The Tennessee Bar Association is now accepting nominations for its 2021 Claudia Jack Award and Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award. The Claudia Jack Award honors an outstanding public defender or court-appointed private practitioner who has served the legal community and their clients in an exemplary fashion. It is named after the late Claudia Jack, a public defender and long-time champion of the poor and underprivileged. The Drowota Award is given to a judge or judicial branch official of a federal, state or local court in Tennessee who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion and dedication to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice as exemplified by the career of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Frank F. Drowota III. The deadline for both nominations is May 3.

Former Nashville Mayor David Briley says he is considering a run for circuit court judge so long as Judge Hamilton “Kip” Gayden does not run for re-election, the Nashville Post reports. Gayden’s term as Davidson County's Circuit Court judge ends next year. He has been on the bench for more than four decades. “I have the greatest admiration for Judge Gayden’s service to the people of Nashville, and it would be an honor for any lawyer to follow him,” Briley said. Briley is an attorney for Bone McAllester Norton and a longtime public servant. He served two terms on the Metro Council and was elected vice mayor in 2015. He took over as mayor in 2018 after Mayor Megan Barry resigned. He then won a special election to fill the remainder of the term.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, last week stripped Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-Paris, of his committee assignments, the Nashville Post reports. The decision was announced with no debate or explanation shortly before members left the Capitol for the week. “There are certain expectations that must be met by members of the Tennessee House of Representatives,” Sexton said through a spokesperson. “These include maintaining decorum and professionalism, as well as respect for others, and perhaps most importantly, respect for our longstanding committee process. If any or all of these expectations become an issue, appropriate actions will be taken — including removing a member from his or her committee assignments.” The paper says the dispute appears to stem from an argument between Griffey and House leaders earlier this week over the legislator’s attempt to revive a bill defeated in a subcommittee. The Republican Party in Griffey's home Henry County passed a resolution earlier this week censuring Sexton over the parliamentary dispute and calling on the speaker to resign his position.

TBA’s Practice Management Center has resources for learning how to convert WordPerfect documents to Word. Follow the steps here and avoid the endless rabbit hole of minor repairs. And be sure to check out other whitepapers on document management and general technology support.

The offices of U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are accepting applications from candidates interested in appointment as the U.S. attorney in one of Tennessee’s three federal districts. Interested individuals should download the questionnaire posted on Sen Blackburn’s website or Sen. Hagerty’s website and submit the completed form to both senators by email at appointments@blackburn.senate.gov and appointments@hagerty.senate.gov. There is no firm deadline for submission, but the senators are asking interested candidates to complete the form as soon as they can.

TBA member and Butler Snow attorney Andre B. Mathis has been selected as a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s 2021 Class of Fellows. The year-long program is designed to identify, train and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. Mathis, a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Labor and Employment groups in Memphis, advises business and governmental entities on contract disputes, employment litigation, internal investigations, education law, transportation litigation, premises liability and financial services litigation. He is also active in the local community, serving on the board for Streets Ministries Inc. and the Downtown Porter Boys & Girls Club; on the alumni board for the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law; and as a coach of the law school’s Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Team. Read more about Mathis in this release from the firm.

Former U.S. Sen. Bill Brock, R-Chattanooga, died today in Florida at the age of 90, the Tennessean reports. Brock spent eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1962 to 1970, becoming the first Republican to hold the Third Congressional District seat in 40 years. In 1970, he defeated incumbent Democrat Albert Gore Sr. for a seat in the U.S. Senate, but lost his re-election bid to Democrat Jim Sasser six years later. He went on to head the Republican National Committee, and serve as U.S. trade representative and Labor Department secretary during the Reagan administration. After leaving government service he formed the Brock Group, a Washington, D.C., trade consulting firm. Former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, who decades later held the same congressional seat, described Brock as the "father of the Republican Party" in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a circuit court judge in the 10th Judicial District, which covers Bradley, Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties. The vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge Lawrence H. Puckett, effective July 1. Qualified 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 10th Judicial District. Interested individuals must complete an application and submit it by noon CDT on April 8. Complete instructions are posted online. The commission will hold a virtual hearing on May 13 at 9 a.m. CDT to review applicants.

The Nashville Conflict Resolution Center will host its fourth annual Mediation Matters Breakfast on April 1 at 8 a.m. CDT. The free virtual program will focus on how COVID-19 has impacted the housing crisis and how civil mediation is helping keep children and families in their homes. The center has worked in the Nashville community for 21 years. It recently was tapped by the courts to help keep people in their homes despite their inability to pay rent.

The Tennessee legislature will not be banning requirements for workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, at least during this session, WPLN reports. Yesterday, Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, took his bill, HB1147, off notice. The measure would have made it illegal to require employees to take the vaccine. Ultimately, the interests of “corporate freedom” won out against “individual liberty,” as one lawmaker put it. Grills also said that after talking to other members, he was concerned the proposal would conflict with the state’s “right-to-work” policies. Currently, federal law prohibits employers from forcing workers to get the vaccine because it has only been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration.