The Nashville Hispanic Bar Association (NHBA) recently announced its 2025 board of directors. They are: President Ginette Garza Brown, Tennessee State University; Vice President Lody Powers, Davidson County District Attorney's Office; Secretary Lindsay Oakes, TennCare; and Treasurer L. Maverick Flowers, Polsinelli Law Firm. The NHBA began in 2019 as a networking association for Hispanic attorneys, legal professionals and allies. Read more in a press release from the organization. For more information about the group contact hispanicattorneystn@gmail.com and follow its activities on Instagram @HispanicAttorneys.

Happy New Year! The January/February 2025 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is now available online, and the print version is arriving in mailboxes this week. This issue's cover story from Amye Tankersley King and Jake Arning breaks down post-conviction relief and the ins and outs of the process. Donald Caparella and Jacob Vanzin break down the Tennessee Supreme Court's clarification of waiving issues in appellate court, while Edward Phillips and Brandon Morrow caution in their "The Law at Work" column that just because an employee signs an agreement with an arbitration provision does not mean that claims are subject to the provision. In this issue's "Family Matters" column, Marlene Moses and Ansley Tillett assert that equitable does not mean equal when it comes to the division of marital estates in Tennessee. TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. draws a parallel between the relationship of lawyers and whiskey. And we introduce our new "Closing Statements" section!

Doyle E. Richardson died Dec. 28, 2024, at age 89. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1957 and entered Vanderbilt Law School that same year. In 1958, he was called to active military service and assigned to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Among his duties was vetting German scientists brought to the U.S. to work in the rocket program. After completing military service, Richardson re-entered law school and graduated in 1964. He practiced law at several Tullahoma firms, was mayor of Tullahoma from 1986-1987 and served as a member of the TBA Board of Governors. Visitation will be Jan. 3 from 5-8 p.m. CST at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home, 401 N Jackson St., Tullahoma 37388. A memorial service will be held Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. at First Christian Church, 120 West Grundy St., Tullahoma 37388. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the George W. Malcolm Cemetery, 3725 Old Monroe Madison Hwy., Madison, GA 30650 or First Christian Church.

The 114th Tennessee General Assembly opened Jan. 14. The TBA Board of Governors approved legislative proposals submitted by the Adoption Law and Family Law Sections and the Probate Study Group to put forward as legislation during this session. Read more about the proposals, and about TBA's grassroots advocacy efforts surrounding indigent representation.

After more than 60 years, the historic Highlander Research and Education Center in Grundy County, once known as the Highlander Folk School, has reacquired 8.5 acres of its original land. Highlander hosted pivotal civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke in the library that is on the reacquired land. The purchase follows years of tension and disputes with the Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT), including a controversial sale to a third party. Highlander now plans an inclusive design process involving community and civil rights stakeholders to develop a vision for the site, ensuring it benefits the region and honors its legacy. The Tennessee Lookout has the story.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Alistair Newbern of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee recently sat down with the Nashville Business Journal for the paper's "Women of Influence" series. The court hears all criminal and civil cases falling within Article III federal jurisdiction and in the 32 counties that comprise the district. Newbern praises attorneys who take court-appointed cases, and shares her views on the importance of civic education and her next personal goal: learning to play the banjo.

Still need CLE hours to finish strong in 2024? You’ve got until midnight, so let’s do this! Looking for courses in your practice area? Check out these packages! Need ethics hours? We’ve got you covered. Did you miss a program that you were looking forward to taking? We have more than 200 webcast replays to choose from. Whatever you need, the TBA can help you reach the finish line. Thanks for a great 2024 and we’re excited to be your top CLE provider in 2025!

TBA's 20th Annual Bankruptcy Law Forum will take place in Chattanooga, May 16-18, 2025. Friday afternoon's programming will include a discussion on recent developments impacting mortgages in bankruptcies, a bankruptcy case law update and a "View from the Bench" session. On Saturday, attendees will participate in small group discussions with bankruptcy judges from across the state serving as group leaders. Programming on Sunday will cover ethical issues that arise in bankruptcy cases. Get more information about this informative, unique weekend retreat on the TBA website.

The American Bar Association (ABA) Comission on Immigration in June partnered with Microsoft to launch a new virtual clinic to help pro se asylum-seekers complete their asylum applications. During this clinic, which included four sessions, nearly 30 volunteers from Microsoft worked with asylum-seekers to gather necessary information and prepare their applications for submission, according to the ABA Journal. “In an ideal world, we would get everyone an in-person attorney to represent them for the full length of their case,” says Stephanie Baez, the commission's director of pro bono. “But in the reality we live in ... we are trying to be thoughtful and innovative on how we engage the most volunteers to help the most people who would otherwise not be able to access any legal assistance.” For more information or to volunteer, fill out the volunteer interest survey on the Commission on Immigration’s website.

Carey Jerome Thompson, assistant district attorney general in the 23rd Judicial District, died Dec. 11 after a two year battle with glioblastoma. He graduated from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1985 and began his tenure in the district attorney general's office in 1998. Services were held Dec. 20 in Dickson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Dickson Arts Council or First Presbyterian Church of Dickson.