Houston-based Susman Godfrey is the latest "Big Law" firm to be targeted by an executive order from the Trump administration. The firm represented Dominion Voting Systems in defamation cases related to the 2020 election, according to Reuters. The new executive order suspends any security clearances held by Susman Godfrey's 170 lawyers, restricts access to government buildings and threatens to cancel federal contracts held by firm clients. Bloomberg Law reports that the firm on Monday challenged the executive order, and that today a judge temporarily barred the administration from enforcing the order. In other legal actions, five firms — Kirkland & Ellis, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Latham & Watkins, and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft — reached deals with the administration to provide upwards of $600 million in pro bono work. The Hill has more details of those agreements.

The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury is investigating Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs office's high-end hotel expenses and questionable use of county vehicles. Knox News reports that Biggs and his staff incurred $4,716.59 in costs that exceeded the county rate for hotel rooms on 10 trips from August 2023-November 2024 totaling $17,314.58. Trustee staff also have driven county-leased trucks for personal use, according to GPS records obtained by the paper. In the five years of the lease agreement, the trustee's office will pay $397,968 for the trucks, $200,000 more than the cost of vehicles used by other county offices according to the paper. Biggs fired Director of Operations Jason Dobbins after the paper reached out with questions about the investigation, saying in a statement: "Over the past two weeks, [the Comptroller's office's] thorough examination has revealed an unfortunate breach to our policies. Due to this, we have terminated one employee at this point."

As a result of the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that began on April 2, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a disaster declaration for the entire state of Tennessee. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) then extended various federal due dates to Nov. 3 for taxpayers located in the disaster area. Consistent with the IRS’s decision to extend federal due dates, the Tennessee Department of Revenue will approve, on a case-by-case basis, extension requests from affected taxpayers who are unable to file returns for Tennessee taxes because of the impact of the storms and flooding beginning on April 2. If the department grants the extension request, it will apply to filing and payment due dates that occur between April 2 and Nov. 3. Affected taxpayers will have until Nov. 3 to file returns and make any payments (including quarterly estimated franchise and excise tax payments) originally due during this period. Read more from the department.

In the first quarter of 2025, the Davidson County Grand Jury declined to indict 47 felony cases — including three first-degree murder cases — an unusually high number compared to the previous average of just three per quarter, according to the Nashville Banner. This increase has raised concerns among legal experts, including Nashville attorney David Raybin who tells the paper that the jury may have applied an unusually high burden of proof. Others argue that the surge in non-indictments could delay justice and reflect potential bias. The grand jury also conducted an independent investigation into whistleblower allegations against the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD). The group says it found a toxic culture marked by favoritism, retaliation, and the mishandling of sexual misconduct and racial discrimination complaints, and called for further investigation by a special prosecutor. The group also raised concerns about what it called a lack of transparency in an investigation being conducted by Memphis lawyer Ed Stanton into MNPD and a recent raid of his firm by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Finally, it urged systemic reforms and more robust support for past victims.

West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) will host a virtual expungement clinic for clients in Madison County on April 22 and 23. Attorney volunteers can participate from anywhere by using WTLS automation software. Volunteers will be provided with a time to call the client to complete the petitions. WTLS will coordinate with the clients to get the documents signed. All clients will be prescreened for eligibility. Sign up to volunteer via this link.

A list of those who passed the February 2025 Tennessee bar exam is now available. Those who meet all licensing requirements will be sworn in at events across the state in early June. The Tennessee Supreme Court will meet on June 2 at 2 p.m. CDT in Nashville; on June 3 at 9 a.m. in Memphis and 1:30 p.m. CDT in Jackson; on June 4 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT for virtual ceremonies; and on June 9 at 9 a.m. EDT in Knoxville. Watch for statistics from this spring's exam coming soon. Download the list in pdf format.

Nashville attorney and former TBA president Jacqueline Dixon was recognized as the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program's (TLAP) Volunteer of the Year at the Annual Camp TLAP held April 4 -6 at Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson. She currently serves as board chair of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, vice-chair of the TLAP Commission and chair of the TLAP Foundation. She is a past president of the Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women. Dixon also currently gives back to the community by serving on the boards of two non-profit organizations: A Step Ahead Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a provider of free long-acting reversible birth control, where she is a founding board member and past board president; and First Steps Inc., a provider of education and care for special needs children alongside their typically developing peers. Dixon has been instrumental in advancing TLAP as a top program and providing financial assistance via the TLAP Foundation to those in need of mental health or substance use disorder services through TLAP according to the organization.

The TBA Creditors Practice Section Executive Council will hold a section social event at Noble's Central, 2292 Rosa L Parks Blvd., Nashville 37228 on April 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. CDT. Section members are invited to join colleagues for drinks, appetizers and opportunities to network with the executive council and fellow section members. Get more information and RSVP here.

Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti has announced that his office has filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court seeking judicial dissolution of the National Foundation for Transplants Inc. (NFT), a Memphis-based nonprofit that raised funds for organ transplant patients. According to a press release, the lawsuit follows an investigation into the organization’s business practices and handling of patient donations. NFT announced in 2024 that it would cease operations due to financial difficulties. The AG’s Office launched the investigation after receiving complaints from patients and donors who alleged NFT had misrepresented that donations made to specific patients would be restricted for their use. Instead, NFT later claimed those donations were unrestricted and placed in a general fund. Many patients discovered they could no longer access the funds they believed had been raised for their medical needs. The lawsuit, filed under the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, seeks to dissolve the organization on the grounds that it acted in a persistently fraudulent manner, abused its authority or can no longer fulfill its charitable mission. If granted, the court would oversee the distribution of NFT’s remaining assets to a nonprofit with a similar purpose.

Morristown attorney Gary E. Brewer died March 31 at age 79. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1969. Brewer was a member of the Hamblen County and Tennessee Bar Associations and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, where he served as president from 1988-1989. He was also a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Tennessee Appellate Court Nomination Committee from 1988 to 1992, and a member of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission from 1994 to 2006, serving as chairman for two of those years. Brewer was senior partner at Brewer & Terry PC in Morristown. A memorial will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT on April 19 in the East Chapel of Allen Funeral Home, 200 Jaybird Rd., Morristown 37814, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 3 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Hospice Serenity House, 421 N. High St., Morristown, TN 37814.