Attorneys from across the state gathered in Nashville on Wednesday for TBA's fourth annual "Day on the Hill." The day kicked off with remarks from House Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland; Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga; and Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee Vice Chair Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntingdon. The TBA presented the three legislators with President's Awards from Immediate Past President Ed Lanquist Jr. for their work in improving the state's indigent representation system. Participants then met with more than 45 legislators to discuss issues impacting the legal profession and the practice of law. Members of the TBA Leadership Law Class of 2026 also joined the legislative visits for the first time. The day concluded with the TBA's annual Big Shrimp legislative reception, giving TBA leaders and members a chance to meet with legislators in a casual setting to continue conversations on topics important to the profession. See photos from the day.

West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) has announced the formation of a Pro Bono Advisory Board, a new initiative bringing together volunteer attorneys to help expand access to legal services for low-income individuals and families in the region. "Access to justice is a cornerstone of a fair and equitable society," said Andy Cole, WTLS pro bono managing attorney. "The formation of this board represents a meaningful step forward in our mission to serve those who need it most." Board members are Chair Rajanae Jones, Burch Porter & Johnson; Vice Chair Ameshia Forrest, Baptist Memorial Health Care; Secretary Nolen Mooney, Attorney at Law; Misty O’Neal, Law Office of Darrell J. O’Neal; Londyn Norman, Arnold Willis & Conway; Christina McConnell, Tennessee Department of Transportation; Nakota Wood, Fisher & Phillips; Kenneth Groce, Butler Snow; and Devarius Minor, Office of the Shelby County Public Defender. The board will work alongside WTLS staff to identify gaps in legal services, recruit and support volunteer attorneys and develop strategies to increase pro bono participation throughout the region. Read more in a press release.

New data released from the American Bar Association (ABA) shows that Belmont College of Law ranks 10th in the nation for schools with the most successful bar exam passage rate. Belmont students saw a pass rate of 100% for first-time test takers in February 2025 and 96.91% for the July 2025 exam. Stanford, Yale, Duke and Harvard law schools took the top four spots. Reuters reports that the ABA recently released bar exam data detailing national results and figures for the 198 individual U.S. law schools it accredits. The new data shows that 84% of graduates from ABA-accredited law schools who took the bar for the first time passed, which is up one percentage point over the 83% first-time pass rate in 2024.

Retired Henry County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Snyder is the 2026 recipient of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth's (TCCY) Jim Pryor Award for Child Advocacy. “I’m humbled and honored by the award,” Snyder said. “A child should be safe, and every child deserves to be somebody’s someone and not be alone. It is in my heart. It’s my purpose.” During her tenure on the bench, Snyder helped develop the county's Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program and was one of the first juvenile court judges in Tennessee to establish a Safe Baby Court. TCCY awarded the first advocacy award posthumously to Pryor in 1995. Pryor, who died in 1994, was an attorney, a former assistant district attorney, a member of the state Child Sexual Abuse Task Force, and a member of the Northeast Regional Council on Children and Youth. Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

New filing rules are in effect for the Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims. Attorneys now must file documents through TNComp, the court's new electronic filing system. Clerk of the Court Penny Shrum has written a blog post on "From the Bench" with answers to frequently asked questions about the new system, including formatting requirements and what to do if a BPR number is not recognized in the system. On April 1, the clerk’s office will begin returning documents that have not been properly filed electronically.

The U.S. Supreme Court on March 4 ruled unanimously that federal appeals courts must defer to immigration judges’ findings when evaluating asylum claims, applying the "substantial evidence" standard rather than conducting independent reviews. The case arose from an El Salvadoran family whose asylum application was denied, with courts upholding that denial as long as it was backed by reasonable evidence. Bloomberg Law reports that the ruling, written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, arrives as the Trump administration fires immigration judges and instructs replacements to grant asylum only rarely.

Sean R. Aiello, Middle Tennessee governor on the TBA Board of Governors and immediate past president of the TBA's Young Lawyers Division, has announced his reelection campaign for Williamson County Commission to serve District 11 during the 2026-2030 term. He currently serves as vice chair on the commission and recently introduced legislation forming a new County Task Force to study the needs of the county courthouse and explore potential expansion or relocation. Aiello is managing partner for Schell & Oglesby in Franklin. Election day for the county primary is May 5. More information about his campaign can be found at www.seanraiello.com.

The TBA International Law Section's annual forum will provide an overview of the trade and investment landscape as it concerns Tennessee in 2026 and beyond. Programming will focus on Tennessee's foreign direct investment, global health perspectives and partnerships, international financing, global sales and supply chains, and more. Participants will have the opportunity for direct interactive discussions with speakers, and the chance to network, learn about best practices and chart a path to increase capacity for internationalization. Make plans now to join colleagues on May 29 in the TBA's newly renovated CLE classroom. Get more information and register here.

Tomorrow is the deadline to register for TBA’s 4th Annual Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp legislative reception! This year's events will take place March 18 in Nashville, beginning at 10:30 a.m. CDT at the Cordell Hull Building with presentations from TBA’s lobbying team and members of the General Assembly. Attendees then will meet with various legislators throughout the day, focusing on building relationships, championing TBA’s legislative priorities and advocating for elimination of the professional privilege tax. After the day’s meetings, attendees are invited to join colleagues, lawmakers and legislative staff at Hotel Indigo Nashville from 5-7 p.m. for the perennial favorite Big Shrimp legislative reception. The hotel is located at 315 Union St., Nashville 37201. Register here or email govaffairs@tnbar.org with questions.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) has announced that three new members have joined its board of directors. Judge Kathryn W. “Katy” Olita has joined as an attorney board member and represents the Clarksville service area. Olita has been a circuit court judge in Tennessee’s 19th Judicial District since 2018, presiding over civil cases in counties including Montgomery and Robertson. Carletta L. Merritt has joined as a community board member, also representing the Clarksville service area. Wesley “Wes” Mack Bryant, a managing partner at Parks, Bryant & Snyder PLLC in Columbia, has joined as an attorney board member representing the Columbia office. “We’re proud to welcome Carletta, Wes and Katy to our board of directors,” said DarKenya W. Waller, executive director of LAS. “They bring different but equally valuable backgrounds that will be beneficial in focusing our services on those in Middle Tennessee who need legal assistance the most. We look forward to their input and advocacy and are grateful for their willingness to serve.” Read more about the new board members in a press release.