The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee have released case materials for the 45th Annual Tennessee High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place in February and March 2026. Students will present their best arguments in State of Tennessee v. Callahan, a criminal case centered around the murder of a member of an organized crime family. Local competitions will take place in February with the district winners advancing to the state competition, set for March 20-21 in Nashville. This year's competition also will include the Second Annual Artist in the Courtroom Contest. Following the state competition, Tennessee's mock trial winner and first place artist will have the opportunity to represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa, May 7-9. Tennessee's 2025 state champion Montgomery Bell Academy took first place in the national championship in Phoenix, Arizona, this summer! Learn more about the 2026 case and thank you to Mock Trial Committee Chair John Jolley, Vice Chair Bridget Pyman and Long Range Planning Coordinator Ashley Tipton for their leadership.

Book publishers and literary groups are challenging Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s directive for public libraries to audit children’s collections and report on any books that include gender identity concepts. More than 30 groups have signed a letter expressing “profound concern” about the effort. They also argue that a presidential executive order, which Hargett cites in his directive, should regulate only federal agencies. Hargett has asked libraries that receive state or federal grant funds to make an “age-appropriate” review of books and file final reports by Jan. 19, 2026. He says the review is necessary based on the state's new Dismantling DEI Departments Act, and encourages libraries with questions to contact their county attorney. According to the Tennessee Lookout, some libraries have had to shut down temporarily to conduct the assessment.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has selected members for the 2026 Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) class. Starting in January, class members will embark on a six-month leadership and networking program designed to develop skills to succeed as law students and attorneys, build relationships among students of diverse backgrounds, and encourage involvement in the TBA and the legal community. Congratulations to Sara Ali-Amghaiab and Carole Rizkallah from Belmont University College of Law; Naimad Delgado, Sierra Dennis, Charleston Pritchett, Cayla Scott and Carlee Sullins from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law; Ronal Bueso, Marilyn Harrison-Bates and Cecilee Tinajero from Nashville School of Law; Abigail James from University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law; and Dimend Little from UT Winston College of Law. Special thanks to DLI Co-Chairs and Nashville attorneys Morgan Hanna and John Murphy for their work preparing for this new class.

The U.S. Justice Department plans to expand gun-rights protections with a new office in the Civil Rights Division dedicated to enforcing the constitutional right to bear arms, according to Reuters. The office, called the Second Amendment Rights Section, is expected to open Dec. 4 and will investigate local laws or policies that limit gun rights. The section also will carry out broad directives from a February executive order issued by President Donald Trump directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to assess any ongoing infringements of gun rights across the federal government. Earlier this year, the department launched a civil rights investigation into allegations that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was delaying approvals for concealed-carry permits after gun-rights groups filed a lawsuit over the department’s process, fees and wait times.

According to data from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office, Davidson, Montgomery and Williamson counties saw the highest early voter turnout, with 20,951, 19,110 and 14,777 ballots cast, respectively, in a special congressional election, the Nashville Scene reports. The 7th Congressional District includes 11 counties — Stewart, Montgomery, Robertson, Houston, Dickson, Cheatham, Humphreys, Hickman, Decatur, Perry and Wayne — as well as portions of Davidson, Williamson and Benton. The special election will fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of former U.S. Rep. Mark Green and will come up for election again in one year. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST tomorrow for election day.

The TBA will offer a webcast on Dec. 11 providing a practical overview of the cybersecurity legal landscape. The program will cover current cyber risks, baseline regulatory obligations across agencies such as the SEC, FTC, NYDFS, CMMC and state attorneys general, and will walk participants through real-world breach scenarios and subsequent litigation. The session runs from noon to 1 p.m. CST and will include actionable guidance for managing cybersecurity incidents and strengthening compliance programs. Visit the TBA website to register.

The TBA will host “The Ethical Campaign 2025” on Dec. 2 in Nashville, an advanced-level program for state and local lawmakers, judges, candidates, campaign leaders and their counsel focused on ethics and professionalism in the 2026 election cycle. The session will cover compliance with election laws, ethical obligations and campaign finance requirements, and will include lunch and networking opportunities with panelists. The event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST at the Adams & Reese Nashville office at 1600 West End Ave. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

In the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order soliciting comments from the Tennessee legal community, the court asks whether it "should consider modifying requirements for admission to the Tennessee Bar for those licensed in other states to promote interstate practice and mobility." Comity admission is governed by Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7, Article V. An applicant must have been engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years immediately preceding the application and must meet education and character and fitness requirements. The current application process is a multi-step process that can take up to 14 months, and sometimes longer, to complete. Feedback on potential modification of these requirements may be sent to TBA's newly formed Legal Access & Regulatory Reform Task Force at townhall@tnbar.org as well as directly to the court. Watch TBA Today through the month of December to learn more about the seven points in the Supreme Court’s order and specific ways to engage with the task force. Visit TBA's Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page for more information.

Calling all early birds! The TBA is launching a new series that will bring lawyers compelling CLE webcasts from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. CST. The Sunrise Series will begin Dec. 2 with “College Mascots and Legal Ethics: Lessons from the Sidelines,” during which legal educator Stuart Teicher will use tigers, eagles and other college icons to explore what mascots can teach lawyers about loyalty, character and protecting clients. Then on Dec. 9, Teicher will present "Good Lawyers Gone Bad: Ethics Lessons from True Lawyer Slime and Crime." The session will explore actual missteps committed by lawyers and the ethics lessons underlying the actions. Make plans now to get your day started with a CLE boost!

It's time for TBA's Year End CLE event! This annual tradition brings you quick and easy content, right from the comfort of your own home or office, whether you need one hour of CLE or 15. There is a quality mix of packages based on hours needed or topic, live webcasts and on-demand video — all offered virtually. And our excellent customer support at cle@tnbar.org will get you over the finish line for your 2025 CLE requirements. Select packages by hour (six, eight, 10, 12 or 15) or by topic, or build your own any time by visiting cle.tba.org to access over 200 on-demand programs. Topical packages include AI Essentials, Attorney Wellness, Ethics, Experience TBA Convention, General Solo & Small Practice, Law Practice Management, Mediation Ethics & CME and the Rookie Series. All offer dual hours, making it easy to check that off your December to-do list. Packages also are available based on practice area. Check out all the options here!