The TBA Litigation Law Section now will offer its annual forum virtually on Sept. 16. The program, produced by Todd Presnell with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in Nashville, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT and offer four general CLE credits. Speakers include Tennessee Supreme Court justices Holly Kirby, Sharon Lee and Roger A. Page; Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge W. McBrayer; 30th Judicial District Chancellor Gadson “Will” Perry; and former TBA president and Baker Donelson shareholder George T. “Buck” Lewis III.

The Tennessee Innocence Project, a non-profit law firm working to free wrongfully convicted Tennesseans, recently announced an expansion of its staff with the hiring of senior legal counsel Jason M. Gichner. Prior to joining TIP, Gichner was a partner at Morgan & Morgan, an attorney with Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, and a Nashville public defender. He also is an adjunct professor of law at Vanderbilt University Law School, where he earned his law degree. Gichner has served as advisory counsel to the Tennessee Indigent Representation Task Force and as a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Middle District of Tennessee. He is a graduate of the TBA Leadership Law Program.

The last time lawyers in New York City received a pay raise for appointed work was 2004. Now seven bar associations in the city are suing to increase those rates, the New York Law Journal reports. Supporters of a rate increase say low pay is forcing many lawyers to stop taking such cases, which in turn makes it difficult for remaining attorneys to adequately represent the children and low-income clients who rely on them. The leader of the bar coalition talked to the journal about this "extremely unusual" collaborative effort. Read the complaint. The TBA has actively supported efforts to increase the reimbursement rate for lawyers accepting appointed work in Tennessee.

Approval of the U.S. Supreme Court fell to an average of 49% down from 58% a year ago, according to Gallup. It’s the first time the rating has fallen below 50% since 2017. The poll also found that Republicans and Democrats viewed the court the same, with 51% of both approving, while only 46% of independents approved. Read more about the survey from USA Today.

Now that the Sullivan Baby Doe settlement has been announced, leaders in Washington County are considering options for spending the windfall, the Johnson City News & Neighbor reports. “With the pervasiveness of the opioid problem in our region, the options for using this money to make an impact are wide open,” said First Judicial District Attorney General Ken Baldwin. “I’m hoping the counties and cities that were part of this settlement can get together and use a portion of the money for a treatment facility.” He also said he hopes that the region’s county commissions use funds to help “the community, addicts and law enforcement agencies that have had to deal with this problem.” Distribution of the funds — estimated to total just over $21 million — will be on a per capita basis.

The Memphis Bar Association will hold a memorial ceremony on Sept. 24 to honor those who have died since 2019. To share a memory or story about an individual being honored, send an email to memphisbarassociation@gmail.com.

The full U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals today upheld Tennessee’s 48-hour waiting period for abortions, the Tennessean reports. The ruling reverses a decision by Middle Tennessee District Judge Bernard A. Friedman that the state failed to show the waiting period helps with the claim to protect fetal life. In upholding the law, the court said: “None of the plaintiffs' witnesses could name specific women who could not get an abortion because the waiting period pushed them past the cutoff date” or experienced “complications or psychological harm during the waiting period.” The justices also pointed out that the law has been in effect for five years and abortion rates have remained fairly steady. Responding to the ruling, Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III said the move was “gratifying for several reasons.” Read his full statement.

A small COVID-19 outbreak in some Blount County Justice Center offices has led to the closure of the walk-up desks for the Blount County Circuit Court and General Sessions Court, the Maryville Daily Times reports. Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher said five people have contracted the virus and others are quarantining. Court clerks can still be reached by phone at 865-273-5400 or email, and there are drop-off boxes at the justice center. Courtroom proceedings have not been affected.

Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer announced today that the court’s plan to return to in-person settlements in September has been put on hold due to a rise in COVID cases. It will now consider a return to in-person proceedings on a monthly basis. Switzer also said the court will provide 30 days notice before implementing any in-person protocols for its offices.

Coty Wamp, general counsel to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, says she will run for county district attorney general. In her current position, Wamp provides in-house legal counsel and advice on investigations, daily operations, policy matters and public media inquiries at the sheriff's office. She previously worked as an assistant public defender in Hamilton County and an assistant district attorney in Bradley County. She earned her law degree in 2014 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Chattanoogan.com has more.