Georgia lawyer Heather Renee Hicks was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Jan. 6. She had been placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on May 11, 2017. The Board of Professional Responsibility reviewed the petition for reinstatement and determined it to be satisfactory.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) recently held its annual pro bono celebration in Chattanooga. This year’s event recognized Hall of Fame inductees Nadia Oliver with the Orange Grove Center and Charles Sereebutra with CBL Properties, both of Chattanooga, for their dedication to serving neighbors in need. The Charles W. “Buz” Dooley Pro Bono Attorneys Hall of Fame Celebration also featured Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater as the 2025 distinguished guest. The event also was attended by local attorneys, judges, firm partners, paralegals and donors. See photos from the celebration.

The Memphis Bar Association (MBA) held its Annual Meeting last month. During the event, leaders presented a number of awards. Shea Wellford, a shareholder with Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, received the MBA’s highest award, the Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award. The award recognizes a Memphis attorney who has practiced law for more than 15 years and embodies professionalism, civility and courtesy. In addition, Natalie Bursi, a shareholder with Lewis Thomason, received the Sam A. Myar Jr. Memorial Award, which honors an attorney under 40 years old who has shown dedication and commitment to the legal profession and local community. Finally, outgoing president Lauran Stimac presented President’s Awards to Lucie Brackin and Terrence Reed for their service as co-chairs of the MBA’s Leadership Forum and for revitalizing the mentorship program. See photos from the event or read more in a press release from the group.

Jason Scott Mangrum, a lawyer in Williamson County, received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7. Following the residential foreclosure of and service of a detainer warrant upon an individual, Mangrum represented the person in an action for wrongful foreclosure and breach of contract. The court found that Mangrum improperly included in the complaint a claim that the opposing party’s actions constituted deceptive business practices permitting treble damages under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which under Tennessee law does not apply in foreclosure proceedings. The court determined that the claim had no merit and misrepresented to the client what recovery they might receive. In negotiations, Mangrum suggested a settlement offer to his client that he issued to opposing counsel but later asserted that the offer was grossly excessive in light of the facts and applicable law. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 3.1 and 8.4(d).

Shelby County lawyer Curtis Douglas Johnson received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7. In representing a client in a bankruptcy matter, the court found that Johnson failed to communicate with his client and failed to respond to multiple requests for information, violating Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4.

The TBA Tort & Insurance Law Section will hold its 2026 forum on Feb. 19 as a live virtual event. The program will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST and feature sessions on navigating court approval of minor settlements, medical malpractice and ethical issues in the public adjuster industry. Two general hours and one dual hour of CLE credit are available. Speakers include Paige Goodwin and Jordan Neiderland with Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell, Raymond Lewallen with Arnett Baker Draper & Hagood, and Christopher Vrettos with Gideon Cooper & Essary. Section members receive discounted rates. Not a section member yet? Join here. Learn more and register for the forum on the TBA CLE website.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7 suspended Davidson County lawyer Mickie Smith Daugherty from the practice of law for six years, retroactive to Aug. 20, 2024. The suspension is conditioned on Daugherty’s cooperation with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) and compliance with terms and conditions imposed by the Maury County Circuit Court. On Sept. 3, 2024, Daugherty pled guilty to one count of theft of property and one count of forgery, both Class C felonies, and was ordered to pay restitution of $35,000 to Culleoka Athletic Booster Club. She received judicial diversion and was placed on probation for a period of four years and six months. Daugherty paid full restitution before she was sentenced. She agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging her conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional 8.4(c).

Frost Brown Todd LLP, with offices in Nashville, and Gibbons PC have finalized their combination, effective Jan. 1, according to the new firm FBT Gibbons LLP. The combination unites two full-service firms to create a mid-market legal entity with approximately 800 attorneys in 25 offices nationwide. The move adds a significant East Coast presence to Frost Brown Todd’s footprint with offices in New York and New Jersey. The firm also announced that it is launching a new Life Sciences Industry Team and expanding its White Collar & Investigations Group. Read more in a press release from the firm.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met in Knoxville to select nominees for an upcoming vacancy on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Section. The vacancy will be created with the retirement of Judge D. Michael Swiney on Jan. 12. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the council selected the following three nominees: Rachel Park Hurt, a partner with Arnett Baker Draper & Hagood in Knoxville and president of the Knoxville Bar Association; 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court Judge William Erwin Phillips II in Rogersville; and 12th Judicial District Chancellor Melissa Thomas Willis in Jasper. Learn more about the nominees in the applications they submitted for consideration.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recently released its annual law school report, documenting 2025 statistics such as enrollment numbers and demographics, tuition and living costs, financial aid, faculty demographics, and entrance tests being used to screen students. The data shows a 4% increase over 2024 in law student enrollment at ABA-accredited schools, a 7.9% increase in first-year students, and a 6.3% increase in students enrolled in LLM, master’s and certificate programs. For the first-year class of 2025, 55.1% were women, 42.5% were men and 1% cited another gender identity. Read more about the latest statistics in this ABA news release, view a one-page overview or search all data.