The Memphis Bar Association announced today that it has named Mary Ann Upchurch as its new executive director. Upchurch has over 24 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, previously serving as a senior executive for the American Cancer Society where she was responsible for managing an eight-state region across the south. She also served as vice president of community engagement and state vice president for Tennessee and Alabama. Upchurch is a native of West Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in communications and public relations. 

Lawyers seldom feel that they can take a work-free vacation. Tight deadlines, understaffed projects, overpromised clients, and a culture that shuns vacation takers are often to blame, leading to increasingly longer hours for attorneys. And while employers may encourage lawyers to disconnect while they are away, encouragement may not be enough. A new article from Bloomberg Law argues that employers must go further by structuring firms and legal departments in a way that allows lawyers to take time off without having to manage work-related tasks while away. Designing a practice that allows for more vacation time may also make the workplace less stressful when lawyers are back in the office. The article offers four practical suggestions for how to better plan for truly disconnected vacations.

The Madison County Juvenile Court has announced new plans for an expansion of its juvenile detention center, including a mental health program, WBBJ-TV reports. Juvenile Court Judge Christy Little says the idea is to help families have all the resources they need in one place. Little also says the mental health program is vital with 99% of the children appearing before her having a mental illness of some kind. She hopes these services will keep more juveniles out of the courtroom. The court plans to present the expansion to elected officials on June 11.

The Memphis Lawyers’ Chapter of the Federalist Society is hosting a free virtual program on June 3 at 11:30 a.m. CDT with Dr. John S. Baker, professor emeritus at Louisiana State University Law School and visiting professor at Peking University School of Transnational Law. Baker will speak on the topic "The Anti-Federalists and the Debate Over the U.S. Constitution.” Register online or by contacting Greg Grisham, 901-333-2076.

Several Hamilton County officials have floated the idea of appointing the widow of the late Rep. Mike Carter to fill his House seat until a special election can be held, the Times Free Press reports. Commissioner Sabrena Smedley recommended the appointment of Joan Carter noting that she has already agreed to serve. Others objected based on the timing of the move. But commission Chair Chip Baker said it was important to get an appointment made soon given the possibility that Gov. Bill Lee will call the General Assembly back for a special session. Baker said he would like to fill the seat so someone is "available to represent the citizens of the 29th legislative district" during those proceedings.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a circuit court judge in the 7th Judicial District, which covers Anderson County. The vacancy will be created by the July 2 retirement of Judge Donald R. Elledge. Applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 30 years of age, have been residents of the state for five years and are residents of the district. Interested individuals must submit an application and waiver by noon on June 8. Complete instructions are posted online. The commission will hold a hearing on July 16 at 9 a.m. EDT to review applicants.

In-person jury trials have resumed in Sullivan County, but Criminal Court Judge Jim Goodwin says the halt in trials during the COVID-19 pandemic has created an overwhelming backlog of cases, WJHL News reports. “We can’t catch up. We won’t catch up,” he said. “We’ll get through them the best we can. And that’s all we can do.” Public Defender Andrew Gibbons said his attorneys normally have around 100 cases each, but their caseloads can now reach up to 200 at a time. He cautions against rushing through these cases. “One of my big fears is people in the system — judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, Department of Corrections, whoever — they’re going to want to just start cranking out cases … my job is to make sure the process is fair. My job is to make sure people are protected from the system. You can’t rush that.”

The White House has confirmed that Tennessee is being used as a place to transport unaccompanied migrant children to family members or sponsors, WREG News Channel 3 reports. “Tennessee is a state that is right near and the middle of the country, and some kids have to travel through there to get to their destination,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said recently. The Biden administration is seeking to connect children seeking asylum at the border with sponsors and are using a place in Chattanooga to house and transport some of those children. Matt Maniatis, a Nashville based immigration attorney, tells the station that there is nothing new about the process being used. “This is a program that’s been around for decades. It was the same program under the Trump administration,” Maniatis said.

Roger A. Miller has announced his intention to seek re-election for a second term as Anderson County General Sessions judge for Division II, located in Oak Ridge. Miller was first elected 2014 after practicing law for 16 years in Clinton, the Oak Ridger reports. He obtained his law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 1998. Prior to joining the legal profession, Miller was an EMS paramedic for 13 years.

A dozen law firms with offices in Tennessee have made the Am Law 100 List this year. In addition to the two firms that debuted on the list for the first time (Baker Donelson and Loeb & Loeb), 10 others repeat on the list of top revenue-grossing firms. They are: Husch Blackwell, Chattanooga; Jackson Lewis, Memphis; Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, K&L Gates, Nelson Mullins, Pillsbury, Polsinelli and Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Nashville; and Littler Mendelson and Ogletree Deakins with offices in both Memphis and Nashville. See the full list.