A group of about 40 young people ranging from 13 to 18 gathered to discuss issues surrounding juvenile justice reform last week at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis as part of the People’s Conference on Juvenile Justice. The students also took part in workshops, including a "Know Your Rights" seminar that taught them rights they are guaranteed despite being below the voting age. The Memphis Flyer has more.

Charles “Chuck” Crawford was sworn in as the new Assistant District Attorney of the 22nd Judicial District covering Maury, Lawrence, Giles and Wayne counties, the Columbia Daily Herald reports. Crawford was a former Assistant District Attorney and a General Sessions Judge in Lincoln County, and has also served as the elected District Attorney General for the 17th Judicial District, which includes Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore counties.

Attorney Grant Starrett of Murfreesboro announced today he is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais next year in the Fourth Congressional District's GOP primary. The Vanderbilt University Law School graduate served as president of Tennesseans for Judicial Accountability, which last year challenged the retention of three Supreme Court Justices. State Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, who lost the 2014 GOP primary to DesJarlais by 38 votes, also told the Chattanooga Times Free Press recently that he is weighing another race.

Close to 100 lawyers and medical professionals from across Tennessee gathered Monday to learn about partnership opportunities between medical community and legal providers that can benefit vulnerable individuals. Produced by the TBA Access to Justice Committee and its Medical-Legal Partnership Working Group, the program was held at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and provided an introduction to Medical-Legal Partnerships and how to promote these programs in Tennessee. Learn more and view photos from the event.

Chief Magistrate Judge Diane Vescovo will be honored by The University of Memphis Alumni Association as part of its 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards program welcoming 12th President Dr. M. David Rudd on April 11. Vescovo will be recognized as Distinguished Alumna for J. Millard Smith Illustrious Service to the University. RSVP by Thursday to alumniassociation@memphis.edu or call (901) 678-5016. 

William Barnes of Memphis was suspended yesterday (March 31) for three years, with six months active suspension and two years and six months to be served in probation. Barnes failed to timely file a brief in a criminal appeal, failed to diligently prepare a personal injury lawsuit necessitating its voluntary dismissal, failed to consult with his clients prior to voluntarily dismissing that case, was not diligent in his representation of a party to a divorce, failed to advise his client in an employment discrimination matter that her case was dismissed on summary judgment, failed to timely file a brief in another criminal appeal and failed to adequately communicate with a client in a custody matter. View the BPR notice.

$100 million is needed to renovate the Metro Justice Center, Sheriff Daron Hall told News Channel 5 during a behind-the-scenes tour of the 32-year-old jail. From leaky, rusty water pipes to defective smoke detectors, Hall said the options are to repair the existing building or build a new facility for a comparable price tag.

Veteran U.S. Supreme Court practitioners and lawyers making their debut in the court will make the landmark arguments over same-sex marriage before the high court on April 28. Mary Bonauto, civil rights project director for the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), and Douglas Hallward-Driemeier from Ropes and Gray will appear at the lectern for their gay and lesbian clients. Tennessee Associate Attorney General Joseph Whalen and former Michigan Solicitor General John Bursch of Warner Norcross and Judd in Grand Rapids will represent the four states defending their bans. The National Law Journal has more.

Hall Booth Smith PC has opened a new office in Memphis, led by partners Jennifer Harrison and Charles Moody. The Atlanta-based firm now has 11 offices located across Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

If the house your client flips floods, creaks or fails code violations, make sure you are ready to help. The new Flipping Houses CLE on May 18 will feature presentations from attorneys well versed on construction law and local government practice along with Cynthia Gibson, the executive vice president and chief legal officer at Scripts Networking Interactive, the company behind many popular DIY programs.