Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has announced the promotion of an existing staff member and the hiring of a new staff member to bolster the office's communications team. Kaki Carrigan, currently serving as deputy chief of staff, has been promoted to chief communications officer. In her expanded role, she will lead the office's communications team and direct both internal and external communications strategies. She will continue to serve as deputy chief of staff. In addition, Phil Buehler has been named press secretary. He will serve as the primary spokesperson for the office and manage day-to-day media relations. Read more about the moves in a news release.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar for new businesses Jan. 7 at 8:30 a.m. CST. During the session, participants will learn about state tax obligations for new businesses in the state and about other resources that may help new businesses. The webinar is part of a series the department offers to the public each quarter. Each webinar covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes, and how to get help from the Department of Revenue and other state agencies. Registration is available on the department’s website.

Sessions from the 2025 Animal Law Forum are now available on demand. The sessions explore conservation funding and green business practices at the Nashville Zoo, legal challenges tied to development in sensitive habitats, key issues in equine law and ethical considerations in animal law cases. The forum also included a session on the practical realities of practicing animal law in Tennessee with a focus on dangerous dogs, veterinary malpractice and custody disputes. Additional programming examines the use of K-9s and equine in law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations, with a focus on training, regulation and legal concerns. All sessions are available individually on the TBA CLE website.

Mississippi lawyer Carlos Eugene Moore was reinstated to the active practice of law in Tennessee on Jan. 5. He had been suspended for one year on March 27, 2025, retroactive to the date of suspension in the state of Mississippi. Moore filed a petition for reinstatement on Nov. 21, 2025. The Board of Professional Responsibility found the petition to be satisfactory.

The TBA is hiring for two positions: Data & Systems Specialist and Executive Assistant. Those interested in either job should send a cover letter explaining interest in the position and a resume by email to Human Resources & Administrative Coordinator Tanja Trezise. The Data & Systems Specialist will support the TBA’s daily operations by managing and optimizing the organization’s core platforms, including the association management system, learning management system, bulk email platform and website. This role ensures data accuracy, maintains functional system workflows, builds and updates website pages, and provides consistent support to staff who rely on these systems. The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted administrative and strategic partner to the Executive Director, supporting TBA’s leadership, governance processes and organizational operations. The position manages executive workflows, coordinates high-level communications, prepares critical documentation, and ensures the Executive Director’s work is well-organized, informed, and aligned with the association’s mission and strategic goals. Learn more about both of these positions on the TBA’s career webpage.

Nearly nine in 10 immigration-related arrests made by Memphis Safe Task Force officers began with traffic stops and were not tied to underlying violent crimes, The Daily Memphian reports. New data show the task force, which launched in Memphis on Sept. 29, made at least 662 “administrative” arrests — its internal term for immigration-related cases — over a 65-day period. Of those arrests, 580 were initiated through traffic stops, while the remainder stemmed from warrants, targeted operations or pedestrian encounters. As of the most recent report on Dec. 8, 2025, the task force had made 3,774 total arrests since it began, 650 of which were administrative in nature. In related news, President Donald Trump said on Saturday that crime in Memphis has dropped by 77% as a result of the Memphis Safe Task Force, according to the paper.

The TBA Mentoring Committee, in collaboration with the TBA Young Lawyers Division, will hold a special event — "Developing Lawyers, Developing Leaders: A CLE on Mentorship and Professional Excellence" — on Jan. 30 at Belmont University College of Law's Baskin Center. Make plans now to join TBA President Heidi Barcus; Marshall County General Sessions Court Judge Lee Bussart; University of Tennessee Winston College of Law professor Joan Heminway; Amy Schmisseur, chair of Belmont University's Department of Communication Studies; Joseph Hubbard of Polsinelli; and Toyin Edogun of Bass Berry & Sims as they explore topics of mentorship, leadership and communication across one's legal career. The day of "Mocktails and Mentorship" will include lunch and three hours of CLE programming, followed by a networking event and the opportunity to mix mocktails together. The program is free for law students. Register by Jan. 25.

Shelby County voters will head to the polls for countywide primary elections on May 5, with races including Shelby County mayor, all 13 county commission districts, court clerks, the assessor of property, sheriff, trustee, register of deeds, and Memphis-Shelby County Schools and Arlington Community Schools school board seats, the Commercial Appeal reports. Candidates began picking up petitions on Dec. 22, 2025, with the qualifying deadline set for Feb. 19 and the withdrawal deadline Feb. 26. Absentee ballot requests start Feb. 4 and end April 25. The voter registration deadline is April 6, and early voting runs from April 16 to April 30. After the May primary, Shelby County voters will return for the county general and statewide primary on Aug. 6 and the state and federal general election on Nov. 3.

A theater professor at Austin Peay State University (APSU) has been reinstated three months after he was fired over social media comments about Charlie Kirk, after the school admitted it did not follow proper policy, The Tennessean reports. A spokesperson confirmed on Dec. 31 that Darren Michael was fully reinstated as a tenured professor. Michael was fired on Sept. 12 after posts he made about Kirk were widely shared online. In October, the school reversed his termination, saying he was instead suspended while administration began the process of ending his tenure. APSU President Mike Licari said in an email that the university “did not follow the required tenure termination process in this matter.”

More Tennessee agencies are signing up to help the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforce federal immigration law as part of the Immigration Enforcement Grant Program, which provides grants to local governments participating in the federal 287(g) program. According to Fox 17, the number of agencies partnering with ICE to assist in the enforcement, detention and removal of undocumented immigrants has grown from 11 to more than 40 in six months. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security shows that 40 counties have now signed up for the program. The state has set aside $5 million for the grants.