U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley D. Rucker of Chattanooga has been named the next chief bankruptcy judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Chattanoogan.com reports. Rucker will fill the position currently held by Chief Judge Marcia Phillips, who is retiring on Sept. 30 after eight years in the role. Rucker has served as a bankruptcy judge since April 2, 2010. Prior to her appointment, she practiced law with Miller & Martin for 27 years, serving as chair of the firm’s Commercial Department and practice group leader of the Bankruptcy Creditor Rights Group. She previously served as president of the Mid-South Commercial Law Institute and on the Joint Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee Bankers Association, which worked on enactment of Revised Article 9 in Tennessee.

Two Chattanooga activists are facing charges of obstructing a highway, disorderly conduct, theft of property, inciting a riot, and reckless burning, Chattanoogan.com reports. In a video posted to social media, one of the two admitted to burning the sheriff’s department’s flag during a July protest. Attorneys asked General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes to consider dropping the charges, arguing that “some cities are taking the position to not prosecute, understanding what the country is going through and the shock everybody is feeling.” But Starnes said he would not dismiss the charges, instead setting a preliminary hearing for Oct. 8.

A consistent wind-down routine is the best way to train your body that it’s time for bed according to meditation app Headspace. Suggestions include setting a reminder that it’s time to wind down and being consistent with that routine. Headspace also recommends engaging in activities that you enjoy, like reading, knitting or listening to calming music. A calming activity helps shed the day's worries and prepare the mind and body for sleep. But don't make activities too stimulating and remember to reduce screen time.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands has announced that Nashville lawyer J. Andrew “Drew” Goddard, a member at Bass, Berry & Sims, will serve as president of the organization for the next two years. He succeeds Charles K. Grant, a shareholder with Baker, Donelson. Four new members also have been added to the board. They are: Erin Palmer Polly, an attorney with Butler Snow, who represents the TBA on the board; Trey Reliford with Neal & Harwell, who represents the Napier-Looby Bar Association on the board; David Weil, an attorney and adjunct professor at Belmont College of Law, who also is treasurer; and nonprofit advocate Sharon Crane of Oak Ridge. Board members will serve through 2023. Finally, LAS announced that Trey Whitfield, an accounting manager at Advent Health Partners in Nashville, and will serve as board intern. Read more in this release.

In late August, the Niota Depot Preservation Committee held a ceremony unveiling the U.S. Post Office's new "19th Amendment: Women Vote" stamp. The group intended to live stream the event on its Facebook page but technical issues interfered with those plans. The group announced this week that a re-broadcast of the event is now available on the Facebook page of Tyler Boyd, the great-nephew of Rep. Harry Burn. Rep. Burn, who was from Niota, cast the deciding vote for Tennessee to ratify the 19th Amendment.

The 2020 Labor & Employment Law Forum Lunchtime Webcast Series launches Sept. 14 with a case law update by Nashville lawyer Stan Graham. Join your colleagues from noon to 1 p.m. CDT for a review of recent cases and legal developments impacting the world of employment law. Other offerings in the series include sessions on workplace privacy on Sept. 15; wage and hour developments on Sept. 16; arbitration on Sept. 17; and a judicial panel on best practices on Sept. 18. Registration is per webcast and each program provides one hour of general credit CLE.

A number of lawyers were recently reinstated after being suspended for failure to complete required CLE hours in 2019. See the full list of those suspended and reinstated in 2020 for 2019 violations. The TBA also has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

NASHVILLE, September 1, 2020 — A new task force of attorneys and judges from across the state has been established to take on diversity challenges within the legal profession, looking specifically at recruitment, retention, investment and advancement.

Tennessee Bar Association Chief Diversity Officer Mary Beard of HCA Healthcare in Nashville will lead the effort.

“Beginning this fall, we will analyze current and future diversity initiatives within the bar,” Beard says, “and we will also look for opportunities to collaborate across the state to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.” Recommendations from the task force will go to the TBA’s Board of Governors.

Members already committed to serve on the task force include:

• Ariel Anthony of Husch Blackwell, Chattanooga
• Mary Beard of HCA Healthcare, Nashville
• Julie Bhattacharya Peak of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Brentwood
• LaTonnsya Burney, the Assistant Dean of Student Conduct at Tennessee State University, Nashville
• Bill Coley of Hodges, Doughty & Carson and chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission, Knoxville
• Anica Conner Jones, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs attorney and Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers designee, Nashville
• Loretta Cravens of Cravens Legal and president of Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, Knoxville
• Mohamed Akram Faizer of the LMU Duncan School of Law, Knoxville
• Elizabeth Hernandez, managing attorney of the Immigration Legal Clinic, the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence, Nashville
• Lauren Holloway of McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Memphis
• Chris Javillonar, the general counsel at Permobil and president of the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Lebanon
• Michelle Long, Chief Diversity Officer and Deputy Director, Administrative Office of the Courts, Nashville
• Andre Mathis of Butler Snow LLP, Memphis
• Harrison McIver, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of Memphis Area Legal Services, Memphis
• Judge Camille McMullen of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Memphis
• Judge Cynthia Richardson Wyrick, U. S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District, Greeneville
• Joshua Wallis of The Landers Firm, Memphis
• John Winemiller of Merchant & Gould, Knoxville
• Deborah Yeomans-Barton of Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Johnson City

TBA President Michelle Greenway Sellers announced the task force as part of several initiatives contained in TBA’s three-year strategic plan. In addition to the work of the task force, TBA has increased its commitment to recognition of diverse voices within the association through its new “Member in the News” series, diversity training for the Board of Governors in September and future diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias training for broader TBA leadership. 

The TBA also recently launched a diversity resources index on its website, highlighting educational opportunities, resources on racial justice, resources for businesses and volunteer opportunities.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) is the largest professional association in Tennessee with 12,000 members. Founded in 1881, the TBA provides opportunities for continuing legal education, professional development and public service. The TBA's dedication to serving the state's legal community is evidenced by its membership roll, which represents the entire spectrum of legal practice: plaintiff and defense lawyers, corporate counsel, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, government lawyers and legal services attorneys.

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Tennessee Bar Association President Michelle Greenway Sellers announced a new Diversity Task Force in June as part of several initiatives contained in the TBA’s three-year strategic plan. Today, the TBA released the names of the task force members — who include representatives from law firms, government, judiciary, nonprofit, legal aid, corporate, education and other state associations — as well as more information about the group’s mission. Newly installed Chief Diversity Officer Mary Beard will serve as chair. In addition to the work of the task force, TBA has already increased its commitment to recognizing diverse voices within the association through its new “Member in the News” series, diversity training for its leadership and a new diversity resources index on the TBA website.

A former Memphis police sergeant has been indicted on three felony counts of official misconduct stemming from acts allegedly related to his employment, WREG reports. Records show that Eric Kelly took an unauthorized taxpayer paid trip to Alabama in June 2018 with a known gang member who had been arrested 11 times and with whom he was accused of having sex. Four months later, he took a statement from the woman in connection to a homicide. Kelly allegedly admitted the relationship, but said he did not use sex as leverage in the murder investigation. He retired in November 2019 to avoid disciplinary action by the department.