Attorney Bruce Kramer of Apperson Crump PLC in Memphis was honored with the Crystal Award by the International Carwash Association for his 20 years of service as general counsel. The association, which was started in Memphis in 1955, is comprised of 15,000 professional car wash operators, retailers and suppliers in 25 nations, the Memphis Daily News reports.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee temporarily suspended the law license of Daniel Rafael Solla upon finding his continued practice of law poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. Effective May 22, Solla is precluded from accepting any new cases and he must cease representing existing clients by June 21.  Download the BPR notice.

The swearing-in ceremony for the Hon. Deborah C. Stevens, Knox County Circuit Court Division III, will be held  Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the small assembly room of the City County Building in Knoxville. Gov. Bill Haslam will be in attendance. A reception will immediately follow the ceremony.

Gov. Bill Haslam said he should know this summer whether the state can strike a deal with the federal government for an alternative plan for offering health coverage to more poor people, the Nashville City Paper reports. Encouraged by ongoing talks with the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services,, Haslam said the key now is ensuring flexibility in the state’s program.

Tennessee is credited with developing one of the most comprehensive anti-human trafficking programs in the nation, WKRN reports. Survivors and advocates against trafficking gathered at a conference in Nashville on Thursday, where they shared their stories and applauded Tennessee for taking a tougher stand. The state’s new laws create harsher penalties on traffickers and extend the window of time for prosecutors to pursue cases. Furthermore, authorities will be able to prosecute people paying for sex as traffickers.

Attorney William Logan “Dick” Barry died Wednesday in a Lexington nursing home at the age of 89. Barry, who once served as publisher of the Lexington Progress newspaper, was elected to the state House in 1954 and became floor leader in 1958. In 1963, with the support of Gov. Frank Clement, he was elected speaker. He served in that position until 1967, when he joined the Ellington administration and served until  Ellington left office in January 1971, with the inauguration of Republican Gov. Winfield Dunn. In accordance with Barry’s wishes, no formal funeral service is planned and at this point no memorial service has been scheduled.

The Administrative Office of the Courts is now accepting applications for a seat on the Judicial Nominating Commission due to the death of Elizabeth T. Collins. The position on the commission will be appointed by the Speaker of the Senate to an unexpired term that ends June 30, 2013 – the date the statutory provisions for the nominating commission expire. Applicants may be either an attorney or non-attorney, but must have lived in West Tennessee for one year prior to the appointment. All applications must be received by noon on May 30.

Court of Appeals Judge Patricia J. Cottrell and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joseph M. Tipton have notified Gov. Bill Haslam that they will not seek retention in the August 2014 election. The departures will create vacancies on the two appeals courts as of Sept 1, 2014 and the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) has elected to complete the nominating process for these two openings prior to June 30. Candidates interested in applying for either opening can find the application and more information here.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Gail Lee spoke to the 12th Judicial District Bar Association in Sewanee where she shared the story of her father’s sacrifice and bravery while incarcerated in a German prison camp during World War II. A  Hamilton County Herald piece relates the justice’s speech and overarching message about appreciating the sacrifices of our veterans. “There’s a lesson in this story for all of us,” Justice Lee said in conclusion. “As we face adversity of a much, much lesser scale, we need to remember each day is a gift. We should face each day with optimism, hope, and determination to succeed. We must never forget the sacrifices our veterans have made for our freedom.”

With the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting record highs, home prices rebounding and interest rates remaining low, observers are watching to see when the office market will join the recovery. It might be a while. Experts believe that law firms, which take up about 17 percent of all U.S. office space and are typically the takers of the newest and best space in large markets, will remain cost-conscious and occupy less space than in previous years. “Our research people have told us that law firms will now be taking 25 percent less space on average,” says Elizabeth Cooper, an international director for brokerage with Jones Lang “I don’t think we’re going to see a day soon of a law firm taking excess space. It’s now all about being lean and mean.” The National Real Estate Investor has the story.