An East Memphis resident has filed an ethics complaint against Memphis City Council member Michalyn Easter-Thomas, asserting the councilwoman’s job with the Memphis River Parks Partnership is a conflict of interest, reports the Daily Memphian. Rebecca Neves filed the complaint in late January which asserts that because Easter-Thomas is an employee of a nonprofit that has a contract with the Memphis Parks Department, she has a conflict of interest under Section 20, Article 5 of the city charter. Under city ordinance, the city’s chief ethics officer must evaluate the facts of the complaint by Feb. 8. The Daily Memphian reports it is not clear if the ethics officer already has issued a recommendation.

The Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga will host a screening of the new film "Gospel" this Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m. EST. Hosted by acclaimed scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., "Gospel" explores Black spirituality in sermon and song. The screening will be followed by a community discussion on the evolution of the film. Registration is free but required.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee yesterday revealed his 2024-2025 budget plan, featuring more than $1.6 billion in tax breaks for businesses and corporations. A key initiative includes restructuring how the state charges franchise taxes to these entities. This includes a refund to businesses that paid franchise taxes based on property taxes over the past three years, in the amount of nearly $1.2 billion. According to Tennessee Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson, the change was spurred by about 80 companies who asked the state for the franchise tax refund. Gov. Lee previously has said that experts with the Tennessee Attorney General’s office advised the change be made, but he noted there is currently no threat of legal action to the state without the change. The governor’s proposed $52.6 billion plan will be paid for using $25.4 billion in state funds, $19.8 billion in federal funds and $7.4 billion from other sources. The Tennessean has more.

As the cost of college grows, financial planning becomes imperative. Adjusted for inflation, the price tag for a post-secondary education has nearly doubled over the past couple of decades, U.S. News reports. Clients intending to invest in their family’s education have a few vehicles to consider. Among these, 529 plans and Child Roth IRAs offer several benefits to these families. A recent piece in Forbes highlights benefits of both plans, detailing the pros and cons of each.

Tennessee trust expert Al Secor will provide an annual legislative update at the Feb. 23 Estate Planning & Probate Forum. This year’s update includes information on changes to the state’s small estate laws, uniform trust act, claim filing, conservatorship considerations, federal laws and more. Secor is the author of Tennessee Probate, a guide for lawyers on the administering of probate estates and basic information on proceedings, administration and tax returns. Learn more about the forum and register on the TBA CLE website.

University of Tennessee College of Law Dean and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law Lonnie T. Brown Jr. was honored at a reception at the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Midyear Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Meeting attendees from across the country gathered to celebrate Brown’s leadership at the law school. In addition, former University of Tennessee College of Law professor Penny White received the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s (TIPS) Robert B. McKay Law Professor Award. The award recognizes law professors who have shown commitment to the advancement of justice, scholarship and the legal profession, demonstrated by outstanding contributions to the fields of tort, trial practice or insurance law. Until her retirement in 2022, White was the Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law and served as the director of the school’s Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. See photos from the two events.

Members of the legal profession gathered last month at the Memphis office of Morgan & Morgan for the TBA Young Lawyers Division's (YLD) first Bar and Bench event. Under the leadership of YLD President Quinton Thompson, these networking events will occur across the state, giving young lawyers an opportunity to network with peers and sitting Tennessee judges. Watch for information about future locations and dates. See photos from the Memphis event.

University of Tennessee College of Law Dean and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law Lonnie T. Brown Jr. was honored at a reception Saturday evening at the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Midyear Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Meeting attendees from across the country gathered to celebrate Brown’s leadership at the law school. In addition, former University of Tennessee College of Law professor Penny White received the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s (TIPS) Robert B. McKay Law Professor Award. The award recognizes law professors who have shown commitment to the advancement of justice, scholarship and the legal profession, demonstrated by outstanding contributions to the fields of tort, trial practice or insurance law. Until her retirement in 2022, White was the Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law and served as the director of the school’s Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. See photos from the two events.

According to the Tennessean, federal prosecutors are investigating Cade Cothren, former House Speaker Glen Casada’s aide, for allegations of cyberstalking. The information was disclosed in court filings last week when prosecutors asked to delay the impending trial of both Cothren and Casada, The Tennessee Journal reports. Law enforcement subsequently obtained a search warrant and seized several phones from Cothren’s house. Cothren's attorneys have asked the judge to quash the warrant. Prosecutors now say "in an abundance of caution," they have not extracted any information from the phones and will not do so before a hearing set for this afternoon.

Gov. Bill Lee joined a group of other Republican governors this weekend in Texas to observe the border and support Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. During the visit, Lee called the situation a crisis and committed to sending two waves of active-duty troops from the Tennessee National Guard to help, the Tennessean reports. Lee previously had sent 125 National Guard members to the area in October. In related news, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined 26 other states in a letter to the Biden administration supporting Texas’ border defense. And in Washington, D.C., a proposed bipartisan border security package is getting mixed reviews. The Hill has more on that measure.