The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago, accusing them of impeding new immigration enforcement policies. The suit is seeking a court order to set aside sanctuary laws, arguing such measures are unconstitutional because of the federal government’s supremacy. The Hill reports that soon after taking office as the new attorney general, Pam Bondi issued a memo stating that “sanctuary” jurisdictions should not receive funds from DOJ grant programs, and the department should take actions against jurisdictions that impede immigration enforcement.

New data from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) reveals a record level of representation for women, people of color and LGBTQ individuals in U.S. law firms — especially for women, who now constitute 55.4% of associates. But the study also found that the percentage of women summer associates in 2024 dropped 0.7% of a point from last year — the first decline since 2013, the National Jurist reports. The authors warn this drop may indicate more sluggish growth in coming years. In addition, Black individuals experienced a second consecutive year of declining representation in the summer associate ranks. Overall, diversity in summer associate programs was up due to increased representation from Asians and multi-racial individuals. Read more about the 2024-2025 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms in this news release from NALP.

East Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women (ETLAW) recently announced new leaders and board members for the year. Bianca White is president and law school liaison for the group. Jennifer Franklyn is president-elect, Katie Ogle is treasurer, Christina Magrans-Tillery is secretary, Stephanie Coleman is historian, Jennifer Egelston is Membership Committee chair, Bridget Pyman is Programming Committee chair, Kendal Walker is Communications Committee chair and Adriannette Williams is Community Outreach chair. Membership Committee members are Allison Starnes-Angela, Elizabeth Carroll and Geran Minor. Programming Committee members are Caitlin Torney and Emily Cala.

The Tennessee Attorney General’s (AG) Office announced this week that the Tennessee Public Utility Commission denied almost all of a $13.9 million annual rate increase requested by Tennessee-American Water Company, which would have affected utility customers in and around Chattanooga. The AG’s Consumer Advocate Division, joined by the city of Chattanooga, opposed the rate increase. Also this week, in advance of Sunday’s Super Bowl, the AG’s office warned consumers of the risks of wagering with an unlicensed sportsbook. The office said that scammers use fake sites to steal both money and consumers’ identities. Tennesseans should ensure whatever company they use is licensed with the state.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider five applicants when it meets March 11 in Chattanooga to select nominees for a circuit court judge vacancy in the 11th Judicial District, which covers Hamilton County. The applicants are Charles W. Gilbreath II, Christina R. Mincy, Jennifer K. Peck, Patrick Alan Wagner and William Matthew Wayne. The public hearing to consider applicants will be held at The Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 Broad St., Chattanooga 37204 beginning at 9 a.m. EDT. Any member of the public may attend the public hearing and can express, orally or in writing, objections concerning any of the applicants. For more information, contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, or call 615-741-2687.

The TBA has released the February episode of its BarBuzz podcast, featuring a deep dive into the association’s advocacy efforts now that the Tennessee legislative session is underway. In this episode, TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright is joined by TBA lobbyists Berkley Schwarz and Ashley Harbin, who, along with Brad Lampley, lead the TBA’s legislative initiatives. The group discusses how the TBA identifies and addresses key legislative issues, with a focus on the current session’s proposals, which include adoption, family law and probate bills. They also explore the TBA’s role in defending against legislation that could impact the practice of law and highlight efforts to improve legal services for indigent clients. The conversation wraps up with insights on how TBA members can get involved in advocacy work during this crucial time. BarBuzz is a monthly show that recaps legal news, upcoming TBA events and more. It is available on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find past episodes in the BarBuzz archive.

TBA members were sent an email Friday with a ballot for the two candidates running for TBA vice president. The email was sent from Intelliscan Inc. If you did not receive the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder or with your firm’s IT administrator. If you still did not receive it, or have any other questions about the process, contact elections@tnbar.org. Electronic voting began Jan. 31 and will close on Feb. 14.

The U.S. Senate voted 54-46 on Tuesday to confirm Pam Bondi as the next attorney general, The Hill reports. She was sworn in today at a ceremony at the White House with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administering the oath of office. In comments today, Bondi pledged to "restore integrity to the Justice Department" and "fight violent crime throughout this country" and the world. In one of her first acts after taking office, Bondi called for the creation of a “weaponization working group” that will examine the work of special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump in two criminal cases, and review decisions to charge individuals connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Associated Press reports.

In an unanimous vote Tuesday, the TSSAA rejected a proposed high school “transfer portal.” The Tennessean reports that a motion to deny the measure passed 12-0, despite lawmakers urging the TSSAA to amend its long-standing transfer rule, which requires athletes who transfer to a school in a different zone to be ineligible for one calendar year from their last varsity game unless they have a bona fide change of address. The proposal would have allowed one transfer without residency requirements. The council pledged to discuss potential changes to transfer rules in the future and has requested a special meeting before its regularly scheduled April session to address the issue further.

The American Bar Association (ABA) urged the presidential administration to roll back its executive order calling for federal investigations into diversity and inclusion efforts by bar associations, citing the groups' First Amendment rights, Reuters reports. The ABA's resolution, adopted Monday, asks the administration to modify the executive order to clarify that it will not be enforced in a manner that infringes on constitutional rights. “The First Amendment prohibits the federal government from interfering with the expressive rights of bar associations and others by threatening them with investigation and prosecution for adopting or promoting [diversity and inclusion],” reads a report supporting the resolution. Last year, attorneys general from 21 states, including Tennessee, sent a letter to the ABA opposing efforts to impose race-based admissions and hiring requirements on law schools through the accreditation process.