Tyree B. Harris IV died on Nov. 19 at age 80 according to his law firm. He graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1967 and from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1970. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where he served in the JAG Corp from 1970 until 1973. Harris returned to Nashville to join the firm of Hooker, Keeble, Dodson & Harris (later Dodson, Harris, Robinson & Aden). In 2011, he formed his own firm of Harris, Brown & Associates, where he practiced until his death. He moved to Lexington, Virginia in 2020, and was very active with the Moot Court Program at Washington & Lee University while continuing to practice law in Nashville.

The TBA Pro Bono Portal provides a centralized source for lawyers and law students to find pro bono opportunities across Tennessee, like the following need from West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS). In this case, WTLS is seeking an attorney to help a client create a conservatorship for their adult disabled son and daughter. Get more information about the requirements associated with this opportunity or browse other pro bono needs.

In the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order soliciting comments from the legal community, the court asks whether it "should modify, reduce, or eliminate regulations prohibiting nonlawyer ownership of law firms or fee sharing with nonlawyers." Arizona, Utah and Puerto Rico formally changed their rules earlier this year to allow nonlawyer ownership. California and Florida rejected proposals to allow nonlawyer ownership. Washington launched a pilot program to allow entities with innovative business models (including those operated by individuals not licensed to practice law) to apply to offer legal services under timebound, limited exemptions of the rules governing the practice of law. At the end of the pilot, the state’s Supreme Court will consider the accumulated data to determine whether to move forward with more permanent regulatory reforms. Feedback on Tennessee's potential modification of nonlawyer ownership of law firms or fee sharing with nonlawyers may be sent to TBA's newly formed Legal Access & Regulatory Reform Task Force at townhall@tnbar.org as well as directly to the court. Watch TBA Today to learn more about the seven points in the Supreme Court’s order and specific ways to engage with the task force. Visit TBA's Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page for more information.

An item in Tuesday's TBA Today attributed an Instagram post displaying a constituent's address to Metro Nashville Councilmember Rollin Horton. The post was anonymous and did not come from Horton. The original story has been corrected.

The TBA is offering the "Experience TBA Convention" Package, a convenient year-end option that delivers three and a half general and four and a half dual hours through highlights from this year’s Annual Convention. The package features a lineup of sessions on timely and essential topics, including famous Tennessee trials, trailblazing women in the law, artificial intelligence in legal practice, the 2025 legislative update, attorney wellness, legal technology, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Check out the specific courses included on the TBA CLE website. Looking for something else? TBA also has six, eight, 10, 12 and 15-hour packages based on specific topics or practice areas, live webcasts and on-demand video all month long. Explore all the Year End options to complete your CLE requirement by Dec. 31.

Five Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) board members and the district have sued the Shelby County Election Commission, arguing that new state and county election changes unlawfully shorten their four-year terms by forcing them onto the 2026 ballot. The lawsuit claims the changes violate the Tennessee Constitution and were a coordinated effort by lawmakers and county commissioners to punish board members who voted to fire former Superintendent Marie Feagins. According to the Daily Memphian, attorneys are seeking an injunction to block the five seats from appearing on the 2026 ballot as partisan school board elections. Feagins in November announced she would run for Shelby County mayor.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Dec. 15 censured Alabama lawyers William Jefferson Cranford III and Matthew Brett Reeves. According to the court, Cranford drafted, signed and personally filed two motions for a client that included fabricated citations generated by using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The citations were added to the motions by another attorney, but the court found that Cranford had an obligation to check the citations before signing the motions and filing them. It also determined that he failed to act with diligence and caused a delay in his client’s case. In addition, the court found that Reeves personally used AI to add citations to two motions. The court found that the citations were fabricated and Reeves took no action to check their accuracy. It also determined that he failed to act with diligence and caused a delay in his client’s case. The actions of Cranford and Reeves were deemed to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 3.2 and 8.4.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) has promoted Assistant Professor of Law Kayla Swiney to director of bar success. In this role, Swiney will oversee bar preparation initiatives and provide support to students and graduates throughout the bar exam and admissions process. Swiney’s leadership will be central as the law school transitions to preparing students for the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam, according to a news release. “I am so excited to take on the role of director of bar success and to assist our students from their first day of law school through the final stages of bar preparation,” Swiney said. “The implementation of the NextGen bar exam will allow me the unprecedented opportunity to work side by side with our graduates to ensure they feel supported, confident and ready to succeed on this new exam.”

Attorneys for Metro Nashville's legal department have reviewed an ethics complaint against Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton, filed by a group of his West Nashville constituents. The attorneys found that, if true, the allegations in the complaint did not rise to ethics violations and will recommend to the Board of Ethical Conduct that the complaint be dismissed. The complaint stems largely from a failed recall effort and cites incidents including an Instagram post that displayed a resident’s address, police being called on petition gatherers and alleged pressure on business owners. The Nashville Banner reports on the developments.

The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) named Sherie Edwards as its 2026 president at its Annual Meeting last week. Edwards, a former TBA president, received her law degree from Nashville School of Law in 1996, and completed her MBA at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Business in 2012. She retired as vice president of corporate and legal at SVMIC in 2024 after 25 years with the company and plans to launch a mediation practice in early 2026. Edwards also is a board member at the Tennessee Justice Center, a member of the National Conference of Bar Presidents Executive Council, president-elect of the Harry Phillips Inn of Court, and a delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. Other new officers announced were 1st Vice President Ben Raybin, 2nd Vice President Judge Ana Escobar, President-elect Beau Creson, 1st Vice President-elect Cherrelle Hooper, 2nd Vice President-elect Josh Burgener, Secretary Victoria Gentry, Treasurer Billy Leslie, YLD President Ryan Loufbourrow, General Counsel Lela M. Hollabaugh, and new board members Jason Gichner, Callie Hinson, Jae Lim, Bart Pickett, Tabitha Robinson and Princess Rogers. The NBA also presented the John C. Tune Public Service Award to Rebecca Lyford. The award recognizes members who make outstanding contributions to the greater Nashville area community while distinguishing themselves as practicing attorneys. Read more in a press release.