The Intellectual Property Law Forum originally scheduled for April 17 will now be a virtual CLE event, held over two days, July 15 - 16. The TBA's IP Section Executive Council has put together a compelling program to discuss IP with vices front and center. The first day of the program will provide accounts of bad actors running afoul of trade secret law, provide insight into the life of hackers and finish with ways to avoid trouble with online information. The sessions run from 1 to 4 p.m. CDT. Attendees can earn one dual and two general CLE hours. The program continues on day two exploring the various forms of available IP protection for the cannabis industry and ends with insights into how to best distinguish and protect your home brew from others. Those sessions run from 1 to 3 p.m. CDT. Attendees can earn two general CLE hours. In an effort to provide flexibility, attorneys can register to attend day one, day two or the full, two-day program.  Find out more about the sessions, speakers and registration options available by clicking here.

The STOP practice is a great tool for difficult moments. The four steps can take as little as a few seconds to a few minutes to complete. There are no rules as to how much time should be spent doing each step. Try it out and adjust as needed. Here are the steps: S - Stop what you are doing. Give yourself a moment to rest, pause, and collect yourself. T - Take a conscious breath then take a deeper breath, or two. Now breathe deeply. O - Observe. Take note of your thoughts, emotions or bodily sensations, and then take note of your circumstances. Notice how you can be in a situation without being ruled by it. P - Proceed with intentionality, taking the next step in your day from a place of strength, wisdom, and presence. According to Rhonda V. Magee, a law professor and facilitator of mindfulness interventions, the STOP tool can be used whenever we feel distress to create space to observe and tame our feelings. Read more from Magee on Mindful.org.

With almost three decades of service on the bench, 26th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Roy B. Morgan Jr. — the incoming president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference — has presided over every type of case imaginable, from complex civil cases to domestic cases to capital murder cases. From working as a lawyer in Jackson, to being elected general sessions judge and then circuit court judge, Morgan is thankful for the opportunities. “This has been a great job, and the whole 30 years has been a tremendous opportunity.” Poised to take office in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, Morgan says, “We are serving in unusual times. The good part is that even in these difficult times we’ve had great leadership from the Supreme Court, and the executive and legislative branches. Because of that and the hard work of judges across the state, the judiciary has been able to stand up strong and keep the doors of the judicial branch open.” Read more about Judge Morgan’s life in this feature from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich announced a new community justice program this week that will give communities a more active role in the criminal justice process, WMCA News 5 reports. Weirich said the initiative will offer an alternative to traditional prosecution and help restore victims and communities that have been impacted by crime. Involvement from offenders and victims will be voluntary, but those who agree to participate will have their cases heard by a community justice panel. Rather than jail time, the panel may order restitution, community service or even an apology from the offender, and may recommend education, job training or counseling to help the offender become a contributing member of the community.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order to suspend certain temporary worker visas through the end of 2020, the Hill reports. The order applies to H-1B visas, H-2B visas, H-4 visas, L-1 visas and certain J-1 visas. The president said the move was needed to protect jobs for Americans amid the economic downturn from the coronavirus pandemic. The order comes roughly two months after Trump signed an order temporarily suspending new green cards. Business groups expressed concern that the measure would discourage qualified workers from coming to the United States.

Holly Jaynes will serve as Hawkins County’s clerk & master for just a few more days, The Rogersville Review reports. On Thursday of last week, family members, friends, elected officials and members of the local judicial community gathered in the chancery courtroom to honor the longtime public servant who is retiring. Current and former judges praised her work and Chancellor Douglas Jenkins read a resolution in her honor being sponsored in the Tennessee General Assembly by local legislators. The event also included the swearing in of Jaynes’s successor, Brent Price. Though Price’s term will not start until July 1, the ceremony was held early to accommodate the schedule of several judges. Price previously worked at Civis Bank as vice president and branch manager. He has experience in real estate, financial matters and state and federal regulations.

The Hamilton County sheriff has asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate possible use of excessive force after several deputies were recorded on dashboard camera video repeatedly striking a handcuffed Black man during an arrest in May. The Hamilton County District Attorney General released footage of the arrest, which according to the Tennessean, shows a handcuffed 32-year-old Reginald Arrington Jr. screaming and flailing his legs as deputies pin his torso to the ground, shackle his feet and strike at his legs with batons. Deputies reported that Arrington became non-compliant and combative when they initially attempted to take him into custody and that he attempted to reach for one deputy's gun. Fox Chattanooga reports that protestors are calling for the firing of the officers involved and the resignation of the sheriff.

Abbie Hudgens, administrator of the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, announced today that she has reappointed seven judges to the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. They are: Kenneth Switzer, Chief Judge, Nashville; Brian Addington, Gray; Pamela Johnson, Knoxville; Lisa Lowe, Knoxville; Thomas Wyatt, Chattanooga; Allen Phillips, Jackson; and Deana Seymour, Memphis. Hudgens said that all of the judges “have exhibited excellent judicial temperaments, been diligent in releasing prompt decisions, and most importantly, have shown impartiality…”. Under the Workers’ Compensation Law, judges are appointed for up to three terms of six years each. The new terms begin on July 1 and run through June 30, 2026.

Bill Purcell, the fifth mayor of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, has joined the Nashville office of Frost Brown Todd and will serve as counsel in the Government Services Practice Group. Purcell was elected to mayor in 1999 and re-elected in 2003. He previously served in the Tennessee House of Representatives, as a staff attorney with West Tennessee Legal Services, as a senior assistant in the Nashville public defender’s office, and as founder and director of the Child and Family Policy Center at Vanderbilt University. After leaving office, he was named director of the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and adjunct professor of public policy studies at Vanderbilt University. Purcell earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.

YWCA organizations around the country are participating in a “21 Day Challenge” to discover how racial and social injustice impact our communities and to identify ways to dismantle discrimination. The YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee and the YWCA of Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley have announced they are offering the program in their areas. The challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege and leadership. Those who participate will be presented with daily “challenges” such as reading an article, listening to a podcast or reflecting on a personal experience. Register here for the Nashville program or the Knoxville program.