The University of Memphis Law Review is seeking papers and presenters for its Spring 2023 Symposium "(How Much) Should We Pay Them? The Shifting Legal Landscape of Collegiate Competition." Proposals would explore the many legal issues surrounding collegiate sports in America such as, frameworks for collegiate sports gambling, the resolution of employment and labor disputes, and regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation. Learn more about the symposium and how to submit proposals.

One of the sharpest tools in the lawyer’s arsenal is a surprisingly common item: the letter. Whether it’s a demand letter, a note sent during negotiations or a client communication, a lawyer’s success could be dependent on one piece of correspondence. Make plans now to join the “CLE Performer” Stuart Teicher on Sept. 29 as he explains how to master the art of effective legal correspondence. The webcast will run from 9 to 10 a.m. CDT.

The Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration is seeking an in-house counsel in Nashville to provide comprehensive legal support to Strategic Technology Solutions, the state’s enterprise-wide office of information technology and services. The individual will coordinate with the department’s office of general counsel, the governor’s office, attorney general’s office and other state departments regarding litigation support, data privacy support and technology related priorities. Get the full job description and application instructions on the TBA’s Job Link platform.

The Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims reports there will be no settlement approvals at any of its offices next week from Monday to Wednesday. Judges will be attending the Bureau of Workers' Compensation’s education conference during those days. Attorneys are reminded to check the hours and procedures for settlements before scheduling.

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) recently moved into its new offices and celebrated with a ribbon cutting, ABC News 24 reports. The agency says the new location at 200 Jefferson Ave., across from the courthouse, will help it reach more people who need representation. Last year, MALS served half of the people who reached out for services. "That number for me is unacceptable," said Cindy Ettingoff, CEO and general counsel. The agency serves Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and Lauderdale counties.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Monday that it has ended the Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration courts, the Associated Press reports. The move came just hours after a federal judge in Texas lifted an injunction that has kept the Biden administration from eliminating the program. The program will be unwound in a “quick, and orderly manner,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Questions still remain about whether those whose claims have been denied or dismissed will get a second chance, and if those currently in Mexico under the policy will be allowed to return to the states sooner. Homeland Security said it will provide additional information “in the coming days.”

Voters going to the polls in November will decide whether to enshrine Tennessee’s “right-to-work” law in the state constitution, and the campaigns for and against the proposal are heating up, Tennessee Lookout reports. Supporters of Amendment 1 are promoting a “Yes on 1” message and have released a new video of Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam urging voters to support the measure. Opponents have launched a campaign featuring Tennessee union members speaking against the proposal. They also take issue with the term “right-to-work,” saying it is misleading. The right-to-work movement grew out of labor organizing efforts in the 1930s and 1940s. The 1947 federal Taft-Hartley Act permitted states to establish such laws. Tennessee enacted its law the same year. Legislation approving the addition of the amendment to the ballot passed in the last two legislative years, as required by law.

Ralph Prater, who pioneered integration at what is now the University of Memphis, died Aug. 7, the Commercial Appeal reports. Prater was one of first Black students to enroll at what was then known as Memphis State in 1959. Along with students Rose Blakney, Sammie Burnett, Eleanor Gandy, Marvis LaVerne Kneeland, Luther McClellan, Bertha Mae Rogers and John Simpson, the group became known as the “Memphis State Eight.” His death leaves just Rogers and McClellan still living. In response, the university said Prater's impact on the institution and community “is immeasurable” and it “will forever celebrate his remarkable courage and legacy.”

The Tennessee Supreme Court today named Jonathan Skrmetti as the state’s next attorney general and reporter. Skrmetti most recently served as chief counsel to Gov. Bill Lee. He previously was chief deputy attorney general in the Attorney General’s Office, a partner in the Memphis office of Butler Snow LLP, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Tennessee, a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division/Criminal Section, and law clerk for Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Steven M. Colloton. Skrmetti earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He was selected from among an applicant pool of six. The court held two days of interviews with the candidates earlier this week. Read more in a release from the Administrative Office of the Courts. In a statement issued this afternoon, current Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III said the court “made an excellent choice” and “it will be gratifying to pass the baton” to Skrmetti.

As executive assistant and events coordinator at the TBA, Karen Belcher works closely with Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson and the TBA’s Board of Governors and House of Delegates to keep meetings and events, like our Annual Convention, running smoothly! She’s undeterred by complex business meetings, but don’t ask Karen to go on a canoe trip – she’s terrified of snakes and thinks it’s probable that one could fall from a tree into the canoe!

Ever wanted to know more about the moving parts, projects and people of the Tennessee Bar Association? Look for a #TeamTBA post on all our social media outlets and in TBA Today for a closer look at each staff member, their role in the association and maybe a fun fact or two! #TeamTBA profiles are posted every Wednesday. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.