Less than 24 hours after announcing it would drop its appeals of rulings in favor of four major law firms that previously won rulings blocking President Donald Trump’s executive orders against them, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reversed course. Bloomberg Law reports that the DOJ notified the four law firms today that it would file motions to withdraw its previously filed dismissal of appeals in the cases against Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey and Jenner & Block.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Chattanooga Division, and the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association have announced the topic for their annual civics essay contest. This year, students will respond to the question, "Does the Fourth Amendment protect a cell phone user’s location data?" The contest is open to public, private and home school students in 6th to 12th grade in Bedford, Bledsoe, Bradley, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Lincoln, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Moore, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie, Warren and Van Buren counties in Tennessee; and Dade, Catoosa and Walker counties in Georgia. Entries for the contest should be emailed to chattcivicsessay@gmail.com or mailed to Civics Essay Contest, Attn: Kelly L. Walsh, U.S. Courthouse, 900 Georgia Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37402 by March 27. Visit the court's website for more information.

The March/April issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is now available online! The cover story by mentor and mentee pair Buck Lewis and Brock Willis offers a proactive, strategic approach that emphasizes regular engagement and long-term growth rather than reactive crisis management. In her President's Perspective column, Heidi Barcus also encourages lawyers to mentor others, not only because it strengthens the profession, but also because it strengthens the community. A feature story by Daniel Horwitz on waiver rules in Tennessee appellate procedures and columns on TLAP's 2025 annual report, competency to stand trial and Elvis' autopsy cases offer a wide variety of reading on topics of interest to Tennessee lawyers. Also get an update from the Drowota Trust and news from the TBA, including new leadership coming in 2028 and an update on construction at the new TBA office.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee has announced the recent hiring and assignment of five new assistant U.S. attorneys. They are Jennifer Collins, Meghan Fowler, Raven Icaza, Gavin Smith and Irris Williams. He also announced one new special assistant U.S. attorney, Darrius Samples, and two new support staff positions in his office. “With the dramatic increase in our case filings since October, these new positions are much needed, and a welcome addition to our outstanding staff who effectively represents the United States, enforces the rule of law, and protects public safety in West Tennessee every day,” Dunavant said. Read more about the new hires in a press release.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 27 suspended Davidson County lawyer Michael Lloyd Freeman from the practice of law for six years with four years to be served on active suspension and the remaining two years to be served on probation. Additionally, Freeman must obtain an evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP), pay restitution and  engage a practice monitor. A hearing panel found that during the representation of multiple clients, Freeman acted outside the scope of representation, acted in a way that was prejudicial to the administration of justice, and failed to protect client funds, communicate with clients, and act competently and diligently. These actions were found to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.15, 1.16, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4.

Memphis-based FedEx has filed a lawsuit seeking refunds of fees it paid under the Trump administration's emergency tariffs. The move comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration exceeded its authority in imposing the tariffs. That decision opens the door to potential refunds on more than $175 billion in tariff collections, prompting expectations of widespread litigation from companies seeking repayment. FedEx is pursuing a full refund of the duties it paid, though the lower courts must still determine how the recovery process will be implemented. Experts say consumers are unlikely to qualify without detailed documentation. Reuters has the story.

Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday announced the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) will join the Trump administration’s “A Home for Every Child” initiative, a national effort led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to expand the number of foster families and improve outcomes for children. DCS will partner with ACF and the Children’s Bureau to support improvement work connected to the federal Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process. Tennessee’s participation will focus on outcomes-driven goals to expand the number of licensed foster homes, retain current foster families, support kinship caregivers, strengthen prevention services, and improve visibility into capacity and outcomes through more timely data and reporting. Read more in a press release.

The number of judges in U.S. immigration courts has dropped by about a quarter in the last year due to firings and resignations — even when accounting for new hires, according to NPR. Twelve immigration courts have lost over half of their judges while two courts have no judges at all. Former judges and staff say the system’s ability to provide timely, fair hearings has been strained, while the U.S. Department of Justice maintains the changes are intended to improve efficiency and enforce immigration laws. New hiring efforts have focused on bringing in judges with law-enforcement or military backgrounds as the remaining courts face mounting backlogs.

Canada is one of Tennessee’s largest international trading partners, and as trade and entry policies change through new agreements, tariffs, retaliatory measures or legislation, it is imperative to plan ahead, manage risk and compliance, and maintain competitiveness. This webcast, hosted by TBA's International Law Section on March 26, will address what Tennessee lawyers must know about cross-border tax issues, income tax and estate tax considerations, planning for purchases of real estate, crossing the U.S.-Canada border, traveling with criminal records and general best practices. Register on the TBA's website.

The TBA’s 4th Annual Day on the Hill and the Big Shrimp legislative reception will take place March 18 in Nashville. The day will begin 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.