Morgan & Akins PLLC has an opening in its Nashville office for an attorney with general liability and/or workers’ compensation experience. Defense work preferred but not necessary.  Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and includes a benefits package. Excellent writing and communication skills are required, as is the ability to work independently and collaborate with other attorneys. To apply for the position, please send a resume and writing sample to nakins@morganakins.com and cjackson@morganakins.com. Find more on this position and others on the TBA’s JobLink site.

Rounding out the membership team is Mindy Thomas, TBA’s Membership Director! Mindy leads the charge in finding ways to bring value to TBA memberships by keeping her finger on the pulse of statewide bar association trends and communicating with TBA members and sections and committees. As for her hobbies, Mindy admittedly enjoys cleaning her house simply because it doesn’t require emailing anyone.

The #TeamTBA series offers members a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the TBA and how each staff members makes the association run. Check back every Wednesday for a new staff profile in TBA Today and on the TBA's Facebook, Twitter Instagram accounts.

United States 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bernice Donald on Saturday addressed 121 graduates during the University of Tennessee College of Law’s commencement and hooding ceremonies in Knoxville. “Be courageous and selfless enough to always exercise a measure of empathy and respect for those who may hold views and positions different than yours,” Donald told the students. “It is my hope that you will chart an ethical path forward, and always take the long view, knowing that the decisions you make today will influence the rest of your life.” Members of the class of 2022 performed more than 8,850 hours of pro bono services throughout their law school careers. Read more on the College of Law’s website.  

The life of retired Tennessee Appeals Court Judge Charles D. Susano Jr. was celebrated last week in Knoxville. All five members of the Tennessee Supreme Court were in attendance at Susano’s funeral mass on Tuesday, as were judges in the Eastern Section of the Court of Appeals. “He was a great partner and incredible lawyer who did an amazing job of coping with a terrible situation,” former TBA President Sarah Sheppeard said of Susano’s 1993 sleepwalking accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.  Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee said Susano “had a huge heart, a brilliant mind, a deep and abiding faith, and an almost endless capacity to love others.” “He was a highly respected appellate judge, yet remained humble and grateful for the opportunities he had been given,” Lee said. The Knoxville News Sentinel has more on Susano’s life.

Morgan Ortagus, a former candidate for U.S. House in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, has joined the team of her former opponent in the race, the Associated Press reports. Ortagus will now co-chair the National Security Advisory Committee for the campaign of GOP congressional candidate Kurt Winstead. Ortagus was removed from the ballot after the state Republican Party determined she, and two other candidates, did not meet party “bona fides.” Ortagus was the State Department spokesperson under former President Donald Trump and has recently launched a national security advocacy group.

The Tennessee Center for Estate & Elder Law PLLC in Murfreesboro is seeking to hire an attorney with at least two years of experience in estate planning and trust law. The attorney may also practice in other areas of law handled by the firm, including probate, conservatorships, elder law and transactional business and real estate law. For consideration, please send resumes and cover letters to Amy Farrar. The TBA’s JobLink webpage has more on the posting.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, is recovering, but “ready to go,” after suffering what is believed to have been a mini-stroke over the weekend, WBIR reports. Johnson, who turns 60 this week, collapsed on Saturday evening and was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center's emergency room. She was not admitted to the hospital. Doctors think she likely suffered what is referred to as a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, she said. Johnson has been representing District 13 in the state House, but after this year’s redistricting, has been prompted to move to District 90.

Gail Curley, a former Army colonel and military lawyer and current Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court, has been asked to lead the investigation into the leak of a draft opinion that suggests the high court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Experts say leaking the draft opinion likely wasn’t a crime, and Curley’s investigative tools are limited. She could theoretically hire an outside law firm to assist or, as in some other judicial records cases, call in the FBI. But it isn’t clear if she or others have the power to issue subpoenas to get material from journalists or the fewer than 100 people in the court — including justices — with access to a draft opinion. The Associated Press has more on Curley’s career.

Stephanie Gatewood, a nominee for Shelby County juvenile court clerk, is challenging her loss earlier this month in the Democratic primary, the Commercial Appeal reports. Gatewood, who came in third, is challenging the win of Janeen Gordon with the state primary board, claiming Gordon misled the public by using her mother's well-known name — Fullilove — on campaign materials and on the ballot. Gordon listed “Janeen Gordon” on early signage and with the County Election Commission, but on later signage and on the actual ballot she was listed as "Janeen Fullilove Gordon." She is the daughter of current Juvenile Court Clerk Janis Fullilove, but is not the daughter of Fullilove’s former husband, Fred Fullilove, and has never legally changed her name to Fullilove. Two other Democratic primary candidates, Althea Greene and Eric Winston, are also contesting their narrow losses for County Commission in Districts 7 and 11, respectively.

The TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) Class of 2022 stopped in Memphis this week for its third session of the year, “Issues in Community Leadership,” held at Burch, Porter & Johnson. Day one speakers included Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Butler Snow attorney Ed Stanton, Paul Young with the Downtown Memphis Commission, Dorcas Young-Griffin with the county’s Division of Community Service, and attorneys Bruce McMullen and Van Turner, who gave a presentation on the legal work behind the takedown of several confederate statues in the city. Programming concluded on Tuesday with a presentation from W.J. Michael Cody, who helped represent Martin Luther King Jr. during the Memphis sanitation strike, and a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. The next session will take place in conjunction with the TBA’s Annual Convention in Nashville next month.