The American Bar Association (ABA) has extended its suspension of a rule requiring law schools to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through efforts like targeted recruitment of underrepresented groups. The suspension, now lasting until August 2026, comes amid legal challenges, executive orders from the Trump administration and communications from the U.S. Department of Justice. The council overseeing law school accreditation cited “extraordinary circumstances” and potential hardship for schools caught between ABA rules and federal law prohibiting race- and gender-based policies in supporting the extension. The council first voted to suspend enforcement of the rule in February. Bloomberg News has more on the story.

Save the date for the annual Federal Practice Forum, which will take place virtually on July 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. Speakers and topics will be announced soon. Stay tuned here for more information.

Metro Nashville government this week released the breakdown of legal settlements paid in 2024, which totaled $4.2 million, a decrease from 2023. The Tennessean reports that all of the settlements were approved by either the Metro Nashville Council or the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board. Combined, the two groups approved 52 settlements in 2024; 40 of them — for a total of $2,854,408 — were approved through the council. Nineteen of the lawsuits were personal injury-related, 12 were for property damage, seven were Title IX-related, five were sidewalk settlements and the remaining nine were categorized as "other/negligence."

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani (GRSM) announced the opening of its newest office in Knoxville, bringing the firm’s national footprint to 83 offices across the United States. Heather Gwin, managing partner of both the Nashville and Knoxville offices, says, “Knoxville is a natural next step for our continued growth in Tennessee. We’ve built a strong foundation in the state, and this expansion allows us to deliver even more localized support to clients while leveraging the full depth of GRSM’s national platform.” The new office, located at 4315 Kingston Pike, Ste. 210, Knoxville 37919, will include five attorneys local to Knoxville and be supported by attorneys in the firm's Nashville office. Read more in a press release.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a brief unsigned order, has allowed the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military, pausing a lower court order that had blocked the policy nationwide. The Department of Defense issued the ban in February, disqualifying "people with gender dysphoria" or those who had undergone related medical treatment, citing concerns over military readiness. Several transgender service members and advocates challenged the policy, and a district judge ruled it unconstitutional. Today's order granted the government's emergency request to suspend the ruling. The court's three Democratic-appointed justices dissented. SCOTUSblog has more.

The May/June issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is now available online! This is the annual Access to Justice-focused issue, with essays highlighting how advancements in AI and technology are helping legal services organizations better serve their clients. Also included is TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr.'s final column, which offers an extensive overview of the various applications of AI in legal services, the benefits it offers, the challenges it faces and the future prospects of AI in enhancing access to justice. Eddy Smith invokes HBO's "Succession" in explaining irrevocable trusts, John Day breaks down data on civil and criminal filings and outcomes in the state court system, Marlene Eskind Moses and Ansley Ownes Tillett explain the implications of the Tennessee Supreme Court's decision in Trezvant v. Trezvant, and members of TBA's Access to Justice Committee share their memorable pro bono opportunities.

Gov. Bill Lee has issued the first veto of his six-year administration, on SB455/HB527, which would have given the state parole board more discretion to deny parole to state prisoners. The Tennessean reports that in a letter notifying the Senate and House speakers of his veto decision, Lee stated that the bill would be "a step backwards from safer Tennessee communities" after implementation of the 2021 Reentry Success Act, which had received bipartisan support in the legislature: "Two years later, Tennessee achieved the lowest recidivism rate in state history, meaning fewer crimes and fewer victims. And I am confident that the Board of Parole and other safeguards ensure parole is awarded appropriately." Lawmakers could call themselves back into session to override the veto or move to do so at the beginning of the 2026 legislative session. The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference released a statement expressing disappointment in the veto, saying, "To ignore the gravity and specific facts of an offender’s crime when determining early release eligibility is not only irresponsible, it is dangerous. It disregards the suffering of victims, erodes trust in the criminal justice system, and places our communities at greater risk."

Knox County District Attorney (DA) Charme Allen last week fired Berkley Mason, an assistant prosecutor, after Knox News asked questions about a now-deleted social media account that allegedly contained racist and sexist messages. In a statement about the firing Allen said: "It is imperative that prosecutors in my office be moral, ethical, fair-minded persons who are able to apply the laws of our state justly to each set of facts presented on a case-by-case basis ... [The account's content] undermines my confidence in [Mason's] ability to uphold his oath as a prosecutor to 'administer justice without respect of person and impartially discharge all of the duties incumbent upon (a prosecutor).'" She also announced a review of the cases handled by Mason and "appropriate corrective action if necessary." According to the paper, as of May 2, 28% of the 111 pending cases Mason had been assigned included a minority defendant. It says it based its calculation on a review of booking photos in JIMS, the court’s online database.

Several local bar associations across the state celebrated Law Day last week. The Maury County Bar Association, which held its first Law Day event since 2018, presented General Sessions Court Judge Bobby Sands with the Liberty Bell Award, recognized Agothos Christian School's participation in the Tennessee State Mock Trial Competition and swore in new Assistant District Attorney Jenni Smith. In East Tennessee, the Knoxville Bar Association's (KBA) celebration included remarks from former state Sen. Lamar Alexander and award of the 2025 Law & Liberty Award to Samantha Monday, substance abuse case manager for the Knox County Sheriff's Office. The KBA Barristers Mock Trial co-chairs also recognized Sevier County High School's mock trial team as the district winner from the February competition. The Nashville Bar Association heard from Judge Curtis Collier as the featured speaker and presented two Liberty Bell awards to the Metro Davidson County Office of Conservatorship Management and Brentwood attorney John Day. Finally, Memphis Bar Association President Lauren Stimac spoke during a naturalization ceremony held by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee to welcome new citizens. The Chattanooga Bar Association's event is planned for May 14.

Five Nashville-area nonprofits behind the Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) program jointly announced this week that they have secured a $2.4 million allocation in Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget recommendation. ERTC is aimed at providing outreach, education and legal aid to qualifying low-income renters facing eviction — the first program of its kind in Middle Tennessee to do so. ERTC is a partnership among nonprofits Legal Aid Society, Nashville Hispanic Bar Association, American Muslim Advisory Council, Rooftop Nashville and Nashville Conflict Resolution Center. The groups recently announced that the program has generated a total financial return of $5.10 for every dollar invested since its launch in July 2022. All low-income Davidson County residents are eligible for the program’s services. Anyone facing eviction who meets eligibility requirements will be provided legal assistance as resources permit. Read more a joint press release from the groups.