Kids in Tennessee are more likely to be shuffled from one temporary home to another during their first year in foster care than foster kids living anywhere else in the nation, a new report from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth has found. The commission, which is required by state law to issue an annual assessment of the welfare of the state’s children, writes about high levels of “foster care instability” in its latest report. Richard Kennedy, the commission’s executive director, said meeting these challenges will require more than lawmakers involvement. “We desperately need foster care homes,” he said. Tennessee Lookout explores the issue.

Former Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis partners Ryan Cochran and Jeb Gerth are joining Epstein Becker Green as members, the Nashville Post reports. Cochran works on health care restructuring, while Gerth’s practice includes employee benefits and employment law. New York-based EBG first came to Nashville in 2017, bringing on then-Waller partner Richard Westling to lead the office. The firm also added four attorneys from Waller earlier this month. The news comes after Waller’s announcement that it will merge with national firm Holland & Knight.

University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Professor Demetria Frank has been named a visiting Herff Chair of Excellence. Frank joined law school faculty in 2013 and was named Associate Dean for Diversity & Inclusion in 2021. In her new role, Frank will focus her research on documenting these very same innovative diversity programs implemented at Memphis Law and beyond. She will present a special symposium on Feb. 3 titled “Teaching Bias, Cultural Competency, and Racism in Law Schools,” which will focus on how law schools will meet the requirements set forth by the American Bar Association’s new standard 303(c), the challenges they might encounter implementing the standard, the attacks on critical race theory and more. Read more from the University of Memphis.  

The 2023 TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) program kicked off last week with an opening retreat at Henry Horton State Park. Class members came together on Thursday to start the three-day event, which featured a lineup of distinguished lawyers and judges who spoke with the class on a variety of leadership-related topics. Speakers included Byron Trauger, Houston Gordon, Dean William Koch, Randy Kinnard and a judicial panel with Chancellor Kasey Culbreath, Judges Alex McVeagh, Danielle Mitchell Sims, Joel Wallace, Juvenile Court Administrator Jennifer Wade and moderator Judge Jeffrey Usman. Emily Heird of Vantage View Coaching wrapped up the event on Saturday with a session on becoming the CEO of your own life. The class will meet again next month when it will explore “Issues in Policy & Politics” in Nashville.

Chancellor Jeffery Atherton yesterday set March 6 as the next court date for the legal dispute between Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and County Attorney Rheubin Taylor, the Chattanoogan reports. Wamp attempted to remove Taylor from his position on October, but Taylor refused to step down. Legal costs over the dispute were put at $71,000 thus far. Wamp declined to withdraw his termination letter, saying an important legal question on the role of the county attorney needs to be clarified. He also has been critical of Taylor. The County Commission has stood behind Taylor and last week voted to cut off pay to Wamp's attorney, Barret Albritton, who has gotten $24,500 of county funds thus far.

In a new blog post, Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims Judge Dale Tipps provides a basic overview of the procedures for filing settlements with the court. He reminds attorneys that the process varies from office to office due to differences in staffing and facilities and the personal preferences of the judges, but highlights four requirements that apply in all locations. Tipps also reviews form SD-2 and provides examples of frequently made mistakes. Learn more in his post.

Francis M. "Trey" Hamilton III, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, announced last week that the office collected $21 million in criminal and civil actions in 2022. The office also announced that working with partner agencies, it collected $8.3 million in asset forfeiture actions. U.S. attorneys are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States. Under federal law, funds are deposited in the Justice Department’s Crime Victims Fund and then distributed to federal and state governments to pay restitution to crime victims. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and then used to compensate crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Chattanoogan.com has the story.

The TBA’s Mentoring Program is seeking volunteers to mentor law students and newer attorneys across the state. This is a flexible program designed by the mentor and mentee based on their schedules and availabilities. The TBA offers a range of resources to guide conversations and assist in the mentoring relationship. To become a mentor, please fill out this online application or contact Young Lawyers Division & Law Student Development Coordinator Laura Labenberg, 615-277-3217.

Following news that Florida-based Holland & Knight and Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis will merge operations, the firms are providing more details about their plans. According to the Nashville Business Journal, the firms began talking in February 2022, on the recommendation of people at the firms who knew each other through membership in an international business organization. Following productive conversations, the 69 equity partners at Waller voted unanimously to move forward. Once the merger is complete — by April, according to the firms — Waller Chair Matt Burnstein will become executive partner of Holland & Knight's Nashville office. In addition, he will join the firm's Directors Committee, its highest policy-making body. Waller's administrative staff and related professionals also will make the move to Holland & Knight. In a separate piece today, the news source looks at how the merger will affect Waller’s Birmingham office.

Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough has named Geoffrey Vickers the managing partner of its Nashville office. He took office Jan. 1 and replaces Larry Papel, who had served as managing partner since the opening of the Nashville office in April 2012. Vickers co-chairs the firm’s Technology, Outsourcing, Procurement and Privacy Team and focuses his practice on business and technology issues and complex sourcing and managed services arrangements. Read more in a release from the firm.