Andrew Tillman became Tennessee’s newest judge after he was sworn in last week to fill the Chancery Court opening in the 8th Judicial District, which serves Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union Counties. The opening was created by the death of Chancellor Billy Joe White. Tillman, who graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1989, worked as a senior law clerk to Judge Charles D. Susano Jr. since 2009. Tillman also worked in private practice, clerked for U.S. Circuit Judge H. Ted Milburn, and taught at the UT College of Law as an adjunct professor. The Claibrorne Progress has the story.

According to a study released by Greentarget, Zeughauser Group, social media use by in-house counsel is at an all time high, the National Law Journal reports. The study confirmed findings suggested by surveys conducted since 2010. LinkedIn remains the top social media site used, with more than 67 percent of in-house counsel reporting having used it either during the past 24 hours or past week. Wikipedia also ranked highly, with 69 percent using it during the past day or week for personal reasons and 49 percent for professional reasons.

On May 1, all federal district courts will begin charging a $50 administrative fee for filing a civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court in addition to the $350 filing fee. The Judicial Conference approved this amendment in September thereby increasing the total filing fee to $400. The administrative fee does not apply to miscellaneous civil cases, habeas corpus cases, or to cases filed by pro se prisoner plaintiffs who have been provisionally granted permission to proceed in forma pauperis.

The University of Tennessee ranked as the top law school in the South for practical and clinical training, while Vanderbilt was ranked number two for quality of faculty and academic instruction in the just released student survey produced by Above the Law, a website that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the world of law. The schools also scored high in several other categories on the survey.

Freshman lawmaker, state Sen. Steven Dickerson (R-Nashville) learned during his first legislative session that even the best-intentioned laws can have unintended consequences. In a feature by the Nashville Legder, Dickerson said he has moved cautiously, trying to fully understand how different proposals might impact different people. “Everybody I’ve spoken to is committed to doing the right thing,” Dickerson says. But, of course, different people have different ideas about what the “right thing” is, he adds. While he thinks Gov. Bill Haslam “struck the perfect balance” with his Medicaid expansion proposal, Dickerson said if Haslam and the feds do reach an agreement, he would defer judgment on his vote until he has had a chance to study the details.

Senate Republicans on Wednesday rejected an amendment to tighten background checks for gun buyers and ban assault weapons, the Nashville City Paper Reports. Tennessee Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker both voted against the legislation. “I voted against the so-called ‘assault weapons’ ban because it clearly infringes on Second Amendment rights, and I voted against the Toomey-Manchin amendment because it could easily evolve into a national gun registry.” Alexander said.

The House today unanimously approved TBA-backed legislation to reform conservatorship law in Tennessee. The vote came after a last-minute amendment that the Tennessean said would create a new and special path for hospitals to move patients unable to make decisions for themselves into lower cost settings such as nursing homes or rehabilitation faculties. The amended bill tomorrow goes back to the Senate, where Tennessee Bar Association Executive Director Allan Ramsaur expects it to get the support needed for passage. “We worked with the hospitals to find a third way of preserving rights but not requiring them to keep someone in the expensive hospital bed," he said of the amendment. TBA members will be able to learn more about the legislation during a program at the 2013 TBA Convention in Nashville that focuses on changes in the law coming out of the current General Assembly session.

Federal prosecutors have indicted 24 Internal Revenue Service employees in Tennessee with theft, the Tennessean reports. The employees were charged with allegedly lying to get unemployment, food stamps, welfare and housing vouchers. The investigation originated with the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which has been focusing specifically on IRS employees who illegally draw government benefits as part of what they call “Operation Double Dip.”

The state Senate today approved legislation to allow teachers who have worked as police officers in the past to carry their guns with them at school. The measure was approved along with provisions that would keep parents from information about which teachers are carrying, or even if a school has any armed teachers. The Tennessean has the story.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law’s first-time pass rate of the February Florida Bar Exam exceeded the state average for the first time in the school’s history, the Florida Courier reports. At 82.6 percent, FAMU beat the state average of 80.2 percent. It is also the first time that the College of Law scored above 80 percent for either the February or July Bar Exam, representing a 17.1 point increase from the prior highest rate for the February 2012 exam.