The TBA Young Lawyers Division's Mock Trial Committee is seeking attorneys to serve as volunteers for Round 4 at the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place on Saturday, March 21, in Nashville from 12:30-2:30 p.m. CDT.  Teams will argue the criminal case of State of Tennessee v. Alex Callahan. The problem, rules and other competition information can be found on the TBA website. Those interested in helping at the state competition should indicate availability using this form.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is continuing its program to address the critical shortage of attorneys in rural Tennessee counties, while providing law students an opportunity for meaningful and enriching clerkship experiences. The Rural Judicial Fellowship (RJF) will give six rising 2L, 3L or 4L law students attending Tennessee law schools the opportunity to spend six weeks of the summer as a judicial law clerk in a legal community in rural Tennessee. The program will provide a $1,000 stipend and the opportunity to work directly with judges, gaining practical legal experience and fostering connections in underserved areas. Fellows also will be invited to attend the TBA's Annual Convention in June. View a flyer and access the application for more information. The deadline to apply is Feb. 27.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 20 suspended 71 attorneys who did not pay the annual professional privilege tax as required. The attorneys include those living in Tennessee as well as 11 other states. View the order or see the list with reinstatements noted. Access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is discontinuing gender-related surgeries for transgender adults, the Tennessean reports. The hospital cited “operational limitations and lack of surgical coverage” for ending one of its few remaining medical services for transgender patients. It will continue nonsurgical gender care for adults 19 and older. Vanderbilt’s transgender health clinic was at the center of a legal battle in 2023 over the release of patient medical records. The Tennessee attorney general’s office opened an investigation into the clinic’s comprehensive health records, and patients later sued Vanderbilt for sharing detailed records with the office, settling with the hospital last September.

The Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center could soon be governed and operated by Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin, Knox News reports. Knox County commissioners are scheduled to vote Feb. 25 on whether to place Irwin in charge. If approved, a final vote would be required in March. Irwin said he is prepared to take on the added responsibility with the support of newly trained staff. Under the proposal, Irwin would be accountable to an advisory board of experts he appoints, along with members selected by the county mayor and the chair of the Knox County Commission. The move follows improvements at the facility, which was certified Feb. 10 by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for the first time in three years.

Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals announced Friday that he plans to take senior status beginning Oct. 1, Bloomberg Law reports. Sutton, who has served on the court since his 2003 appointment by President George W. Bush and became chief judge in 2021, has presided over major cases that later reached the U.S. Supreme Court and authored notable opinions addressing the Affordable Care Act and same-sex marriage bans. Before joining the bench, Sutton worked at Jones Day and served as Ohio’s solicitor general from 1995 to 1998. Trump now will have the opportunity to nominate a successor to the life-tenured seat, subject to Senate confirmation. The 6th Circuit covers the states of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee and is based in Cincinnati.

Knox County Chancellor Chris Heagerty on Friday denied a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by Joey Aguilar, the University of Tennessee’s starting quarterback. Aguilar was seeking an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA, Knox News reports. With the injunction denied, Aguilar is no longer eligible to play college football. Heagerty previously had granted Aguilar a 15-day restraining order against enforcement of NCAA rules and later extended it pending a ruling on the injunction. Aguilar initially joined Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA in federal court in November 2025 but withdrew from that case in January to pursue his own claim in Knox County.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and the TBA Young Lawyers Division will host High School Pre-Law Day on March 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. This free program will give an inside look at law school and legal careers. For more information and to register see the attached flyer or contact lawadmissions@memphis.edu.

Join the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) for the next installment of The Rookie Series with "Family Law: Trends and Challenges" on March 5 at noon CST. The one-hour webcast will provide an overview of family law, covering key areas such as marriage, divorce, child custody and support, and property division. Participants will learn about the legal principles that govern family relationships and the role of the courts in resolving disputes. The session will include practical examples and a brief discussion of current trends and challenges in family law practice. For more information and to register visit the TBA CLE website.

Members of the Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) and the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Diversity Committee recently held a networking mixer in Chattanooga. The event was sponsored by Geeter Law Office PLLC and was held at Blue Orleans Seafood Restaurant. See photos from the event. TABL and YLD members in Memphis should be on the lookout for a networking mixer coming to that city soon.