The TBA’s Tax Law Section will launch the first installment of its CLE series tomorrow from noon until 1 p.m. CDT. What’s New with the IRS? An update on new IRS programs and procedures in a Post-2020 World will cover a variety of IRS initiatives impacting everything from new installment agreement procedures for qualified taxpayers, to new e-filing procedures for forms 2848 and 2019-specific tax relief to avoid liens for qualified taxpayers. Register for this program using the three prepaid CLE credits you receive when renewing your TBA membership.

The digital you is the new YOU in 2021. Help clients and colleagues find you with an updated profile photo. After you update your photo, you can customize your contact information with TBA’s address preferences – members can choose different addresses for directory, mail, and billing. Watch this tutorial on how to update your information. Still need to renew for 2021-2022? Login and access renewal information through your MyTBA dashboard.

The Memphis Bar Association and Center for Excellence in Decision Making will present Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America on April 6 from 3 to 6 p.m. CDT. The virtual program will be presented by the director of the Who We Are Project, Jeffrey Robinson, and will explore how legalized discrimination and state-sanctioned brutality, murder, dispossession and disenfranchisement put African Americans at a great disadvantage when trying to accumulate wealth and gain access to jobs, housing, education and healthcare. The webinar is free to all registrants.

Frustrated by the lack of comfortable professional clothing, Harvard Law School student Logan Brown has launched a new clothing company that offers the “Ultimate Work-From-Home Blazer,” Above the Law reports. Brown, who attended college at Vanderbilt University, created Spencer Jane after cross-enrolling in a Harvard Business School class and working with the Harvard Innovation Labs. Brown created a survey with questions about pantsuit shopping essentials for her business course, but decided she could fix the problems that others had identified about professional clothing. The Ultimate Work-From-Home Blazer was designed to “seamlessly transition from a Zoom meeting to an in-person boardroom and whatever else you’re up to.” Brown tells the TBA she plans on returning to Nashville upon law school graduation.

A new report from the Knoxville News Sentinel, in partnership with Compass Knox, is raising questions about the legality of Knox County’s partnership with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The controversial 287(g) program gives Knox County deputies federal authority to conduct immigration screenings and to detain immigrants who entered the country without proper documents. According to the report, a 2007 amendment to state employment law requires local law enforcement to obtain “approval by the governing legislative body” before entering into federal immigration enforcement agreements. Former Knox County Sheriff J.J. Jones entered into the ICE agreement in 2017, but failed to seek approval from the Knox County Commission. Read more on the county’s 287(g) program.

On this week’s episode of the TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz is joined by TBA staff member Kate Prince to discuss the latest developments at the state legislature. Schwarz details the TBA’s concerns over House Bill 1386, which, in cases of salary disputes among public employees, would require attorneys to take their case to trial within 90 days and would cap attorney’s fees at $15,000. A new episode of Legislative Updates drops every Thursday and can be found on the TBA’s Facebook page or anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

TBA member Kristen Johns has accepted the position of chief legal officer with the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), which manages digital streaming services licenses. According to the Nashville Post, Johns will oversee the company’s legal affairs, including its blanket licensing process and compliance work. Prior to MLC, Johns was a partner at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis where she led the blockchain practice as a member of the firm’s intellectual property group. 

The Tennessee Bar Association’s online renewal for 2021-2022 is now open! Renew your membership to continue your access to CLE programming with three pre-paid credits, TBA’s new Practice Management Center, free online legal research through Fastcase and timely information through TBA Today, TBA Podcasts and the Tennessee Bar Journal. Also now available is access to the TBA’s Group Health Insurance Plan, with open mid-year enrollment available now. Renewal emails are being sent now with a direct link to quickly renew your membership, or you can login and access renewal information through your MyTBA dashboard. 

The TBA Entertainment & Sports Law Section will host its annual CLE program on May 13 from 11 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. CDT. Presenters will provide up-to-date information and inside knowledge on some of the hottest topics in the entertainment and sports industries, including: catalog sales and the related financial and ethical components that come into play on both the buyer and seller sides; sports betting in Tennessee; the new age of artist development through TikTok; and the impact of cancel culture and morality clauses when it comes to holding artists accountable for their actions. The program is virtual and attendees will be able to ask questions through Zoom’s chat feature. Read more about the program and get registered.  

The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Circuit Court Judge in the 14th Judicial District. The vacancy was created by the retirement of  Judge L. Craig Johnson. The 14th Judicial District covers Coffee County. Applicants must be at least 30 years of age, a resident of the state for five years and a resident of the 14th Judicial District. Those interested should apply by noon CDT on April 13. The commission will hold a virtual hearing on May 14 at 9 a.m. CDT. It will be livestreamed on the Administrative Office of the Courts’ YouTube page. Read more about the vacancy on the AOC’s website.