Judson Wheeler Phillips was permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 4. Phillips consented to permanent disbarment because he could not successfully defend himself on charges alleged in pending disciplinary complaints. He is not eligible for reinstatement in Tennessee, and he must comply with the requirements of TSC Rule 9, Sections 28 regarding the obligations and responsibilities of disbarred attorneys.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Career Services Office is looking for alumni volunteers to participate in virtual mock interviews with law students and recent graduates. The interviews will take place on March 4 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. CST. Those interested should email lawcareerservices@memphis.edu.

Nashville attorney Costin Shamble has been appointed director of the Office of Conflict of Interest and Commitment Management at Vanderbilt University. In that role, she will utilize technology and web content to support and advance the university’s system for identifying and addressing conflict of interest and commitment concerns. Prior to Vanderbilt, Shamble served four years as university attorney for Austin Peay State University and 10 years as diversity compliance manager at the Tennessee Department of Conservation and Environment. She is a member of the Tennessee Bar Journal Editorial Board and of the TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) class of 2016. Read more on Shamble’s new role from Vanderbilt’s website.

Register now for the TBA Litigation Law Ethics Forum set for March 30 from 9 a.m. until noon CST. The program will feature commentary and analysis of litigation and other concerns about vaccines and COVID-related issues in the workplace, a discussion on access to justice issues exacerbated by the pandemic and an examination of the tricky ethical issues that arise when mixing jurors, jury selection and social media. Members of the Litigation Section can purchase the program at a discounted price. Not a section member? Join today!

The TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast is back with an all-new episode for an all-new legislative session. On this week’s episode, TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and TBA lobbyist and Adams and Reese attorney Brad Lampley talk us through what’s going on at the General Assembly, including an update on the Professional Privilege Tax, the status of two real estate bills and one adoption bill sponsored by the TBA, plus a recap of Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State address. The program is part of the TBA Podcast Network and can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts and on the TBA’s website. You can also catch the show live on the TBA’s Facebook page every Thursday.

Memphis lawyer Allen Taylor Malone died yesterday at 79. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Malone first served as a special agent with the FBI for three years. He began his law practice in Memphis in 1969 with Apperson Crump. He joined Burch, Porter & Johnson as a member in 2000 and practiced law there until he retired in 2018. Malone was named a top lawyer in environmental litigation, fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year by the Memphis Bar Association. Services will take place at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Memphis Area Legal Services, St. Mary’s Episcopal School, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Mike Dunavant, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced he will be leaving the post on Feb. 28, News Channel 5 reports. Dunavant has served in the position for more than three years after being appointed by then-President Donald Trump. “Nearly three and a half years ago I was provided the professional honor of a lifetime,” Dunavant said. “To be able to serve the district where I was born, raised and educated, and for which I have tremendous love and respect, was a remarkable experience.” Effective March 1, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Murphy will take over as acting U.S. attorney. Earlier this week, the U.S. Justice Department asked Trump-era appointees to resign their posts. Bloomberg Law has more on that story.

The Tennessee General Assembly returned to full session Monday, and yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a joint resolution designed to enshrine the state’s Right to Work law in the state constitution. The resolution now goes to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, which is scheduled to meet on Feb. 16. Today, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard a presentation on Gov. Bill Lee’s plan to expand funding for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, while the Senate Education Committee heard a bill that would allow the government to force all schools to open. Tennessee Lookout has more on these actions.

Reuters launched a free, open-source database to track deaths among inmates at 523 jails around the country at the end of 2020. The source, known as “Dying Inside,” provides a unique look at who is dying in America’s jails and why. The investigative team filed 1,500 public records requests for data from the 10 largest jails in each state plus all jails with more than 750 inmates. The study documented 7,571 inmate deaths from 2008 to 2019 with more than a quarter resulting from suicide and one in 10 tied to the effects of drugs and alcohol. Most of the inmates died waiting for trial, never getting their day in court for the charges they faced, the team found.

Freshman Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, did not appear at today’s meeting of the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance, the Tennessee Journal reports. The registry was set to hear Warner’s request to waive his campaign finance disclosure requirement due to an FBI raid on his home and office. Executive Director Bill Young said Warner had indicated he or his attorney would attend the meeting. In the absence of either, the registry agreed to send a letter to Warner saying the panel does not have the authority to waive filing requirements. The group also denied a similar request from Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, who missed filing his campaign finance disclosure while hospitalized for COVID-19.