Tchiki Davis, author of “Outsmart Your Smartphone Technology,” writes that our smartphones and other devices have given us access to “near-infinite amounts of information, tools to help us increase productivity, and even ways to socialize,” but questions whether they have they made us happier. While the answer to that question is complicated, she suggests four tips for building happiness in the digital age: (1) stay in the present moment, (2) make meaningful connections, (3) learn how to manage emotions without your phone, and (4) be authentic both on- and offline. Read more about her tips.

The investiture of Judge Pele I. Godkin, recently appointed by Gov. Bill Lee to serve as the newest member of the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, will take place Friday at 3 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the State Capitol. A reception will follow in the legislative lounge on the second floor. View the invite.

The Tennessee Justice Center is seeking a full-time staff attorney to develop and execute legal and policy solutions and to advocate for access to quality and affordable health care, nutrition and access to justice. The position, which will be based in the organization’s Nashville office, also will be responsible for providing direct legal services. Apply by Feb. 7 by sending a cover letter, resume, writing sample, bar number and three references to crossini@tnjustice.org. Please include “staff attorney” in the subject line of the email. Read the full job description and qualifications here.

The Nashville Business Journal has named its 40 Under 40. Among the group are four lawyers: Michelle Gaskin Brown with Amazon; Jeff Gibson with Bass, Berry and Sims; Jenny Howard with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation; and Che Mock with the ESQ Agency. A ceremony honoring award recipients will be held March 27 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today announced Larry Bridgesmith has been selected as chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission. Bridgesmith is an adjunct professor of law at Vanderbilt University Law School and coordinator of its Law and Innovation program. He co-founded LegalAlignment, which provides technology tools to assist lawyers in managing the delivery of legal services more efficiently, and is the co-founder of Accelerate Institute, a knowledge management company focused on implementation of artificial intelligence. Before joining the law school, he was the founding executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University. He replaces Ed Silva, whose term as chair expired earlier this month. The court also announced today that J. Marcus Rudolph and Lori Thomas Reidwill have joined the commission. They replace Mary Ann Zaha and Virginia Lee Story.

Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, is considering a run for a House Republican Caucus leadership position, five months after resigning as House Speaker amid scandal, the Daily Memphian reports. Casada says he is thinking about running for the caucus whip position, which became vacant after Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg, resigned for posting information about the controversy within the Legislature surrounding Casada’s actions. Casada resigned as House Speaker after becoming involved in a racist and sexist texting scandal last year. The position will be filled in a Jan. 20 vote.

The Court of Criminal Appeals today ruled it would not overturn a lower court's decision denying a venue change for Metro police officer Andrew Delke, the Tennessean reports. Delke was charged with murder in 2018 after he opened fire on Daniel Hambrick who was running away from him during a foot chase. In today’s decision, the court refused to intervene in the middle of the state court proceedings. Nashville Judge Monte Watkins originally denied the venue change request, but later granted Delke the opportunity to appeal that decision. Delke and his defense team claim he was acting in self-defense. He has pleaded not guilty.

In its first bill of the new legislative session, the state Senate passed a measure that would protect religious adoption agencies if they choose to discriminate against same-sex couples, the Tennessean reports. The bill states that no licensed adoption agency would be forced to participate in child placement if it were to “violate the agency's written religious or moral convictions or policies." It also protects the agency from lawsuits for refusing placement based on religious objections and from being denied a license or grant application for public funds because of such a refusal. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Paul Rose, R-Covington, and was passed 20-6, with five Republican members declining to vote.

The Tennessee legislature convened today in Nashville for the second year of the 111th General Assembly. The legislature is expected to take up many hot button issues, such as criminal justice reform, health care, medical marijuana and abortion. Additionally, House Majority Leader William Lamberth has indicated that Republicans will push for a reduction on the professional privilege tax, “as the budget allows.” At the end of the 2019 legislative session, the legislature voted to remove 15 professions from having to pay the $400 professional privilege tax. However, seven professions, including attorneys, continue to pay the tax. Eliminating the professional privilege tax is one of the TBA’s top legislative priorities this year, and today the TBA government affairs team joined the NFIB, the Tennessee Medical Association and others in distributing a joint letter to all members of the General Assembly asking them to eliminate the tax. For more information and to contact your legislators on this important issue, go to TBA Impact.

The lynchings of two African Americans in Jackson during the late 1800s will be recognized with a historical marker on the Madison County courthouse lawn, AP News reports. The Madison County commission initially rejected the marker, but approved it in August thanks to efforts by the Jackson-Madison County Community Remembrance Project, led by University of Tennessee-Martin professor Cindy Boyles, other educators, private citizens, church leaders and the Equal Justice Initiative. The marker will recognize Eliza Woods, who was lynched on the courthouse lawn after being falsely accused of murder in 1886, and John Brown, who was removed from jail by a mob and lynched on the same lawn in 1891. A dedication ceremony for the marker will take place in April.