In a letter to President Joe Biden today, Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III and 20 other state attorneys general voice opposition to regulatory guidance recently issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and U.S. Department of Education. The group argues the agencies are misinterpreting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, to prohibit employers and schools from operating sex-specific bathrooms, locker rooms and showers. They also take aim at the agencies’ claims that anyone using biologically accurate pronouns could violate the law. Finally, the group takes issue with the way the guidelines were promulgated, saying the agencies did not provide public notice or the opportunity to comment as required by the Administrative Procedure Act. Read more from the AG's office.

There is a general trend toward pursuing productivity, with lawyers trying to find the next productivity app, hack or guru, legal innovator Olga V. Mack writes in Above the Law. And while getting more organized or pursuing self-improvement is not bad, she cautions against falling into the trap of toxic productivity. She defines the term as trying to schedule the maximum amount of output for every minute of the day, filling every moment with back-to-back meetings, projects or research, with little-to-no time for breaks. Toxic productivity assumes we can always perform at our best and all we must do is pack our days. But reality does not agree, she argues. Instead, she says, recognize you can’t do it all alone and then find a support group or other structure that allows you to distribute your load equally and sustainably.

An article in yesterday’s TBA Today regarding a shift in Nashville’s legal market post-COVID-19 noted that national firms hiring Nashville attorneys to work remotely have contributed to a changing legal landscape. While some national firms have hired Nashville attorneys without setting up a physical office in the city, Am Law 50 firm K&L Gates did recently launch a Nashville office.

Democrat state Rep. Yusuf Hakeem is raising questions about suspension of the Baptiste Group’s license to operate a home for migrant children in Chattanooga, Tennessee Lookout reports. Hakeem, who represents the area, questioned the timing of the move, saying allegations of sexual abuse may have given the state an excuse to suspend the group's license. Hakeem also said it is unclear whether the state Department of Children’s Services, the federal government or the legislative committee on refugees is investigating the group.

Davidson County Election Commission Chair Jim DeLanis says he was fired from his law firm over his vote to appeal a judge’s decision that invalidated an anti-tax hike referendum, the Tennessean reports. DeLanis told the paper yesterday that he was fired from Baker Donelson after 40 years of employment due to "threats and pressure" from two "substantial" clients. He also said the firm’s general counsel asked him not to vote on the matter. The firm disputes the characterization, calling the departure a “retirement.” In a statement, the firm said, "We are grateful to Jim for his long years of service and wish him well on his retirement from the firm. We disagree with his characterization of the circumstances of his departure from the firm but will not engage in a public debate about them."

Murfreesboro lawyer William “Bill” Walter Burton Jr. died July 1 at 79. After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law, Burton moved to Murfreesboro and practiced law there for 46 years. He retired in 2013. Burton previously served as president of the Rutherford County Bar Association, as chair of the Rutherford County Red Cross and Heart Association, and on the board of governors of the University of Tennessee National Alumni Association. Visitation will take place at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. CDT and at Prosperity ARP Church in Taft on Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Family Center or First Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The TBA's Summer Business Education Webinar Series launches tomorrow with a one-hour session on Make Meetings Meaningful. The virtual program will run from noon to 1 p.m. CDT and offer one hour of dual CLE credit. The series, designed to help attorneys work smarter not harder, will continue on July 15 with Email Management, on July 22 with Task Management and on July 29 with Using Core Financial & Productivity Reports.

A Hendersonville man pleaded guilty last week to federal arson charges for his role in the damage to the Metro Courthouse during a protest in Nashville last year, the Associated Press reports. Wesley Somers faces five to 20 years after entering his plea in U.S. District Court. Graffiti was sprayed on the courthouse, windows were smashed and a fire was set inside on May 30 last year after a gathering to protest the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Somers was caught on video clips and photos from the event and was identified after the Nashville police received tips from citizens. He will be sentenced on Dec. 1.

Following reports of child abuse, the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) announced last week that the state has suspended the license of the Baptiste Group to manage La Casa de Sydney, a Chattanooga facility that housed unaccompanied migrant children. According to The Chattanoogan, an unannounced DCS inspection in June uncovered alleged child abuse by a staff member, who was fired after an investigation and charged with sexual battery. As of June 22, all children had been removed from the facility. The suspension issued by DCS is not time-limited and under state law a licensee may request an informal hearing before an administrative law judge within three business days of the suspension. The Associated Press reports that state lawmakers have demanded Baptiste Group testify and answer questions about the operation at their next meeting on July 13.

The Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration is seeking to hire data privacy counsel to join its Office of Evidence and Impact. The position works with multiple divisions of F&A and other departments and state agencies to further the use of data in decision-making, while maintaining compliance with all privacy laws and regulations. To apply for the job, email cover letter and resume to Christin Lotz or apply via the state’s website. Read more about the job posting on Linkedin.