paper that the action “had been coming for awhile” because Griffey was not “on board” with his vision for the long run. “We just couldn’t work together any longer,” Stowe said. He also said he had heard complaints about Griffey from victims and coworkers. Pushing back on suggestions that the firing was political, Stowe said, “Who in the world would fire someone like this right before, in the middle of really, an election? If it was politically motivated I would have done it long before or long after.”

Nashville-based Sims Funk, a boutique litigation firm with a focus on commercial litigation, is seeking a litigation associate. Candidates should have one to four years of work as a litigation associate. Send resume, cover letter and transcript to careers@simsfunk.com. See this and other job opportunities on the TBA’s Job Link portal.