The Memphis Bar Association has named Maury Tower as its interim executive director. Tower was born in Knoxville while her father, Jim Eikner, attended law school. Her family later moved to Memphis. She graduated from the University of Tennessee and earned a master’s degree in marketing from The University of Memphis. Tower’s past experience includes positions at Good Advertising, WREG-TV and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In the community, she has served as president of the American Advertising Federation Memphis Chapter and the Midtown Memphis Rotary Club.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended 149 attorneys yesterday for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements in 2019. Since yesterday, 20 of these attorneys have been reinstated. Read the Aug. 18 order or see the full list, which notes those who have been reinstated. Access all administrative suspension lists dating back to 2005.

The National Center for State Courts and the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts have developed a faculty guide, training curriculum and other tools to help state courts establish and manage business dockets. The materials were developed as part of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Business Court Docket Pilot Project, which was established in 2015 and is presided over by Nashville Chancellor Anne Martin. The court has been so successful it received a grant to develop materials to expand the concept across the nation. The center reported today on the national roll-out.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made feeling a sense of loss or feeling out of control universal themes. Understanding and processing these feelings can be daunting, but according to a recent CNN article featuring an interview with clinical psychologist Ronald Breazeale, pushing them aside can lead to more trouble down the road. Breazeale says the first step in the processing routine is accepting that you’re having certain feelings and recognizing what those emotions are. From there, talk them through with yourself or someone supportive, or write about them, to figure out what you can do to express them in a healthy way. Breazeale says it’s also important to know that this process is a continuing situation and something you’ll need to go through more than once. To deal with the added stress of the pandemic, Breazele says that “people are going to have to get comfortable with a lack of control.” He adds that “flexibility is going to be critical for people to get through this pandemic.”

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday signed into law a bill that provides protections for businesses, schools and nursing homes against “frivolous” COVID-19 lawsuits, the Associated Press reports. The law was enacted today, but is retroactive, covering claims arising from COVID-19 on or before Aug. 3. The act will be repealed on July 1, 2022, but will continue to apply to any loss, illness, injury or death occurring before that date.

Last week, a story was run in TBA Today about the TBA’s support of extending federal authorization to keep a U.S. bankruptcy judge in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. The article stated that upon the retirement of Judge Marcia Parsons, who has held that post for 27 years, all bankruptcy cases in the easternmost counties of Tennessee will be shifted to the docket in Knoxville. It was brought to our attention that the cases in the Northeastern Division of the Eastern District will be heard by Judge Shelley D. Rucker of Chattanooga, and not shifted to Knoxville as previously stated.

When the 19th Amendment was ratified, cities around the country rang bells in celebration. Nashville, however, did not. Now, 100 years later, the Nashville Public Library’s “I Ring the Bell” campaign today invited everyone to create a video of themselves ringing bells and explaining why they were doing so. Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate joined in the celebration, ringing a bell outside the Tennessee Supreme Court Building. Additional events and celebrations taking place to commemorate the 19th Amendment’s centennial included the Tennessee House of Representatives’ reenactment of the historic vote on the House floor and the Tennessee State Museum’s Lunch & Learn on the fight for the right to vote, which is scheduled for tomorrow at noon to 1 p.m. CDT. An overview of all these events and more can be found on the Tennessee State Courts website. A round-up of commemorative events around the state is also available from the TBA.

The Supreme Court of Tennessee today temporarily suspended Anderson County lawyer Kevin Carmack Angel from the practice of law after finding that he poses a threat of substantial harm to himself and the public. Angel is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Sept. 18. After that time, Angel shall not use any indicia of lawyer, legal assistant or law clerk or maintain a presence where the practice of law is conducted. Angel must notify all clients, co-counsel and opposing counsel in pending matters of the order suspending his license and he is required to deliver to all clients any papers or property to which they’re entitled. This suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the Supreme Court. Angel may for good cause request dissolution or modification of the suspension by petition to the Supreme Court.

Attorney General Herbert Slatery today announced his office has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Joel Scott Craig for fraudulently billing TennCare for unnecessary foot and ankle strapping services. The state alleges that Craig, who operates Milan Foot Care, concocted a scheme to treat patients with medically unnecessary procedures and afterwards present false information to TennCare for payment. The state estimates Dr. Craig has overbilled TennCare by more than $150,000 and is requesting a jury trial, damages three times the amount the defendant is accused of falsely overbilling and a civil penalty of $5,000-$25,000 for each violation. Read the entire complaint on the AG’s website.

The Pickler Law Firm in Collierville will host a telethon-style clinic on Aug. 29, offering basic estate plans at no cost for front-line workers, the Daily Memphian reports. Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, veterans, active-duty military members and health care workers can call in during the “Planning for Patriots Day” event from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. CDT. The firm’s Basic Estate Plan package consists of a Last Will and Testament, Durable Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney and Living Will. For those unable to dial in on event day, an online application is available. That application and the number to call on Planning for Patriots Day is available through the Pickler Law Firm website.