The first floor library in the John Sevier State Office Building in downtown Nashville, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2011, has been renamed the “Solicitor General Andrée Sophia Blumstein Room” in honor of General Blumstein. Since 2014, Blumstein — the first female solicitor general for Tennessee — has overseen all appellate litigation practice in the Tennessee Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as all published opinions by the attorney general's office. Blumstein serves as chair of the Tennessee Bar Journal Editorial Board.

The September/October issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is now available online! TBA President Tasha C. Blakney discusses the professional privilege tax in her column and Todd Pinckley looks at how Tennesseans could be affected by the threat of professional deregulation. Bryan Davidson unpacks environmental justice tools, Andy Rowlett talks cyber insurance coverage and Russell Fowler tells the story of a Supreme Court chief justice who shot an unarmed lawyer. Seriously. Our columnists cover a wide range of topics in this issue, and you can catch up on legal news, passages and licensure and discipline updates in The Legal Life. 

The September/October issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal will arrive in your mailbox in the coming weeks! This issue's cover story features Todd Pinckley's take on how the threat of deregulation is affecting some professions. Andy Rowlett parses the in and outs of cyber insurance coverage, Eddy Smith looks at the joint revocable trust and Russell Fowler tells the story of "Fighting Judge Snodgrass." In her President's Perspective, Tasha C. Blakney gives readers a brief history of the professional privilege tax in Tennessee and issues a call to action for lawyers across the state. Don't miss it!

Metro Nashville seeks a juvenile court administrator, which is a full-time civil service position in juvenile court. The administrator will perform managerial and administrative duties to assist the presiding judge, and oversee daily operation of the court as defined in Section 14.19 of the Metropolitan Charter. Duties include planning, directing and supervising activities of the court business office, and acting as liaison with judges, courts, government agencies, the bar and the public. Access the full job description and apply on the Metro Government's website.

WPLN reports that the city of Murfreesboro is suing Middle Point Landfill's owners in federal court over a range of environmental concerns, notably gas odors and contaminated liquids. The landfill's owners want to add 99 adjacent acres to the site, but the regional solid waste board has denied the expansion request. Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland says, "The sources of the odor are simply not trash at the landfill. Landfill-related odors are connected to the way a site is operated, including how the gases and millions of gallons of leachate produced by the landfill are collected and managed." The county and city mayors, as well as residents of Murfreesboro, have been vocal in their opposition to the proposed expansion. 

At its 97th Annual Convention in Memphis, the National Bar Association (NBA) recognized five TBA members in its 2022 class of 40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocates: Miska L. Shaw, Lillian M. Blackshear, LaQuita R. Stokes, Quinton E. Thompson (TBA YLD president-elect) and Jennifer L. Sneed (TBA YLD West Tennessee governor). The convention was hosted by the Ben F. Jones Memphis Chapter of the NBA, which also received the NBA’s Outstanding Affiliate award. Additionally, Blackshear also received the 40 Under 40 Excellence in Leadership Award for outstanding leadership in her law firm and community, and Stokes received both the President's Award and the Outstanding Woman Lawyer in a Solo/Small Firm Award from the Women’s Law Division of the NBA. See photos from the event.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee has announced that after a nationwide search, Nashville attorney Kathy Sinback has been selected to lead the organization as its new executive director, beginning Sept. 6. “From her work seeking clemency for Cyntoia Brown Long to her role in the remarkable transformation of the Davidson County Juvenile Court, Kathy is a proven leader and well-respected advocate in our state,” said ACLU-TN Board Chair Paula Williams. Sinback has served as the Davidson County Juvenile Court administrator since 2014. She will replace Hedy Weinberg, who led the organization for more than 37 years. Read the full press release.

Former Federal Judge and Prosecutor Harry S. "Sandy" Mattice, Jr., who recently stepped down from the federal bench in East Tennessee, has announced the opening of The Mattice Group, a law firm with offices in Chattanooga. The opening marks Mattice’s return to the private practice of law after 20 years of service in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government. The firm will focus its practice in the areas of investigations, complex civil litigation, white collar criminal defense, crisis management and communications, governmental affairs advocacy and mediation. Read the full press release.

Incumbent and newly-elected Knox County judges and chancellors are among judicial officials being sworn in during a ceremony at 3 p.m. EDT Aug. 31, on the second floor of the Supreme Court Building at 505 Main St., Knoxville. Knoxville Bar Association President Jason H. Long will preside over the Sixth Judicial District event. Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee will swear in 13 of the judges, Public Defender Eric Lutton and court clerks Charles D. Susano III and Mike Hammond. Chancellor John F. Weaver will swear in J. Scott Griswold as the new clerk & master. District Attorney General Charme Allen will have the oath administered by Judge Steve Sword. A reception will follow the ceremony. Guests are asked to register for the event.

U.S District Judge Travis McDonough has agreed to grant class-action status to a lawsuit regarding the April 2018 raid of Southeastern Provision slaughterhouse in Grainger County, the Tennessee Lookout reports. According to the ruling, there is "ample evidence" to show that agents targeted the workers in what turned out to be "the largest immigration raid in recent Tennessee history." Jamie Satterfield reports that "court records show agents and federal prosecutors had been meeting for months prior to the search warrant request to plan a round-up of Latinos working at the plant."