TBA CLE will host Elder Law Basics 2020 on Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. CDT. This virtual program is designed for attorneys new to the practice, or those looking to brush up on their knowledge in the area. Programming includes an overview for the intangibles of Elder Law, including powers of attorney, estate recovery, reverse mortgages, how clients can find and afford health care in retirement, ethics and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from seasoned practitioners providing the information you need to stay on top of developments and changes in the field. Course material and instructions on how to connect to the program via Zoom Webinar will be sent to registrants the week of the program.

Native Memphian and Baker Donelson Senior Counsel Leo M. Bearman Jr. died this afternoon at 85. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1960, Bearman started practicing law with his father, Leo Bearman Sr., in the firm that eventually became Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. A litigation attorney, Bearman was active in the legal community and was recognized with numerous awards, including the Memphis Bar Association's Lawyer's Lawyer Award and Sam A. Myar Jr. Memorial Award, and the 2020 American Inns of Court Lewis F. Powell Jr. Award for Professionalism and Ethics. He spoke about his legal career in 2019 with his son David L. Bearman, a shareholder at the firm. A full obituary and details on arrangements are not yet available.

The TBA’s Criminal Justice Section Executive Council is seeking volunteer lawyers to assist with the section’s annual “Crim Law Day” initiative for students at the Duncan School of Law and University of Tennessee College of Law. The program will take place via Zoom on Nov. 17 with sessions from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and noon to 1:30 p.m. EST. The program will feature a general discussion between defense lawyers and prosecutors followed by breakout sessions where students will be paired with volunteer lawyers to ask questions and discuss hypotheticals. To volunteer, contact TBA staff member and Criminal Justice Section Coordinator Jarod Word.

Former longtime Nashville Democratic state Rep. Mary Pruitt, 86, died Saturday after complications from a fall, the Tennessean reports. Pruitt served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1985 to 2012, first becoming a member in a special election on the unexpected death of her husband, the late Rep. Charles Pruitt. A retired educator, she used her position to advocate for quality education for all children in the state. In a statement this morning, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said the city had "lost a public leader" and a "respected Nashvillian."

Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin recently appointed Knoxville attorney Angela Blevins as the court’s new magistrate following the retirement of Magistrate Dirk Weddington. Blevins is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and has more than 14 years of experience practicing law in juvenile court. The Knoxville Bar Association reported the news last week.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday evening at 87 after a long fight with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg was appointed to the court by then President Bill Clinton in 1993, becoming the second woman to sit on the high court. She was a fierce fighter against gender discrimination and a leading liberal voice on the bench. The Supreme Court has announced a private ceremony on Wednesday, after which Ginsburg will lie in repose at the top of the court’s front steps. The public is invited to pay respects from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday. On Friday, a formal ceremony for invited guests will be held at the U.S. Capitol, where she will lie in state. She will then be buried next to her husband, lawyer Martin Ginsburg, at Arlington National Cemetery, The Hill reports. The court vacancy, occurring just weeks before the November presidential election, has created a number of questions about the protocol for filling the seat. President Donald Trump said he will announce a female nominee this Friday or Saturday. U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn have confirmed they will support moving forward with a vote on the nominee prior to the election according to the Tennessean.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler of California halted the Trump administration's plan to ban the WeChat app as of last month, the Tennessean reports. Beeler’s preliminary injunction provides WeChat’s parent company Tencent a temporary reprieve from the president’s executive order banning the app from app stores, banning fund transfers and payment processing on the app, and banning companies like Apple and Google from updating or maintaining the app for American users.

The Trump administration has in principle approved a proposal from TikTok, Oracle and Walmart that will keep the video platform from being shut down, The Hill reports. "I have given the deal my blessing," President Trump said Saturday. The plan would create a new global entity to be headquartered in the United States. Oracle would be responsible for hosting all American user data and "associated computer systems." Walmart would be a partner in the venture. Together, they could own up to a 20% stake in the company. The news came just a day before the president's deadline for divestiture.

As part of police reforms proposed by the Shelby County government, a panel of civilians will now provide input into the hiring of new sheriff deputies, the Daily Memphian reports. Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said committee members will serve for one year. The inaugural appointments include retired Shelby County Criminal Court judge Jim Beasley; Vickie Terry, executive director of the NAACP; Steve Stamson, chair of the Shelby County Election Committee; James Jones III, president of the Teamsters Local 667; and Bishop Brandon Porter, pastor of Greater Community Temple.

The TBA’s 20th annual Health Law Primer and 32nd annual Health Law Forum will be held virtually this year. The primer will take place on Oct. 7 from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. CDT and will provide a general overview and discussion of hot topics for those who are new to practicing in the health law field. Then, on Oct. 8-9 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. CDT each day, the annual Health Law Forum will feature an array of esteemed presenters who will speak on topics like telehealth and privacy, fraud and abuse developments, practitioner databases, pandemic responses and more. Make plans now to join your colleagues for these programs.