The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law will celebrate the dedication of the Pamela Reeves Institute for Professional Leadership on April 17 at 4 p.m. EDT. RSVP by April 8. A 1979 graduate of the law school, Reeves was the first woman to serve as both district judge and chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Prior to joining the bench, she was respected mediator in private practice and served as TBA president from 1998-1999. View the event invitation.

John Peden Valliant Jr., age 78, died March 29. He graduated from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law and served in the U.S. Army National Guard during the Vietnam War era, returning to Knoxville where his law practice spanned five decades. Valliant was deeply involved in civic life and served as chair of the Knox County Democratic Party in 1982. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley, 6717 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919, or Helping Mamas, 10908 McBride Lane, Knoxville, TN 37932. A memorial gathering will be held on April 1 from 11 to 11:30 a.m. EDT at French Broad Veteran's Memorial Park, 2302 E. Gov. John Sevier Highway, Knoxville 37914, overlooking the river at the court of flags.

A three-judge panel from the Court of Criminal Appeals heard oral arguments last week at the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Judges Timothy L. Easter, J. Ross Dyer and Tom Greenholtz, a Winston Law graduate, sat for the court and heard cases including State v. Price, State v. James, State v. Simmons and State v. Lacey. Proceedings can be replayed on the court's YouTube channel. “The law students can actually see a real-life case being argued with real-life names, real-life people, real-life lawyers. We just think it gives flesh and bones to an otherwise stale opinion they might read,” said Easter. “For us, we get to see the future of the bar and these students and it’s a shot in the arm for us to do that.” Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Memphis City Councilmember JB Smiley has announced his candidacy for Shelby County mayor in the upcoming August election. Smiley received his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's William H. Bowen School of Law. Following graduation he started Smiley & Associates in 2017. Serving on the city council since 2020, Smiley has led initiatives such as co-sponsoring a resolution in support of the After School Act to strengthen after-school programs aimed to reduce crime among at-risk youth. His focus has been on police brutality, criminal justice and blight in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Learn more on his campaign website www.votejbsmiley.com or in a press kit.

The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled 8-1 in favor of a Christian counselor challenging Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority that lower courts applied too lenient a standard and that the law improperly targets speech based on viewpoint. The Hill reports that the decision could affect similar laws in more than 20 states, though Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor suggested more carefully written state laws might survive future challenges. According to SCOTUSblog, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenter, arguing that established precedent gives states broad authority to regulate medical treatments provided by licensed healthcare professionals, and that the majority's ruling dangerously limits states' ability to protect minors in a clinical setting.

Haywood County lawyer Carmon Thomas "Tommy" Hooper III died March 28 at age 95. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1953 and, after three years of military service, entered Vanderbilt University Law School on the G.I. Bill, receiving his law degree in 1959. Hooper joined a Brownsville firm founded by Larry Morgan and Alex Gray, and following their deaths in the 1960s, he maintained a solo legal practice until February of this year. He was also a "citizen lawyer," serving six years in the Tennessee House of Representatives, 15 years on the Haywood County Commission and 18 years as county attorney. A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church (FUMC), 117 E. Franklin St., Brownsville 38012 at 11 a.m. CDT on April 3. The family will gather for a graveside burial before the service. Memorials may be made to FUMC Brownsville or a charity of the donor's choice.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Judge Stacy Street to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section. Street currently is serving as a criminal court judge in the 1st Judicial District. He earned his bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University and law degree from the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Street’s appointment fills a vacancy created by Judge Kyle Hixson’s elevation to the Tennessee Supreme Court. The appointment is effective July 7 and is subject to legislative confirmation. Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, an 18-year-old Nashville nonprofit providing free or low-cost immigration legal services, has adopted a co-directorship model — bringing on Melinda Noblitt alongside existing leader Tessa Lemos Del Pino — to handle the surge in demand driven by rapidly changing immigration policy. Caseloads have nearly doubled, jumping from about 1,000 cases in 2024 to nearly 1,900 in 2025, with staff also fielding around 2,000 calls from people seeking help, information or referrals. The nonprofit says immigrants with legal status are being detained because officers often don't understand the complexity of documentation. With the new leadership structure, the organization aims to build more nonprofit partnerships, pursue additional grant funding and expand capacity — while helping immigrants understand their constitutional rights in the current climate. The Nashville Business Journal has the story.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed a rule that would rescind the Biden administration's 2024 independent contractor rule and replace it with a framework modeled on the 2021 rule, re-centering the worker classification analysis on two core factors: the degree of control over work and the worker's opportunity for profit or loss. According to Bloomberg Law, unlike the 2024 rule's six-factor equal-weight analysis, the new proposal treats other considerations as secondary and emphasizes that actual working practices matter more than contractual language. Employers currently face a split landscape, as the DOL has already shifted its enforcement approach away from the 2024 rule, while private plaintiffs can still invoke it in court until it is formally rescinded. The proposal is not yet final — public comments are due by April 28 — and employers using contractor models are advised to review their classification practices, keeping in mind that stricter state laws will continue to apply regardless of the federal outcome.

Gibson County Safe Baby Court (SBC) held its first graduation ceremony on March 13, reuniting a mother with her four children. “If I didn't have Safe Baby Court, I wouldn't have my babies back now,” said Stacey, a SBC graduate. “Thanks to all the support from Safe Baby and Recovery, I have a new life today.” Gibson County Juvenile Court implemented the SBC in 2024, becoming the third county in West Tennessee to do so. “Safe Baby Court is not easy,” said Juvenile Court Judge Mark Johnson. “It is a long road for parents who have the willingness to make life better for their young children, but not always the ability to succeed without help. Stacey’s case is a perfect example of teamwork between two separate judges and courts.” Read more in a profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.