The Tennessee Department of Transportation Legal Division is looking to hire an associate counsel to provide advice and assistance regarding contract and procurement matters. Responsibilities will include drafting contracts, negotiating contract modifications, reviewing professional service contract procurement documents, attending Fiscal Review Committee hearings, representing the department in administrative contested case hearings, and performing legal research on internal matters and assisting the Office of the Attorney General regarding claims as assigned. The position is based in Nashville and includes a hybrid work schedule. Interested candidates should email leslie.south@tn.gov by Dec. 8.

The Administrative Office of the Courts reports that four judges recently participated in swearing-in ceremonies for their children. On Nov. 16, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeff Bivins swore in Meredith Joy Maroney after her father, 26th Judicial District Chancellor Steven W. Maroney, presented the motion to grant her admission. Bivins also swore in Paul Estep, who was presented to the court by his father, Claiborne County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Estep. On Nov. 17, Hamilton County Chancellor Pamela Fleenor administered the oath of office to her daughter, Christina Michelle Fleenor. On Nov. 29, Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge L. Marie Williams administered the oath to her son, Jonathan Cleary, after he was announced by his father and uncle who are both attorneys. Read reflections from the judges.

Knox County lawyer Melvin Jacob Werner was suspended from the practice of law today after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he misappropriated funds and posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. The suspension will remain in effect until modified or dissolved by the court.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the TBA’s Public Service Awards has been extended to Dec. 8. The annual awards recognize outstanding commitment to access to justice in three categories: work performed by an attorney employed by an organization primarily involved in providing legal representation to the indigent; pro bono work performed by a private attorney; and a strong commitment to pro bono service by a Tennessee law student or recent graduate. Nominators are welcome to include supplemental information including letters or videos of support. For more information, contact TBA Director of Access to Justice & Special Projects Liz Todaro.   

The Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has released a revised proposal designed to bolster the existing diversity and inclusion standard for law schools, the ABA Journal reports. When the council approved preliminary revisions to the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools in May, it included a provision requiring law schools to take “effective actions that lead to progress” to further the goals of the standard. Based on comments filed, it has now issued a revised proposal that outlines three steps law schools must take. They are: providing full access to the study of law and membership in the profession to all persons, particularly underrepresented groups; providing data and agreeing to be assessed through the ABA Annual Questionnaire; and submitting to an annual assessment of the inclusivity and equity of their educational environments. The new revisions will now be open for comment.

Criminal justice reform advocate and former public defender Keeda Haynes will discuss and sign copies of her book “Bending the Arc: My Journey from Prison to Politics” on Sunday at the Williamson County Library. The event will run from 3-4:30 p.m. CST, the Williamson Herald reports. Arrested while in college, Haynes spent four years in prison for helping her boyfriend traffic drugs. She has maintained that she did not know the nature of the work. After her release, Haynes earned a law degree. The book traces her journey through the prison system and into politics while also exploring criminal justice reform, racial justice, solution-based change and community activism. The book is available at www.keedahaynes.com.

Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerk Vince Dean recently announced that his office has streamlined the process for criminal expungement, Chattanoogan.com reports. Beginning Jan. 3, 2022, residents of Hamilton County can go to one office for an expungement regardless of whether the original case was in the Circuit Criminal Court or General Sessions Criminal Court. Currently, residents must visit the court in which the crime was adjudicated. Dean said the move is part of an effort to make court processes more efficient. The office also recently opened a one-stop payment center where county residents can pay fines and court costs for both criminal courts.

The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday approved legislation aimed at safeguarding the security and privacy of federal judges and their families, Reuters reports. The legislation was prompted by a deadly attack last year in which a disgruntled lawyer killed Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas. The committee voted unanimously to send the “Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act” to the full Senate for its consideration. The legislation would make it illegal for data brokers to knowingly sell, license or purchase the personally identifiable information of federal judges or their immediate family, including addresses, phone numbers and Social Security numbers. It would also allow federal judges to remove personal information of judges from government websites and fund security training for judges and their immediate family members.

Knock out a day of CLE programming with the TBA’s Year End CLE Watch Party on Dec. 15. Watch some of the most popular online courses from 2021, including ethics and legislative updates and sessions on attorney wellness, diversity and inclusion, creating a hybrid law office, and other law technology and office management topics. Throughout the day, we also will be giving away several prizes. The program runs from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. CST. The watch party is presented as part of the TBA’s Year End CLE event, which offers CLE your way throughout the month of December. And remember, those who purchase a course in December will be entered in our weekly drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card.

Gov. Bill Lee today granted executive clemency to 17 people, marking the first time the governor has used clemency power, the Tennessean reports. Lee issued 13 pardons to people who are no longer incarcerated and three commutations to immediate parole eligibility. He also fully exonerated a Grundy County man who was convicted of a 2006 murder the state now recognizes he did not commit. The governor also announced a new clemency process for people who were convicted of drug offenses in school zones before September 2020. Drug offenses within 1,000 feet of a school, library, park, daycare center or recreational center were subject to harsh mandatory minimum sentences until 2020 legislation changed the radius to 500 feet and required mandatory minimums only be used when children were exposed during the offense. Lee’s office released data showing 335 people currently incarcerated "drug-free school zone offenses" and are now eligible to have their cases reviewed under the new process.