Organizers behind the Judge Dinkins Educational Center — a trade school for teenagers — hosted an introductory reception earlier this month. The organization is currently operating out of the McGruder Family Resource Center until a standalone building can be built. Tim Forbes, a former Catholic school principal, has been hired to lead the effort. Board members, including former Mayor Karl Dean and Judge Sheila Calloway, introduced the concept to the community at the event. See pictures from the reception in the Nashville Post.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee have released case materials for the 2024 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. Students will present their best arguments in a criminal scenario centered around an evening of pranks and alleged revenge that goes terribly wrong, leading to charges of vandalism, burglary and felony murder. District competitions will be held in February. Teams advancing to the state competition will meet in Nashville March 22-23 to determine the Tennessee champion. Tennessee's winner will represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Wilmington, Delaware, May 2-5. The Mock Trial Committee is led by Chair Ashley Tipton, Vice-chair Michael Holmes and Long Range Planning Coordinator Zack Walden. Access resources for the upcoming competition.

The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Monday vacated a lower court’s approval of a class action lawsuit comprising nearly 11.8 million Ohio residents against manufacturers of “forever chemicals” that are said to contaminate the environment, Reuters reports. The court ruled that the lead plaintiff, Ohio firefighter Kevin Hardwick, didn’t have standing to sue 10 companies over the chemicals found in his bloodstream. The appeals court instructed the lower court to dismiss the lawsuit, which had aimed to force the companies to pay for studies analyzing the health impacts of chemicals known as PFAs used in a wide range of consumer products including firefighting foam and non-stick pans. The PFAs have been tied to cancer and other diseases.

The Texas State Bar told the state’s Supreme Court Monday that First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster should face professional misconduct claims for his role in an unsuccessful challenge to Joe Biden's 2020 presidential win, Reuters reports. The bar's Commission for Lawyer Discipline, which polices attorney conduct, urged the court to allow its case to move forward, claiming Webster should be reprimanded for alleged dishonest statements. The case will test the power of the commission to enforce attorney ethics rules against members of executive agencies. Webster serves under Texas Attorney General Paxton who is currently fighting a misconduct case from the bar over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

A group of state supreme court justices and court administrators from around the U.S. will examine whether law schools are adequately preparing students for real-world practice, reports Reuters. The 12-member Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform is a joint effort by the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. The group will research legal education, admissions processes and a decline in the number of public interest attorneys. The committee will issue reform recommendations to state supreme courts in 2025. The National Conference of Bar Examiners will debut a new national bar exam in 2026 with a focus on practical skills over on law memorization.

Knox County prosecutors have dismissed charges against a Starbucks shift manager injured by Knox County sheriff's deputies, reports Knox News. The sheriff's office has opened an internal investigation into the man's arrest. Nashon Bain-Greenidge, a recent college graduate who worked at Starbucks to put himself through school, suffered serious cuts to his head and face and injuries to his hand when deputies arrested him outside the shop after he asked them why they had blocked entry to the parking lot. Knox News reports the deputies filed sparse and contradictory statements about the event. A sheriff's office spokesperson declined to answer whether either of the deputies has previously been the subject of civilian complaints.

Members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) participated in two clinics last week donating an estimated $10,000 in legal services. Board members Paige Barbeauld and Shelby Silvey organized an Essential Documents for Essential Workers clinic in Montgomery County serving 35 members of the Montgomery County Fire and Clarksville Police Departments. In addition, Belmont University College of Law joined forces with the YLD and Rutherford County Recovery Court’s Re-Entry Program to host an expungement clinic at the county's Adult Detention Center and Work Center. Board members Alix Rogers, Ross Smith and YLD attorney Ginny Blake worked alongside 10 students to assist 48 clients and complete paperwork to expunge 176 charges. See photos from the events.

The U.S. Justice Department is partnering with law enforcement agencies on a new initiative to target violent groups threatening communities in and around Memphis. Resources include federal prosecutors from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, as well as investigative agents, analysts and forensic experts from ATF, FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service. “The threat from organized criminal enterprises requires that we bring significant resources to bear,” said Kevin G. Ritz, U.S. attorney for the Western District. The initiative will include prevention and intervention as well as coordination with the Western District’s Reentry Court Program, which assists offenders in reintegrating into their communities.

A new survey of 390 pre-law students polled in September by test prep company Kaplan show 58% said it was important to go to a school where students hold the same political and social views as they do, reports Reuters. In 2020, only 46% of students told Kaplan that political and social views were important. The survey was conducted before escalating tensions on college campuses between Palestinian and Israeli supporters. The American Bar Association is preparing a requirement for law schools to develop and publish free speech policies.

Newspaper publisher Gannett has asked a federal judge in Virginia to dismiss a proposed class action that accuses it of discriminating against white employees in an effort to diversify its newsrooms, Reuters reports. The five named plaintiffs in the suit say they were fired or passed over for promotions to make room for less-qualified women or minorities. The suit comes amid a growing backlash to corporate diversity policies following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that struck down race-conscious college admissions policies. Gannett says the plaintiffs failed to identify a discriminatory company-wide policy and cannot sue as a class because their claims involve isolated decisions by individual managers.