Gov. Bill Lee recently announced that Chief Legal Counsel Erin Merrick will leave the his office for the private sector in early July after more than seven years. Fox 17 reports that during her tenure, Merrick has aided in the selection of four Tennessee Supreme Court justices, as well as many appellate and trial judges across the state. “Since the early days of the Lee Administration, Erin has been an invaluable member of our team and a trusted advisor, offering wise counsel and steady leadership,” said Lee. Current Deputy Counsel Alexa Witcher has been named Merrick's successor.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and its Black Law Students Association hosted the 2026 Julian Blackshear Jr. Scholarship Gala in March to celebrate access to legal education and the legal profession. Named for civil rights attorney Julian Blackshear Jr., one of the law school’s first Black graduates, the annual event supports scholarships for law students through contributions from alumni, faculty, staff and community partners. This year’s keynote speaker was Iké Adeyemi, senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Eastman Chemical Company, who spoke about leadership, resilience and using the law to create social change. The law school also posthumously presented the R.B.J. Campbelle Jr. Award to Knoxville attorney and civil rights advocate Rudolph V. McKamey, who was denied admission to the law school in 1948 because of his race. He later graduated from Howard University School of Law before building a career advocating for equality and justice in Knoxville. Read more and see photos from the event on the law school's website.

The TBA has added new staff member David Lazar, who joins the association as the data and systems analyst. Lazar holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Hofstra University in New York with minors in marketing, mathematics and rhetoric. In his role at TBA, he will manage and optimize the organization’s core platforms, including the association management system, learning management system, bulk email platform and website, while providing support to staff and members. Before joining the TBA, Lazar worked in the field of communications, writing for NBC Sports, Spectrum News NY1 and the New York Post. Outside of work, he volunteers at his local animal shelter, helping dogs and cats find homes. His contact information is available on the TBA staff webpage.

Temple University in Philadelphia on Friday announced that University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Dean Lonnie T. Brown Jr. has been named the Kean Family Dean of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Brown will begin the role on Aug. 1. “The Beasley School of Law is one of Temple University’s strongest academic assets, and we are delighted to welcome Lonnie as its Kean Family Dean,” Temple President John Fry said. “This was a thorough and competitive search process, and Lonnie quickly emerged as the top candidate, given his extensive experience as both a leader and legal scholar." Brown has been the dean of Winston Law since 2022 and is the Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law and Haslam Family Professor. “I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected as Kean Family Dean of the Beasley School of Law. The university and law school’s sincere commitment to student success, broad access, community engagement and overall excellence is palpable, and I could not be more excited about this amazing opportunity to contribute to those critically important objectives in the years ahead,” Brown said.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today ruled in Haddon v. Vanlier, et al. that a plaintiff injured by an uninsured motorist could not recover prejudgment interest, even though she sued her own insurance carrier under the Uninsured Motorist Act. The court focused on the "gravamen" of the claim — determining it was a personal injury action, not a contract claim — despite the lawsuit being brought directly against the carrier. Since Tennessee law allows prejudgment interest in breach of contract cases but not personal injury cases, the court ruled Haddon was not entitled to the additional damages. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Tennessee last week filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three individual Memphis voters, as well as the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Equity Alliance. The suit challenges Tennessee’s new congressional redistricting map and seeks to block the map from taking effect before the August primary election. Read more in a press release from the ACLU. Two other lawsuits — one from the Tennessee NAACP and one from voters and Democratic Congressional candidates — also have been filed. The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 11 appointed a special three-judge panel to consider the NAACP's case. According to States Newsroom, they are Chancellor Anne Martin, Chancellor Tony Childress and Judge James Gass. In the candidates' suit, U.S. District Court Judge William Campbell of the Middle District of Tennessee set a May 20 court date, WSMV reports.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) will kick off its annual fundraising campaign on May 28 with a virtual presentation from Russell Fowler, LAET's director of litigation and managing attorney. "The Top 10 Tennessee Lawyers" will cover litigators, judges and scholars and the legal and major ethical challenges they confronted and overcame, thus advancing the profession, ethical standards and justice in general. Additionally, LAET's Director of Development & Communications Chris Berryman will give a preview of the organization's upcoming pro bono initiatives. Register here for this free event.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 11 suspended Hamilton County attorney Patrick Bryant Hawley until further order from the court. On June 6, 2025, Hawley pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually exploiting a 14-year-old Pennsylvania girl and was sentenced on April 16 to 340 months in prison. The matter has been referred to the Board of Professional Responsibility to institute formal proceedings to determine the extent of the final discipline.

The Tennessee Supreme Court transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Nathaniel Foxworthy Greene to disability inactive status on May 11. Greene may not practice law while on inactive status. He may petition the court to return to the practice of law by showing that the disability has been removed.

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Hamilton County lawyer Michael Byron Tulloss to the active practice of law on May 4. Tulloss was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on May 11, 2016. The Board of Professional Responsibility indicated the petition for reinstatement was satisfactory.