Knox County is seeking to hire a judicial magistrate to issue arrest, search and forfeiture warrants and conduct jail arraignments through real-time video conferencing. Applicants must be licensed attorneys and residents of the county. The position lasts four years and will begin on Jan. 31, 2021. Resumes should be sent by Nov. 30 to Donna Corbitt, Judicial Court Administrator, Room M-70, City-County Building, P.O. Box 2404, Knoxville, TN 37901. The office may be reached at 865- 215-2370.

Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law plans to publish a spring issue of its law review next May and is seeking articles on issues of importance to the Knoxville and Appalachia regions, as well as underserved communities within each. Articles should be submitted before the end of January to be considered. Submissions may range from brief essays to lengthier articles. Authors should format citations as footnotes and follow bluebook rules. Articles that have been or will be published in another journal or book will not be accepted. For more information contact Roel Reyna.

Mark your calendar for the TBA’s annual Ethics Road Homeshow 2020 on Dec. 9. We can’t take the show “on the road” this year so we are bringing the popular ethics tradition with Memphis lawyer Brian Faughnan directly to you. The live virtual program will focus on “Ethics Lessons from the Pandemic,” simultaneously looking at the years 1918 and 1968 and the challenges faced by attorneys during those difficult times. Join us from 1 to 4:15 p.m. CST and get those last-minute ethics hours! Remember: all 2020 CLE hours can be taken online and TBA members get discounted pricing on all CLE programs.

The Nashville Bar Association will hold its Fall Memorial Service virtually this year. The event will take place via Zoom on Nov. 19 beginning at 11 a.m. CST. Register here. For more information contact Vicki Shoulders, 615-242-9272. A project of the NBA’s Historical Committee, the memorial service honors the memory of those Nashville lawyers and judges who passed away during the preceding six-month period.

Vanessa Bryan, who for more than 30 years has served in the 21st Judicial District’s public defender’s office, officially retired Nov. 1. During a surprise retirement party, State Sen. Jack Johnson and state Rep. Sam Whitson, both from Williamson County, thanked Bryan for her dedication and presented her with a proclamation from the General Assembly commending her service. Bryan joined the public defender’s office in 1989 as an investigator. Two years later, she was promoted to assistant public defender, a position she held for 15 years. In 2006, she was elected as public defender. Assistant Public Defender Greg Burlison will take over for Bryan until the next election cycle in 2022. At that time, Hickman, Lewis and Perry counties will be moved out of the 21st Judicial District into a new District 32, Williamson Herald reports.

As COVID cases are on the rise across the nation, one Tennessee lawmaker wants to strip health boards in the state’s largest counties of their autonomy. State Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, would instead give mayors the power to make health decisions in Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan counties, WSMV reports. Legislation introduced yesterday could be considered when the legislative session begins in January or during a special session, according to the Daily Memphian.

The Knoxville Bar Foundation has awarded $30,000 in grants this year to projects and programs that seek to improve the administration of justice, enhance the public’s understanding of and confidence in the legal system, support access to the legal system, and serve the legal profession. Projects funded include distribution of pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution, recruiting and training of CASA volunteers, legal services for immigrants, Grandparents as Parents Program, law student participation in Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Project, victim advocacy programs, and support for juvenile offenders. Since 1997, the foundation has awarded grants totaling approximately $485,000. Read more about this year's grants in an article by foundation chair and Knoxville lawyer Charles Swanson.

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference recently launched a fentanyl educational campaign directed at teenagers. The conference and individual district attorneys are using social media and school outreach to educate middle and high schoolers about the unique dangers of the drug. “Why we’re doing this now is because fentanyl is what’s killing people,” Guy Jones, executive director of the TNDAGC, said. In Tennessee, fentanyl has surpassed heroin as the leading cause of fatal overdoses with every county experiencing an uptick in fentanyl-related deaths. The campaign, called Fentanyl: The Deadliest High, focuses on the staggering potency of the drug — which can be up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin — as well as the growing trend of drug dealers mixing it in with other drugs. Read more about the initiative from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue is offering a new tax webinar on Nov. 24, the latest in a series of monthly seminars being offered to the public for free. This month’s installment will focus on franchise and excise tax exemptions, including asset-backed securitization, facilities owned by the armed forces, state and federal credit unions, qualified low-income community structures and historic property preservation. Register here.

Belmont University College of Law is accepting applications from lawyers interested in a fellowship through the Belmont University Fellows Program. Applicants should have a law degree, a strong academic background and an interest in pursuing a  teaching/research position. A special focus will be placed on applicants from under-represented groups in the profession. During the two-year program, fellows will be mentored by a faculty member and engage in scholarly research. Those interested should contact Professor Loren Mulraine.