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.

The United States Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trustee, is seeking resumes from those who would like to be considered for appointments on a case-by-case basis to administer cases filed under the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (Subchapter V) in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Trustees may receive compensation and reimbursement for expenses in each case in which they serve. Resumes should be submitted by email on or before March 5. Additional information, qualification requirements and application procedures are posted online.

The White House announced today that Dr. James Hildreth, president of Nashville's Meharry Medical College, will join the Biden administration's Health Equity Task Force. The Harvard alum and infectious disease expert has been at the forefront of Nashville's COVID-19 response in recent months, the Nashville Post reports. Also named to the task force is Goodlettsville's Bobby Watts, CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. WPLN has more on his story.

Knoxville lawyer Terry G. Adams recently penned a piece for the News Sentinel suggesting that every crisis — whether it is a personal or professional situation – offers new opportunities. He focuses on several critical elements that are key to not just surviving, but succeeding in, a business-related crisis. He suggests developing a business continuity plan and establishing a crisis management team with legal, communications and technology experts. When a crisis hits, he urges leaders to (1) not panic, (2) clearly analyze the situation, and (3) actively seek out innovations and efficiencies made possible by the crisis. He warns against catastrophic thinking or ruminating about irrational worst-case outcomes. This is unhelpful in every case and can also become a self-fulfilling prophecy, he concludes.

Benton County lawyer Phillip Gordon Hollis received a censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 9. The court found that Hollis failed to provide notice of his March 2020 administrative suspension to clients, opposing counsel and the courts. He also failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing and informed the court that he had provided written notice of his suspension. When asked by the court to provide copies of these notices, Hollis could not. He later acknowledged he had not sent the letters. His actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.16(d), 3.2, 3.3, 3.4(c) and 8.4(a)(c)(d).

Williamson County lawyer Bradley Michael Carter was reinstated to the practice of law today after four months of active suspension. He will serve two years on probation. The court also appointed Franklin lawyer Patricia McDade to serve as a practice monitor for the duration of the probation.