Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenged the 122 graduates of the University of Memphis’ Cecil B. Humphreys School of Law to use their law degrees to fight corporate corruption and protect the environment, the Commercial Appeal reports. Law is “a sacred profession,” Kennedy told the law school graduates Sunday afternoon at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. “More than ever, it’s attorneys who are raising their hand or manning the barricades ... to make sure we retain the value of our nation. I hope some of you students will spend at least some of your time if not all of it taking up this battle, recognizing that democracy and the environment are intertwined.”

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has renewed and expanded its lease at the First Tennessee Building in downtown Memphis. According to the Memphis Business Journal, it is the largest law firm in the city and is now taking 27 percent of the 415,658-square-foot office tower.

A fifth trucking company has filed suit against Pilot Flying J in the wake of a federal investigation into charges that the travel center chain cheated truckers out of promised rebates. Filing in U.S. District Court in Alabama, Osborn Transportation of Gasden accused Knoxville company of breach of contract, unjust enrichment fraud and violations of consumer protection statues. Pilot CEO James Haslam has begun to reimburse trucking firms for rebates that were improperly reduced. The Tennessean has more.

Authorities recently seized 19 Tennessee Walking Horses that may have been subjected to cruelty, the Tennessean reports. Trainer Larry Wheelon has not entered a plea on his one count of aggravated cruelty to livestock on suspicion of soring, but vigorously disputed the charges in a statement to a trade magazine. Wheelon’s case echoes last year’s soring scandal involving famed trainer Jackie McConnell whose arrest spurred the Department of Agriculture to release new rules over horse industry groups that handle show inspections.

In a new book titled “The Lawyer Bubble,” author Steven Harper argues that Big Law is taking a huge toll on young lawyers. Harper discusses the reasons why young corporate associates are unhappy with their jobs using findings from a 2007 ABA survey and American Bar Foundation longitudinal study called “After the JD.” The author theorizes that that the intense pressure to log “billable hours” attributes to junior attorneys’ dissatisfaction. Business Insider has the story.

A free legal advice clinic will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library located at 3030 Poplar Ave. in Memphis. Initiated in October 2007, the Saturday Legal Clinic is sponsored by the Memphis Bar Association and Memphis Area Legal Services. This month’s clinic is sponsored by the attorneys and staff at Evans Petree and FedEx. Contact Linda Warren Seely of Memphis Area Legal Services by email or at (901) 523-8822 for more information.

The 23rd Judicial District Drug Court will honor its 100th graduate, Ashley Lloyd, in a graduation ceremony next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom in Charlotte, the Leaf Chronicle reports. The court serves citizens of Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties. The drug court program promotes responsibility and accountability and teaches participants to become productive citizens in the community. It is an alternative to incarceration and integrates chemical dependency treatment and community resources with the criminal justice system.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has expanded its Nashville office with two new, experienced attorneys. Kevin Doherty joins as a partner in the area of insurance regulatory law. Cynthia Wiel joins as Of Counsel also practicing in the captive area. She also concentrates on insurance regulatory law, business law, healthcare law, municipal utility law and wine and liquor regulation. The firm has more than 470 attorneys and government relations professionals practicing from offices in Atlanta, Boston, Tallahassee, Tennessee, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Carolinas.

Shelby County has more sequestered juries than other counties because there is so much business, Memphis District Attorney Amy Weirich tells WREG. In addition to protecting jurors from outside information, the county also provides physical protection, catered lunches, hotel accommodations, and entertainment during cases that get a lot of media attention. The sheriff’s offices budgets $300,000 a year for jury sequestration.

Jurors were chosen this morning for the retrial of 2007 Christian-Newsom torture-slaying defendant George Thomas, Knoxnews reports. Sixteen jurors were picked from 117 potential jurors who showed up for duty. There are eight women, five of whom are black, and eight men, all white. Jurors, who were chosen from Davidson County because of heavy publicity about the case in East Tennessee, will be bused over the weekend to Knoxville. They will stay in an area hotel and be transported together to court.