Taking questions Friday from reporters at a health care event in San Jose, Calif., President Barack Obama vigorously defended sweeping secret surveillance into America’s phone records and foreigners’ Internet use, declaring “we have to make choices as a society,” the Tennessean reports. “It’s important to recognize that you can’t have 100 percent security and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience,” Obama said. It was revealed late Wednesday that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been collecting the phone records of hundreds of millions of U.S. phone customers. Another secret program scours the Internet usage of foreign nationals overseas who use any of nine U.S.-based Internet providers such as Microsoft and Google. Glenn Greenwald, the lawyer-turned-blogger who broke the story says he expects the U.S. to react “extremely” to his revelations about the NSA. The ABA Journal reports he has taken security precautions such as using encrypted instant chat and email program.

Some Nashville business leaders are getting impatient with progress on a new federal courthouse and would like to see private development of the land already purchased by the government. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, who has been pushing for a new federal courthouse on the property since he came to Congress in 2002, says he is “very confident” construction will begin within three years, the Nashville Business Journal reports (subscription required). However, recent reports from the Government Accountability Office cast doubts on the $173 million project, suggesting that Nashville doesn’t have a shortage of courtrooms necessitating a new courthouse. While developers drool over the downtown block, Cooper dismisses a possible sale. “Why would we do that? We’ve got $26 [million] to $30 million in it,” Cooper said. “My job is to protect the taxpayer.”

Online register for the 2013 TBA Annual Convention closes tomorrow at 5 p.m. Along with 12 hours of premium CLE programming, this year's convention features sessions to help you thrive as a lawyer, as well as an evening out at the Country Music Hall of Fame where you will experience great food and live music to go along with your tour of this internationally renowned center.

The National Association of Legal Professions Nashville Chapter will host its first annual NALS After Hours Silent Auction on July 18 at 6 p.m. The event will be held at Baker Donelson law firm in Nashville. One hundred percent of the proceeds generated at the auction will be donated to the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. For more information, download the event brochure or visit the NALS website.

Twenty-one leaders of Tennessee’s colleges and universities have sent letters to U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, urging their support for a bipartisan plan that would ensure foreign-born students educated in the U.S. have a clear path to work in this country after graduation. The educators say current immigration policy threatens “America’s pre-eminence as a global center of innovation and prosperity” because of its inability to retain skilled foreign-born graduates. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has the story.

A coalition that includes the Tennessee Nurses Association, Tennessee League of Women Voters, Tennessee Health Care Campaign and the Tennessee Justice Center delivered to Gov. Bill Haslam an online petition with more 4,500 signatures urging the governor to offer TennCare services to everyone making 138 percent of the federal poverty level or less, the Tennessean reports. “I don’t care whether the governor calls it Haslamcare or tweaks some changes,” said Mary Headrick, the Tennessee physician who delivered the petition. “We really want these folks to be covered and our services to be preserved.”

Lawyers, judges and other legal professionals work in one of the top professions for weight gain, the ABA Journal reports. According to a Career Builder survey of nearly 3700 full time workers, 48 percent of legal professionals reported weight gain in their current jobs.

The numerous conflicting laws covering the kinds of activities tax-exempt organizations may conduct may be partly to blame for the IRS’ heavy-handed treatment of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status, the Memphis Daily News reports. The IRS' attempt to enforce those contradictory laws with vague regulations has sown even more confusion, tax lawyers, former agency officials and others agree. "It's hard for groups to understand what the standards are, and different lawyers have different definitions of where to draw the line," said Abby Levine, who dispenses advice on nonprofit status to scores of groups as legal director of the liberal Alliance for Justice.

A recent 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court extends a ruling it made last year that allowed prisoners to challenge their state convictions in federal court based on the claim that their attorneys were ineffective. The court considered the case Trevina v. Thaler challenging Arizona state law saying that claims of ineffective assistance of counsel had to be raised in a separate post-conviction motion and not in a direct appeal of the original conviction. According to attorney Lee Davis writing in the Chattanoogan, the problem with this approach is that there is no right to an attorney in the post-conviction motion phase, though there is in the direct appeal phase.

Sarah Henry Akin (2008) recently joined the firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart as Assistant General Counsel. Sarah was previously in-house counsel with FedEx in Memphis.

Lisa Cole (2005) was named President and Managing Shareholder of Lewis, King, Krieg and Waldrop.

Evan Cope (2010) has been appointed by Gov. Haslam to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, where he serves as Vice-Chair.

Kendra Mansur (2008) recently received the City of Knoxville Community Development Department’s Equity Award, in recognition of her years of service through Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the KBA-LAET Pro Bono Project in providing advocacy and free and quality legal assistance to low-income, indigent, elderly and immigrant persons in the community.

Sharon Reavis Woodson (2010) has taken the leap and started her own firm after 10+ years as in-house counsel with a major record label. The Law Office of Sharon Reavis Woodson is located in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Sharon can be reached at reavisentlaw@gmail.com.

Chay Sengkhounmany’s (2009) work with the Legal Aid Society/Shadetree Clinic partnership was featured in a Vanderbilt University webcast. To view this great story, click here.

Cindy Wyrick (2006) will be sworn in as President of the TBA during the Convention next week. Congrats Cindy—we know you’ll be a fabulous President and make us all proud!

In addition to Cindy, other officers of the Board are TBALLA alum Jackie Dixon, who will become Past President (2004) and who has been an incredible President for the past year; Jonathan Steen, President-Elect (2004) (the kid has great potential!); Jason Pannu, Secretary (2011) (terrific secretary, even better hockey player); and Sherie Edwards, Treasurer (2010) (great with numbers, especially when it involves a shoe sale).

Have a Great Summer!!!