Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) recently announced in an email to TBA that it has received two new grants to help fund improvements to its services for low-income residents of Middle Tennessee. The Lawyers Trust Account has awarded LAS a $50,000 grant, which will fund the printing of forms and packets for pro se litigants, as well as a series of legal explainer videos for LAS's website. Additionally, Legal Services Corporation's (LSC) Pro Bono Innovation Fund has awarded LAS a $106,717 grant to implement recommended changes to its pro bono program. The recommendations came from a consultant who analyzed the program, which was funded by a previous LSC grant.

The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) recently announced the members of the 2026 Nashville Bar Foundation (NBF) leadership class. In 2014, NBF established the Leadership Forum — a nine-month leadership program for lawyers with three to eight years of experience — to bring together emerging leaders who participate in monthly workshops to help them realize their potential and benefit the legal profession and the local community. NBF President Laura Smith says, "We are proud to welcome the 2026 Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum class. This distinguished group of attorneys represents the future of leadership in our profession. We are confident that their contributions will strengthen both the legal community and the broader Nashville community for years to come." Read more about the class in a press release.

Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall (HSGLaW) recently announced it has moved to new office office space in Nashville's midtown. “Our roots in Nashville run deep, and we’re thrilled to reaffirm our commitment to this community by moving into a new, purpose-built space,” said founding member Tricia Herzfeld. “Nashville is not just where we work — it’s our home. We look forward to continuing to stand up for working people in Tennessee and across the nation from this new base.” In addition to its Nashville headquarters, HSGLaW maintains offices in Cincinnati, Louisville and Washington, D.C. The firm now is located at 1920 Adelicia St., Ste. 300, Nashville 37212. Visit www.hsglawgroup.com for more information.

Retired Court of Appeals Judge Alan Highers died Aug. 27 at age 88. He received his law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Highers practiced law with Gerber & Gerber and with Neely, Green & Fargarson in Memphis until he was appointed chief magistrate at the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County. In 1982, Gov. Lamar Alexander appointed him to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Western Section, and he later became the senior appellate judge in Tennessee. Highers retired in 2014, after 37 years of judicial service. Memorial gifts may be sent to The Highers Scholarship at Freed-Hardeman University, 158 East Main St., Henderson, TN 38340.

The 2025 Equal Justice University (EJU) was held this week at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro with the theme "Moving Forward Together." The event included award and recognition events, CLE programs, committee and task force meetings and networking events. EJU, hosted by the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS), is the annual gathering of hundreds of lawyers, advocates, social worker professionals and pro bono attorneys involved in providing civil legal assistance and access to justice across Tennessee. Speakers during the conference included TBA President Heidi Barcus, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary L. Wagner and Sharon Roberson, president & CEO of the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee. Past TBA President Jim Barry also shared brief updates from the Drowota Trust.

Barcus was the featured speaker at EJU's Leadership Luncheon, sponsored by the TBA, where she thanked those working in the access to justice field and said the TBA is proud to be part of a collaborative effort to provide quality and accessible legal services across the state. Barcus acknowledged that legal aid is currently navigating growing client needs amid threats to funding. She recognized legal service organizations in the state for working together to build long-term strategies to help support clients and their families. "Through these challenges, you — and your teams, staff and volunteers — are continuing to provide life-changing legal services to those in need, every day," she said.

Barcus closed by noting the importance of educating and engaging Tennessee lawyers around the many ways to support legal services. She said "there is no shortage of needs or opportunities for attorneys, mediators, paralegals, students, to actively engage in support for legal services. We want to promote and help lawyers engage with meaningful opportunities to support" legal aid organizations. See photos from the luncheon and look for a wrap up of awards presented at the conference in TBA Today next week.

The Tennessee Attorney General’s (AG) Office has announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has closed a matter in which it alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners (TBLE) and the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP). DOJ opened an investigation in 2023 after TBLE referred two bar applicants with histories of concerning conduct to TLAP, which required those applicants to comply with reasonable medical assessments and monitoring as conditions for practicing law in Tennessee. The office called the investigation a "baseless overreach" in a press release announcing DOJ's decision. The TBLE oversees attorney admissions, ensuring candidates meet required standards of character and fitness. TLAP provides confidential support to attorneys facing substance abuse, mental health and related challenges. Both organizations operate under the authority of the Tennessee Supreme Court, which has long promoted policies ensuring fair treatment for all applicants.

Austin Peay State University (APSU) recently announced that it has received a generous gift to establish the James T. McCoin II Memorial Scholarship Endowment, which will support undergraduate students who intend to pursue law school following graduation. To qualify for this scholarship, students must hold at least 75 credits toward degree completion, maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better and be enrolled full-time. McCoin was an APSU graduate and lawyer who advocated for youth and community-focused clients. "This scholarship honors James's legacy as someone who dedicated his career to advocating for youth and creating positive environments across Tennessee," said endowment funder Angie McCoin. "By supporting future law students, we hope to continue the important community-focused work that was so central to James's professional life."

Nashville General Sessions Court officials are moving forward with a plan to add six judicial assistants to help night court judges set and enforce bond conditions, aiming to close gaps in criminal history checks and ensure defendants sign off on bond terms. Supporters, including Judge Jim Todd, say the changes will improve public safety and enforcement, especially with a new law making bond violations an arrestable offense. Public Defender Martesha Johnson, by contrast, warned the process could pressure defendants into self-incrimination and compromise judicial neutrality, since many arrestees will not yet have access to legal counsel when questioned. Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron said the goal is for a patrol officer who pulls someone over for a traffic violation to be able to see if the person is violating a current bond condition, information that is not immediately accessible now. The Nashville Banner has the story.

Former Knox County Juvenile Court Magistrate Robin Gunn has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was illegally discriminated against and fired for opposing unconstitutional practices in the juvenile court system. Gunn, the only Black member of the county judiciary, alleges Judge Timothy Irwin and Family Services Supervisor Stacey Turpin engineered her termination after she objected to policies she claims violated due process and parental rights, and after a dispute over handling a custody case that led to an endangered child alert. Knox News reports that the suit contends her race played a role in how her actions were judged, and that she faced retaliation including reprimands, surveillance and exclusion before being fired on Sept. 16, 2024.

Phillip Young, a partner in the Nashville-based Thompson Burton law firm, has been appointed receiver for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey amid a lawsuit alleging more than $100 million in loan defaults to Farm Credit Mid-America. According to the Nashville Post, U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley ordered the receivership, citing concerns about the company’s solvency and loan security, though Uncle Nearest’s operations will continue as usual. Company owners supported the appointment saying the move is intended to stabilize and strengthen the business. But they also blamed a former financial officer for fraudulent activity that contributed to the dispute.