The frame of Nashville's new juvenile justice center off of Brick Church Pike was completed last week, marking a milestone celebrated by city leaders. The Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment is designed to reimagine how the city cares for young people in trouble with the law, News Channel 5 reports. Organizers said the trauma-informed campus will focus on healing, restoration and rehabilitation. “What we’re going to have here is something more restorative. We will be able to house up to about 64 youth if we need to. Hopefully, we will not have to need that many. They will have space where they can do job training. They will do their schooling in an actual building part that looks like a school. They will have counseling services,” Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway said. The campus also will provide resources for families, with partner organizations operating on site. The facility is expected to open in 2027.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed John Squires, a former chief intellectual property attorney at Goldman Sachs, to lead the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under President Trump. Squires was confirmed as part of a push by the Senate to approve dozens of Trump nominees at once. The USPTO is responsible for issuing U.S. patents and trademarks and advising the government on intellectual property policy. The office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board reviews the validity of existing patents. Squires will head the USPTO as it faces increasing competition with China on innovation and questions about the role of artificial intelligence in inventing, Reuters reports. Trump nominated Squires in March to lead the office. He succeeds Kathi Vidal, who served as director during the Biden administration.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced last week in a press release that it had dismantled an MS-13 cell operating within Nashville. After a nine-month investigation, a series of court-authorized search warrants were conducted in the metropolitan Nashville area, resulting in the arrests of at least 17 members and associates of MS-13 across three states, including Tennessee, California and Oklahoma. In addition, investigators also seized bulk quantities of marijuana, counterfeit pills, cocaine, THC vapes, liquid psilocybin and multiple firearms, including assault rifles. DEA officials said the operation, carried out with local, state and federal partners, marked a significant step in efforts to disrupt MS-13’s drug trafficking and violent activities.

A Tennessee state legislative committee voted last week to remove references to women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans from the state's equal employment opportunity plan. Under the proposal, Tennessee will no longer formally track or publicly report on the demographics of individuals interviewed, hired or promoted to jobs in the executive branch of state government as of Oct. 7. According to Tennessee Lookout, the Joint Government Operations Committee also lifted a requirement for state agencies to specifically recruit, hire and promote underrepresented women and minorities. The rule change was necessary to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order ending affirmative action in government employment and recent state laws according to a deputy general counsel for the state’s Department of Human Resources. According to the paper, the state will continue to track employment of veterans and those with disabilities to comply with separate federal laws.

Rural hospital management company Java Medical Group has named former circuit court judge Craig Johnson as chief legal officer to oversee risk compliance, contract management, liability and risk for the Nashville-based company, the Nashville Post reports. Johnson brings more than 30 years of judicial and legal experience to the role. He previously served as circuit judge of the 14th Judicial District in Tennessee until his retirement in 2021. Johnson continues to hear cases as an ad hoc judge and also serves as attorney for the city of Manchester. Johnson earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee. “For the rural hospitals we serve, having access to experienced legal leadership is critical. The addition of Craig Johnson as chief legal officer gives our facilities a trusted advisor who understands the complexities of healthcare compliance and provider retention,” said Java CEO Bappa Mukherji.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate held steady last month at 3.6%, seven-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was unchanged from the previous month. Tennessee’s unemployment rate continues to track well below the U.S. rate, which was 4.3% in August. Over the past year, Tennessee employers added 34,400 jobs, with the biggest gains in government, the professional and business services sector, and leisure and hospitality.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division, Belmont University College of Law and Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services are joining forces to offer a wills clinic on Oct. 11 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CDT at the Nashville Public Library's Southeast Branch, 5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #201, Antioch 37013. Volunteer attorneys will prepare simple wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives for clients. If you are interested in participating, please email YLD District 9 Representative Ginny Blake.

The TBA is accepting applications from candidates interested in the position of Education and Professional Development Coordinator. This position manages projects and logistics for continuing legal education (CLE) programs, section/committee meetings and special events. The role oversees communication, scheduling, vendor coordination, volunteer management, budgeting and follow-up to ensure programs run smoothly and meet member needs. To apply, send a cover letter explaining interest in the position and a resume by email to Director of Education and Professional Development Jennifer Vossler. Access the full job description here.

Gov. Bill Lee today appointed Judge Jim Todd to the 20th Judicial District Criminal Court, covering Davidson County. Todd currently serves as a judge in the Davidson County General Sessions Court. He will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Cheryl Blackburn. Todd earned his bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University and law degree at the University of Memphis. “I am proud to announce the appointment of Judge Todd to the 20th Judicial District Criminal Court. Jim brings significant experience to the bench, and I appreciate his leadership and willingness to serve Tennesseans with integrity,” Lee said according to the Nashville Post.

The U.S. Senate confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees with one vote under new rules designed to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed, WSMV reports. The new rules allow the Senate to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote — a process that previously would have been blocked with just one objection. The rules do not apply to judicial nominations or high-level cabinet posts. The Senate voted 51-47 to confirm the four dozen nominees.