The Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts is holding the Nashville Arts & Entertainment Law Clinic on Monday, November 16  | 5 PM - 7 PM | SESAC  (55 Music Square E, Nashville, TN 37203).

Those interested in volunteering should email me directly.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Casey Summar

The TBA Business Law Section Executive Council has worked extremely hard to add helpful resources to the section's web page.  Take a few minutes to check out these great resources!

This program will discuss Tennessee's new For-Profit Benefit Corporation Act that goes into effect January 1, 2016. You can take part in person or through webcast.

A panel of TBA members who drafted the legislation will talk about the Act and offer advice about the use of the Act in organizing Tennessee social enterprise businesses. The discussion will:

• Address how the Act came to be enacted (including, in the process, common questions about the Act and benefit corporation legislation generally)
• Clarify director duties and other governance matters under the Act
• Make observations about the possible advantages in organizing a social enterprise business as a Tennessee for-profit benefit corporation
• Offer advice about drafting organizational documents under the Act

Hot Topics in Business Law: Tennessee’s New For-Profit Benefit Corporation Act

Hot Topics in Business Law: Tennessee’s New For-Profit Benefit Corporation Act [Webcast Version]

This two (2) hour program is designed to provide attorneys with the latest developments in international law. Moderated by Brian Russell of the Verso Corporation, speakers and topics in this year's program include:

• Wally Dietz of Bass Berry & Sims PLC will address how to navigate privacy and data issues in foreign jurisdictions. 
• Samar Ali of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC will address the cross-jurisdictional issues that come into play when working with clients doing business internationally.
• Mohammad Syed of Syed Law Firm PLLC will address advising foreign businesses and entrepreneurs with start up and operations in the USA, with a focus on business law and immigration matters.

Click here to register today.

The Tennessee Supreme Court announced yesterday that it has returned to a summary judgment standard consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in an opinion involving a Memphis health care liability case.  Click here to read the entire New Release from the Tennessee Supreme Court. 

Mattathias Schwartz discusses in this New York Times Magazine article whether investing in litigation is the future.  Click here to read the story.

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I am very excited to announce that the videos from the September 17, 2015 CLE are now available online for your viewing pleasure.  The TBA Tort and Insurance Law Section Executive Council worked hard to put together a very informative and beneficial CLE for our section members.  Not only can you receive great information but you can also receive CLE credit as well.  Speakers include Joy Day and Joshua Baker just to mention a couple.

As a bonus, TBA Tort and Insurance Law Section Members receive a section discount for these videos and all other CLE sponsored by the Tort and Insurance Law Section throughout the year.  If you or someone you know are not section members, please click here to join and save today.        

To register today for one (1) or all of the videos, please click on the links below to register:

Tort and Insurance:  Best practices in Product Liability Case Analysis

Tort and Insurance:  Vehicle Collisions:  Engineering Reconstruction

Tort and Insurance: Workers Compensation Updates

Tort and Insurance: Truck Litigation

It should be a very exciting year for the TBA Tort and Insurance Law Section and I am looking forward to meeting each of you at this year’s annual CLE program next spring.

Hank Fincher

Chair

TBA Tort and Insurance Law Section    

As a new feature of our newsletter, the Federal Practice Section will endeavor each issue to place one of our Tennessee Federal Judges in the spotlight to allow members to get to know and, perhaps, receive some sound practice advice.  Our inaugural subject is the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Greeneville, Division.

By the time he started high school, Judge Greer was interested in the legal profession.  A family friend who was an FBI agent and lawyer first piqued his interest.  While in high school, the future judge would sometimes leave school, with permission of course, and walk to the courthouse to watch trials in his home town of Mountain City, Tennessee. 

Judge Greer attended East Tennessee State University and majored in political science and history with a minor in economics.  To overcome a fear of public speaking, he joined the debate team in his sophomore year.  During his college years, Judge Greer first got involved in political campaigns, working as a volunteer in  Howard Baker’s senate campaign in 1972 and Lamar Alexander’s 1974 gubernatorial campaign.

In 1975, Judge Greer began law school at the University of Tennessee.  After four quarters, he left law school to manage a congressional campaign, this time for Robin Beard.  In 1978, he served as the political director for Alexander’s second gubernatorial campaign.  Following these two stints in politics, Judge Greer returned to law school and graduated in 1980.

After about 18 months of working for the governor’s office, Judge Tom Hull, then a lawyer in Greeneville, lured Judge Greer to the east Tennessee town to join his private practice.  Other than managing a U.S. senate campaign for Beard  in 1982, Judge Greer stayed in Greeneville, eventually opening his own solo practice. 

At first, Judge Greer’s practice included “everything that walked through the door.”  Eventually, he gravitated to workers’ compensation, personal injury and criminal defense.  Later, Judge Greer took cases in the areas of corporate and environmental litigation. While maintaining his solo practice, Judge Greer also served nine years in the state legislature where he chaired the Senate Environment and Conversation Committee.  In 2003, Judge Greer was appointed to the Federal District Court by President George W. Bush.

Judge Greer says the toughest part about the transition from trial attorney to the bench was the isolation.  As a lawyer and state senator, he was very involved in community affairs and politics.    However, after taking the bench, a lot of the social aspects fell away due to the stringent ethical guidelines that federal judges must follow. 

Judge Greer enjoys the variety of cases that come before him in federal court.  One day may bring a serious criminal case, and the next a complex civil litigation matter.  However, his favorite proceeding is performing naturalization ceremonies for new citizens. 

Judge Greer’s best advice to young attorneys is to find a mentor – a senior lawyer that can answer questions and guide the young lawyer’s practice.  He credits his early success to lawyers such as Judge Hull and Charlie Terry.  To that end, Judge Greer urges experienced lawyers to reach out to new members of the bar and offer advice and guidance.

When it comes to appearing in his Court, Judge Greer advises all attorneys, young or old, to be prepared.  He has observed that some lawyers with state court experience are shocked at the formality of federal court and, sometimes, fail to adhere to federal rules.  Judge Greer also advises all lawyers to remember that civility in our practice is very important.  Nothing raises his ire more than lawyers making snide comments about one another and generally disrespecting the profession. 

Click here to read about the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennesse's new ADR Plan.