Judge Janice Holder, Tennessee’s first female chief justice, is being honored for a trailblazing career that began almost by accident, according to the University of Memphis blog. “I wasn’t drawn to the field of law. I applied to one law school, and I got accepted, so I decided I would just try it for a year,” Holder said. After earning her law degree from Duquesne University and clerking for Chief Judge Herbert P. Sorg of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Holder practiced law in Pennsylvania and Memphis before being elected Circuit Court judge in District 30 in 1990. She was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1996 and became chief justice in 2008, the first woman to hold the role. Her legacy includes spearheading the creation of the Access to Justice Commission and the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program. Holder also maintains close ties to the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where she mentors students and promotes public service.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on July 23 suspended 18 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; nine of whom also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. Six lawyers have been reinstated since the list came out. One other lawyer suspended in 2023 also has been reinstated. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2025 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Middle Tennessee school districts are rolling out new cellphone policies to comply with a state law that went into effect on July 1. In March, Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation banning the use of cellphones and other wireless devices during classroom instruction time. According to WPLN, the law includes exceptions for students with disabilities or medical needs, as well as those who use wireless devices for educational purposes. The law allows school districts to set their own levels of cellphone restriction. In recent weeks, school boards have been updating their policies accordingly. Under the final version of the law, students may use their phones during emergencies. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, said school districts are responsible for finalizing the details, but she expects boards to adopt policies that include notifying parents directly in emergency situations. The Tennessee Board of Education will review each policy to ensure compliance.

The TBA will host a “Tax Law 2025: Divorce & Taxes” webcast on Aug. 29 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will explore how divorce impacts taxes for both parties. Additional details will be announced soon on the TBA website. 

Following a public hearing, the Trial Court Vacancy Commission announced the selection of three candidates to send to Gov. Bill Lee to replace Judge Cheryl Blackburn, who retired at the end of May. The three candidates are James Harwell Todd, Dominic J. Leonardo and Ronald Dowdy. Todd is currently the Division VI Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge. Dowdy has been working as an assistant district attorney in District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office, where he is the team leader of the Crimes Against Children Division, since 2017. Leonardo was selected by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a Davidson County General Sessions Court special judge in 2018 and serves as a legal analyst for NewsChannel 5. The Nashville Banner newsletter reports on the three candidates.

Tennessee's Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Georgia's Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock are introducing a new bill aimed at providing tax relief to entertainers, the Tennessean reports. The Creative Relief and Expensing for Audio and Television Enterprises Act, or CREATE Act, would allow singers, songwriters and other creatives to write off production expenses. Earlier this year, Blackburn advocated for including music production expenses in the Internal Revenue Code as part of what President Trump called his "One Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law on July 4. The Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act currently allows artists to write off up to $150,000 in production expenses in the year they are incurred, but the provision is set to expire at the end of 2025. If passed, the CREATE Act would extend the deduction through 2030 and introduce annual cost-of-living adjustments beginning in 2027 to address rising production costs and make filming in the U.S. more financially viable.

State supreme courts should “encourage innovation and reform” in the bar admissions process and encourage real-world practice readiness for new attorneys, according to report from a national group of judges and court administrators. The recommendations come from the Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform, an 18-month collaboration between the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. The group says that state supreme courts should take a more active role in legal education and attorney admissions, including establishing new ways to license attorneys and encouraging innovation by law schools. According to Reuters, the group says the bar exam “has not covered many practical realities of the profession” and new lawyers do not always have the necessary skills to talk to clients or conduct negotiations. They recommend encouraging hands-on learning opportunities, reforming the bar admissions process, streamlining character and fitness reviews, supporting public service attorneys and encouraging attorneys to practice in rural areas.

Ray Whitley, the state’s longest-serving district attorney, will retire on Sept. 1 after 45 years as Sumner County’s top prosecutor, the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference has announced. Whitley began his legal career in 1971 as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville. He later moved to Sumner County and joined the district attorney’s office. He was appointed to lead the office in 1980, and has been re-elected five times. He also has served two terms as president of the conference and has been instrumental in guiding statewide policies, training and legislative engagement on public safety. Read about his reflections on his career in a news release from the conference. Gov. Bill Lee’s office is accepting applications through Aug. 4 to fill the position.

Kentucky-based Stites & Harbison has opened its first office in Alabama. The Huntsville location will be led by Nashville attorney Josh Chesser, according to a press release from the firm. Chesser, who joined the firm in 2024, will split his time between the Nashville and Huntsville offices. Joseph V. Ronderos Jr. also will work in both locations. Alabama patent attorney Kimberly Vines will work in the Huntsville office. “We’re excited to expand our full-service legal practice in Alabama and enhance the support we provide to clients across the state and beyond,” said firm chair Marjorie Farris. Stites & Harbison also operates in Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia. Offices in Tennessee are located in Franklin, Memphis and Nashville.

Belmont University and the University of Tennessee (UT) have launched investigations into the status of their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs after reports that employees have said DEI practices remain unchanged, WZTV reports. Last week, Vanderbilt University announced it had hired a law firm to investigate similar claims. Belmont reports it has hired an outside consultant to "initiate an independent compliance review." In an email to staff, UT said it has initiated a systemwide independent review of all access and engagement activities and mandated compliance training for employees. The inquiries come on the heels of new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education about the legality of DEI programs. Inside Higher Ed reports on the latest direction from the department.