A new lawsuit brought on behalf of 13 children alleges that foster kids in Tennessee are being denied basic rights to education, health care and stable homes, and have been kept in unsafe institutions or moved through multiple foster families for years at a time, Tennessee Lookout reports. The lawsuit alleges that the Department of Children’s Services has violated children’s constitutional rights and federal law. Led by a national team of child welfare attorneys, the suit is seeking court approval for class-action status to represent all 9,000 children in the state’s foster care system. Firms involved include Bass, Berry & Sims, A Better Childhood, the Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and Wang Hecker. This is the second class-action lawsuit filed in the last year alleging mistreatment.

Attorneys looking to stay ahead of evolving trade regulations can attend an upcoming webcast hosted by the TBA’s International Law Section. The virtual event will take place June 19 and will explore shifting U.S. tariff and customs trends, offering practical guidance for ensuring compliance in a changing global trade landscape. Panelists include Terry Olsen, chair of the International Law Section; George Phillips of Phillips Ralston; and Lee Broyles, vice president of international sales at Steam Logistics. More information is available on the TBA website. International Law Section members save on registration. Not a section member? Join here.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on May 27 to discuss the professional privilege tax. The tax is due on June 1 each year for individuals licensed to practice law in Tennessee, as well as other professions listed in Tenn. Code Ann. §67-4-1702.  The webinar will discuss the process, including who is required to pay and how and when to file payment. Register for the webinar or see all upcoming educational events from the department.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday issued an emergency order allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to proceed with plans to end protected status for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans while a legal challenge to the plan moves through the appeals process. The decision overturns a San Francisco-based federal district judge who put a hold on efforts to lift Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for these individuals and begin deportation proceedings. Only Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson indicated she would deny the application. Neither Jackson nor the majority explained their decision in the one-page order. SCOTUSblog has more on the administration’s plan and the challenge brought by the National TPS Alliance.

Vanderbilt University Law School Dean Chris Guthrie recently announced that Michelle Parsons has been named the school's next assistant dean for career services. Parsons will assume the role from Elizabeth Workman, who is retiring this summer. Parsons has most recently served as director of outreach in the Office of Career Services. “I am eager to work alongside our talented students, faculty, staff and alumni to strengthen our ties with employers nationwide and ensure our graduates continue to thrive,” Parsons said of her new role. Trained as a lawyer, Parsons served in legal recruiting positions at Holland & Knight, Clear Diligence and Waller. She also worked on the admissions team at Belmont University’s College of Law earlier in her career. Read more in a press release from the law school.

The Tennessee Supreme Court permanently disbarred Davidson County lawyer James Daniel Marshall from the practice of law on May 20. The court also ordered Marshall to pay $2,000 in restitution to a former client and return all property taken from her within 30 days. The court took the action based on two complaints. The court found that Marshall failed to communicate with his clients, respond to multiple motions filed against his clients, comply with a court order requiring response, submit timely discovery responses, preserve client property, participate in court-scheduled conference calls, move his clients’ cases forward, and respond to disciplinary investigations. He also was found to have caused a client's lawsuit to be dismissed with prejudice. According to the court, Marshall's actions violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.15, 3.2, 3.4, 8.1, and 8.4(a), (b), (c), (d) and (g).

Out of the 20 law firms that received letters in March from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requesting information about their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) related employment practices, six have resolved those probes with pro bono deals, the ABA Journal reports. According to the publication, the firms agreed to provide pro bono services to causes jointly supported by the firms and the administration, after which the EEOC's letters were withdrawn. Earlier this month, three law students filed a federal lawsuit to compel the EEOC to withdraw the letters, citing data privacy concerns.

Gov. Bill Lee on May 9 signed the "Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism Act," or PEACE Act, aimed at curbing hate group activity and intimidation. Prompted by recent neo-Nazi marches and antisemitic incidents, WBIR reports, the law makes it a Class A misdemeanor to litter or trespass with intent to intimidate, including leaving unsolicited flyers without permission. It also enforces stricter rules for interactions with law enforcement, such as requiring individuals to identify themselves or step back from active crime scenes when ordered. Additional provisions ban riding in box trucks and hanging items over highways without permission, raising concerns among some about potential conflicts with free speech protections.

Three Williamson County School Board members and three county commissioners are suing the Tennessee Department of Education, claiming the state is underfunding the school district by roughly $3,000 per student compared to the state average. The lawsuit argues the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding formula penalizes wealthier counties with higher fiscal capacity, forcing local governments to shoulder an unfair financial burden. The Williamson Scene reports that some local officials and board members criticized the lawsuit for being filed without broader collaboration or notice, calling it a political stunt. Meanwhile, other state leaders acknowledged the funding challenges and highlighted recent efforts to direct additional resources to high-performing districts like Williamson County.

The University of Tennessee (UT) last week conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Rita Sanders Geier, a civil rights icon. Geier attended Fisk University, then received her master's degree from the University of Chicago and her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. Along with four other plaintiffs, Geier filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Tennessee in 1968, arguing that Black students and faculty members were segregated from equal higher education opportunities. The lawsuit brought systemic change to higher education systems across the South, including through the 2001 Geier Consent Decree, which provided $77 million from the state of Tennessee to help diversify institutions and fund scholarships. During the graduation ceremony, Geier urged students to bring change to those around them, saying, "Look to where you can make the greatest impact for the greatest number, for the greatest good, and you will find it. It doesn't have to be held in an office position. It can be as a neighbor that looks out for those next door." UT Chancellor Donde Plowman and Law Dean Lonnie Brown were on hand to present the honor. Knox News has the story.