The Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, a student-run and edited publication, will host a symposium on March 21 at the University of Tennessee College of Law to explore the impact of recent U.S. legislation affecting health care and education resources for the LGBTQ+ population. Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and professor of law at Western New England University School of Law, will deliver the keynote address. Get more information and register here.

The Petitioner, Nicholas D. Brooks, appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of his post-conviction petition, seeking relief from his convictions for two counts of first degree felony murder, one count of especially aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated burglary, and one count of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that he received ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel. Based on our review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges can no longer avoid disclosing the value of travel-related gifts they receive by classifying such free trips as "reimbursements" on their financial disclosure forms under new regulations now in effect, reports Reuters. The new policy, approved by the federal judiciary's Financial Disclosure Committee in January and announced last Friday, took effect on March 13. Officials said the disclosure policies were updated "to reflect past statutory changes more clearly and help ensure complete reporting of gifts and reimbursements consistent with statutory requirements."

Williamson County resident Kiran Sreepada recently confirmed he will run for the Democratic nomination to challenge 5th District U.S. Rep. and Republican Andy Ogles, reports the Tennessee Lookout. Sreepada, a political and public policy professional who ran against U.S. Rep. Mark Green in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in 2020, is the first Democrat to announce a challenge to Ogles. According to the Tennessean, two other Democrats are considering a primary run. They are Nashville advocate and Metro Human Relations Commission Chair Maryam Abolfazli and Metro Council member Courtney Johnson. Two others have filed paperwork to run in the Republican primary. They are singer-songwriter Stokes Nielson and Brentwood cybersecurity expert Thomas “Tom” Guarente.

The Tennessee House of Representatives last week advanced HB2124/SB2576, which would require law enforcement agencies in the state to communicate with federal immigration authorities if they discover people are in the the country without documentation. It also would broadly mandate cooperation in the process of identifying, catching, detaining and deporting these individuals, the Associated Press reports. The bill is now pending in the Senate, where the State and Local Government Committee advanced it to the Calendar Committee. Opponents of the bill say that the "way it’s written, the bill could raise legal confusion and worsen tensions between law enforcement and immigrant communities by making local officers de-facto immigration agents."

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims announced that beginning March 25, all mediations in cases pending before the court will conclude with the issuance of a dispute certification notice. The court explains that issuance of a dispute certification notice will allow for entry of the case into TNComp, the court's electronic court management system, and ensure that a judge shepherds every case to conclusion. Read more about the change in a post from Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer on the court's blog.

Sessions from the TBA’s 2024 Tort & Insurance Law Forum are now available on-demand as a 1-click CLE package. Programming features a session on health care liability updates, a session with a health care professional teaching attorneys how to read/understand medical reports, a discussion of the Anti-SLAPP statute, and an ethics panel. Earn one dual and three general CLE credits with just one click. Learn more and purchase the CLE here.

The Chattanooga chapter of the Federalist Society will host a discussion with Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on April 18 at 11:30 a.m. EDT. The free event will take place at the offices of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel PC, 605 Chestnut St., Ste. 1700, Chattanooga 37450. View the flier for more information.

Join your colleagues on April 5 for this year's TBA Intellectual Property Law Forum! Evolving technology, trends and other disrupters, like artificial intelligence (AI), continuously blur lines between long-standing intellectual property (IP) doctrines and future applications of the law. Attorneys are challenged to stay on top of the incessant cycle of new problems, issues and strategies for IP protection and enforcement that result from these disruptors. Forum attendees will learn about the latest on AI and copyright, AI and patent law and practice, IP issues within the alcohol world, and the intersection between IP and street art. Read about the presenters and register.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free live webinar on March 26 at 9 a.m. CDT to discuss recent franchise and excise tax law changes included in the 2023 Tennessee Works Tax Act. The webinar will highlight the changes and how they affect the fiscal year end tax return. Learn more or register here. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month.