Members of the legal profession gathered last week 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.

A bill introduced last year that continues to be debated in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee would remove protections for more than half of the state’s wetlands. The Daily Memphian reports that currently, developers must get approval from the state environmental agency before disturbing wetlands, but Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville — the bill's sponsor and a developer in West Tennessee — called that “bureaucratic overreach” that inflates construction costs for developers and landowners. In Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that a wetland isn’t federally protected unless it connects to a permanent body of water, such as a river, lake or ocean, on the surface.

Registration is open for the Tennessee Environmental Network Show of the South 2024 (TENSOS), which will take place May 15-17 in Chattanooga. Billed as the largest, most comprehensive and diverse environmental education opportunity in Tennessee, the program provides lawyers and professionals timely updates on the state’s environmental concerns. Legal track topics this year will include conservation and sustainability, brownfields and CERCLA, air and water law updates, state and federal legislative updates, ethics, and more. Register now.

Gov. Bill Lee and Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher D.V.M. recently announced Heather Slayton as Tennessee State Forester and Assistant Commissioner for the state’s forestry division. Slayton, who joined the Tennessee Division of Forestry (TDF) in 2012 as a forest health specialist, has more than 20 years’ experience in private, corporate and public forestry. As state forester and assistant commissioner, she will oversee 400 division staff members and the management of more than 168,000 acres of state-owned forests. TDF directs programs to assist forest landowners, provides tree seedlings, collects inventory data and serves to prevent wildland fires, among other initiatives.

Content from the recent Environmental Law Forum is available to view on the TBA CLE website. Topics covered include Sackett v. EPA, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, solid waste landfills and common errors that lead to BPR complaints. You can find individual sessions here.

Embark on a rewarding legal journey with the TBA YLD's Rookie Series CLE. This curated series sheds light on the foundational pillars of various legal disciplines. Each segment offers a comprehensive look into the heart of practices ranging from the structured world of employment law to the nuances of family law. Specially curated for the next generation of Tennessee's legal professionals, this series promises more than knowledge — it paves the path to excellence. The February installment of the series will focus on family law, allowing you to explore topics like divorce proceedings, child custody conflicts and adoption processes. In March, the focus will be on estate planning, where you can acquaint yourself with will drafting, trust creation and asset protection. For more information and to register for these programs, click here for family law or here for estate planning.

A bill introduced last year that continues to be debated in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee would remove protections for more than half of the state’s wetlands. The Daily Memphian reports that currently, developers must get approval from the state environmental agency before disturbing wetlands, but Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville — the bill's sponsor and a developer in West Tennessee — called that “bureaucratic overreach” that inflates construction costs for developers and landowners. In Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that a wetland isn’t federally protected unless it connects to a permanent body of water, such as a river, lake or ocean, on the surface. In other House action, WSMV reports that Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, has introduced a bill to allow certain members of the public — law enforcement officers, retired law enforcement officers, and active and retired members of the armed forces — to openly carry a gun on any school campus.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today transferred the law licenses of three attorneys to disability inactive status. They are: Hamilton County lawyers Jeffrey D. Boehm and Carol Anne Mutter and Williamson County lawyer William Howard Knapp. The lawyers may petition the court to be reinstated upon showing that the disability has been removed.

TBA's Executive Director Sheree Wright took part in a panel discussion at the National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP), held during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. The panel discussed the importance of organizational stability and ensuring a smooth transition when a bar association hires a new chief staff executive. Wright was joined by David Blaner, executive director of the Allegheny County Bar Association/Bar Foundation in Pennsylvania, and moderators Rick Kaplan, past president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and Erica Laughlin, past president of the Allegheny County Bar Association. See photos from the event.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently suspended 27 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 15 of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2024 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.