The Minnesota Court of Appeals today upheld the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, rejecting Chauvin's request for a new trial. The panel of three judges rejected Chauvin's argument that the judge in his 2021 state trial made multiple errors and abused his discretion, including denying Chauvin's request to move the trial outside of Minneapolis. Reuters has more on the ruling.

A former University of Tennessee College of Law employee is facing wire fraud charges after he allegedly deposited $70,000 in donations intended for the university into his own account, WATE reports. An unsealed indictment allegedly states that Andrew Shafer was charged with two counts of felony wire fraud on March 15. Shafer joined the law school in August 2020 to lead fundraising efforts. He left in March 2022. He also apparently worked in alumni and development roles at the university between 2007 and 2012. The two transactions are believed to have happened in the fall of 2021.

U.S. News & World Report will delay the release of its law school rankings by one week to April 25, Inside Higher Ed reports. The magazine typically gives graduate schools the opportunity to review their data during an “embargo period.” This year, the magazine says it received an “unprecedented number of inquiries from schools” and thus are devoting additional time to “comprehensively address these inquiries.” Last week in a surprise move, the news outlet released the top 14 law schools on its latest rankings.

Attorneys from across Tennessee came together Saturday evening to raise money for pro bono services in Tennessee and honor one of the founders of the annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative who died last fall. The life and work of Memphis lawyer and access to justice champion Andrew C. “Andy” Branham was the focus of programming at the Nashville Library, led by leaders of the Access to Justice community as well as the Tennessee Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel attorneys, which co-sponsors the annual gala in cooperation with the TBA Corporate Counsel Section and the TBA Access to Justice Committee. See photos from the event.

A recent episode of the Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) “Talk Justice” podcast looks at how states are dealing with non-lawyer legal service providers. Co-host Cat Moon is joined by Michael Houlberg, director of special projects for the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), and Jim Sandman, president emeritus of LSC and IAALS board member, to discuss a report from the institute that reviews alternative service providers in 16 states. The goal of the research is to find ways to expand access to and lower the cost of legal help.

Three lawyers who distinguished themselves for the public service work they performed this past year were honored Saturday at a brunch reception in Nashville. The TBA’s Access to Justice Committee recognized Anne Boatner as the Ashley Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year, David M. Cook as the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year and Tenaya Winkelman as the Law Student Volunteer of the Year. Boatner has been a driving force in the Eviction Prevention Initiative since joining the staff of Legal Aid for East Tennessee. In Memphis, Cook has long been a strong advocate and participant in pro bono activities, helping found the Second Saturday Legal Clinic more than 15 years ago and regularly joining in with 30 to 40 volunteer lawyers who often serve more than 100 clients each month. Law student Winkelman was honored not just for her service at pro bono clinics, but also taking proactive steps to make the clinics run more efficiently and effectively. Her work creating a "clinic to go" box has streamlined operations dramatically. Read more about the TBA Public Service Awards or see photos from the event.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division hosted a unique CLE on Friday, which involved attendees participating in a civil rights tour of Nashville followed by a discussion with former TBA President Bill Harbison and Nashville lawyer John Farringer, both with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison. They worked on the Tennessee case that established the national right to same sex marriage. The walking tour started at the downtown federal building, where an ADA case led to installation of an elevator. The group moved on to Hume-Fogg High School to talk about education options during the civil rights era, then to the Woolworth Theater, former site of lunch counter sit-ins demanding equal treatment of Black customers, and the Hermitage Hotel, where suffragettes gathered in August 1920 for the Tennessee legislature’s consideration of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Watch for details about civil rights walks coming to other Tennessee cities during the next bar year. See pictures from the day.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is asking Congress for $1.5 billion in FY 2024. According to LSC President Ron Flagg, the amount represents a projected increase in demand for civil legal services due to the persistent impact of COVID-19 on low-income Americans and the ongoing lack of adequate resources for legal aid organizations. The Biden administration included $800 million in its budget request for the agency, $100 million more than it asked for last year. Flagg praised the president for requesting increased funding, but said the LSC Board of Directors felt strongly about the $1.5 billion amount and unanimously supported the decision to continue advocating for that level of funding. Read more from the agency.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday signed a law that prohibits public colleges and universities in the state from allowing access to video platforms headquartered in China on campus internet networks. The law impacts TikTok, WeChat and Sina Weibo. It does not prevent students from accessing the platforms on a personal internet connection or third-party network, and provides exceptions if the apps are necessary for law enforcement activities, investigations, audits or other legal functions of a public institution of higher education. Read more from the UT Beacon.

Belmont University College of Law students Madeline Gilmore and Alex Schramkowski recently were named national winners of the Appellate Advocacy Competition, a component of the National Animal Law Competitions. The competition was hosted by the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy, in partnership with Harvard Law School, Lewis & Clark Law School and Vermont Law & Graduate School. Schramkowski also was named best oral advocate of the competition. The pair had won the regional championship in February. Read more from the school.