Catch a webcast replay of a program that explores the impact of secondary trauma. Join Cindy Sharp and Becky Howlett from The Legal Burnout Solution on Aug. 10 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT for “How Secondary Trauma Affects Attorney Mental Health." The program will discuss the emotional stories, disturbing evidence and highly charged situations that legal professionals are subjected to and how they can cause secondary or vicarious trauma. Howlett, a Certified Meditation Instructor and attorney, will lead mindfulness practices throughout the session. Purchase the program here. 

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page on Friday signed an order appointing Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell as liaison for the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, effective immediately. Read the order here.

A story in yesterday’s issue of TBA Today, which summarized the provisions of a petition filed by the Board of Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection (TLFCP) with the Tennessee Supreme Court, incorrectly stated that the petition asked the court to raise the cap on each claim. In fact, the board is asking the court to amend existing limitations in Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 25 Section 13.01 to raise the attorney cap from $250,000 to $400,000 upon recommendation of the board and with approval of the court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday suspended 32 attorneys who did not pay the annual professional privilege tax as required. The attorneys include those living in Tennessee as well as 12 other states. Download the order. See the list with any reinstatements noted here.

Knoxville Legal Ministry and Administer Justice will hold a legal clinic on March 12 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST. The groups will offer the clinic on the second Saturday of each month. Volunteer attorneys are needed to staff the clinic. If you are interested contact Crystal Schrof. The state’s first Administer Justice Gospel Justice Center — a national non-profit that works with local churches to provide legal services for those in need — was established in West Knoxville at Cokesbury United Methodist Church this past fall.

K&L Gates has named Lauren Patten as the new managing partner for its Nashville office. Patten, a Nashville native, joined the firm when it opened the office in early 2021. A member of the firm’s Complex Commercial Litigation and Disputes group, Lauren is a trial lawyer who handles complex commercial disputes, arbitrations and internal investigations, representing clients in both jury and bench trials in state and federal courts. Having recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its establishment, the Nashville office now includes more than 40 lawyers across a variety of practice groups. She earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2008.

The Senate Judiciary Committee said this week that confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson will begin March 21, keeping the Senate on track for a possible final vote next month, the Associated Press reports. As is tradition, the hearings will last four days, with opening statements on March 21, testimony and questioning on the second and third days, and testimony from outside witnesses on the fourth day. If confirmed, Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve as a justice in the court’s 200-plus year history. WBIR has the AP story.

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, has decided to not seek reelection, the Nashville Post reports. In October, a Nashville federal grand jury indicted Kelsey on campaign finance charges related to his unsuccessful 2016 run for Congress. His trial has been pushed back to 2023. In social media posts, Kelsey said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family. He added that he will continue “fighting for American values in the court system" and hopes to run for elected office again “in the coming years.” Kelsey was first elected to the state House in 2004 and the Senate in 2009. He has chaired both the Senate Judiciary Committee and Education Committee. Those already filing for the seat include Democrat Ruby Powell-Dennis and Republicans Brent Taylor and Brandon Toney.

TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorneys and TBA lobbyists, Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin, tackle this week’s news from the General Assembly on the latest episode of the TBA’s Legislative Updates. New this week: a meeting with House Speaker Cameron Sexton regarding elimination of the Professional Privilege Tax and the committee passage of two of TBA’s legislative initiatives, HB2357/SB2385 and HB2070/SB2056. To see a list of all of TBA’s bills, visit our online bill tracker. Legislative Updates airs every Thursday on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday temporarily suspended Janet Monique Okoye from the practice of law after finding she failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning three complaints of misconduct. Section 12.3 of Supreme Court Rule 9 provides for the immediate summary suspension of an attorney’s license for failure to respond to a complaint of misconduct. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.