Law.com’s Corporate Counsel and ALM Intelligence are conducting their first annual legal department diversity survey and are seeking input. The survey is intended to be completed by legal department leadership and includes four sections: (1) Company Data and Legal Department Structure, (2) Legal Department Headcount and Diversity Data, (3) Individual Respondent Demographics and (4) Legal Department Diversity Policies and Programs. Responses are requested by Feb. 18. All information, including company names, will remain anonymous. For more information contact Steve Kovalan, senior director of research at ALM Intelligence, or Heather Nevitt, editor-in-chief at Corporate Counsel.

State wildlife officials say they now plan to raze a different portion of forest on public land in White County after their original plan met with resistance from local residents, a threatened lawsuit and demands from lawmakers to “stop all action on the plan immediately.” In a letter sent to members of the General Assembly, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency now says it will clear other parts of the Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness Area, Tennessee Lookout reports. Opponents of the original plan were surprised by the move after the agency indicated it was backing away from the effort. “TWRA informed a member of our community that they were stopping the entire project. Less than 48 hours later, they have changed their story again,” said attorney Austin Warehime, who has been retained to represent the county’s interests in the matter.

A recent episode of the Legal Services Corporation’s Talk Justice podcast looks at how 2021 impacted access to justice issues, the adoption of new technology and legal regulatory reform in the country. The episode also highlights the Biden administration’s reinstitution of the Office of Access to Justice at the Department of Justice and renewed discussions in the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable. LSC Emerging Leaders Council member Jason Tashea hosts the conversation with legal technology guru Bob Ambrogi; Zac DeMeola, director of legal education and the legal profession at the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System; and LSC President Ron Flagg. Tune in here.

Knoxville lawyer Robert Phillip Murrian died Jan. 24 at the age of 76. His family recently announced that a celebration of life service will be held April 9 at noon EST at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 S. Northshore Dr., Knoxville TN 37919. The Knoxville Bar Association shared the news today.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently reinstated a number of lawyers suspended for not paying their annual registration fee or professional privilege tax. Of the group, 16 were suspended for fee violations in 2021, two in 2020, one in 2019, three in 2018, one in 2013, one in 2011, one in 2009 and one in 2006. They are now noted as reinstated on these suspension lists. In addition, two lawyers have been reinstated after paying their professional privilege tax: one in 2021 and one in 2009/2010. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The TBA will welcome ethics expert Stuart Teicher next Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CST for "Turning Up the Heat: Ethical Times Are Getting Tougher," a three-hour ethics webinar that addresses every lawyer's expanding ethical duties. Among the many topics covered, Teicher will discuss issues with technology and the emerging duty to look into the potential misdeeds of employers/clients. Reserve your spot now!

Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge W. Neal McBrayer visited with a group of 20 students at the University School of Nashville recently to answer questions during their contemporary civics class. “Classes like these are so important for proper function of a democracy,” McBrayer said. “People need to know how governmental systems work and this is where it starts, in the classroom.” McBrayer fielded questions on age limits for judges, how he prepared to become a judge and the types of cases that keep him up at night. The students in the class are tasked with selecting a specific area of study, whether local, national or international. They then invite speakers to their classroom based on that focus. “And, so, if ever there is a civics class that wants to hear from a judge, I am there. I am there because it’s that important,” McBrayer said. Read the full story from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Vanderbilt University will honor the history, experience and accomplishments of Black people on the Vanderbilt campus, across the country and globally with its month long series of events for Black History Month. The celebration series will include presentations, panel discussions, trivia, yoga sessions and more, many to be held virtually. On Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. CST, the virtual program “He Black, He Boss, He Vandy!” will celebrate Black male alumni leaders and entrepreneurs from Vanderbilt. Then on Feb. 10 at noon CST catch “’Dores in Dialogue: A Conversation on the Past, Present and Future Black Experience at Vanderbilt,” which will explore decades of the Vanderbilt Black experience through the lens of alumni memories, current student life and new leadership initiatives for the future. Read a full list of all events.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Jody Rodenborn Troutman from the practice of law for four years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The court conditioned the probation on compliance with any monitoring agreement recommended by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and the requirement that Troutman incur no new complaints of misconduct related to the violations that led to this suspension. Troutman entered a conditional guilty plea acknowledging that her theft of property and driving under the influence convictions and her appearance in court while under the influence violated the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct.

Johnson City criminal defense attorney Steve Finney is running for district attorney in the state’s 1st Judicial District, WJHL reports. Finney is currently running unopposed on the Republican ticket after current District Attorney Ken Baldwin announced he would retire. Finney was previously an assistant district attorney under David Crockett and Joe Crumley. He has practiced criminal defense law for 17 years. Finney said he’ll run his campaign on three major platforms: communication, commitment and experience. The 1st Judicial District covers Washington, Unicoi, Carter and Johnson counties.