The Memphis Bar Association (MBA) held its annual meeting Dec. 7. During the event, three awards were presented. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland received the Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award, which recognizes a Memphis attorney who has practiced law for more than 15 years and embodies professionalism, civility and courtesy. Action News 5 has more on that award. Danielle Woods received the Sam Myar Jr. Memorial Award, which honors an attorney under 40 years old who has shown dedication and commitment to their practice and the legal community. Finally, David Cook received the W.J. Michael Cody Access to Justice Award. He also was honored earlier this year with the TBA's Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. See photos from the MBA event. 

Earn all of your ethics hours before the Dec. 31 deadline with the TBA's Ultimate Ethics CLE Package, which offers up to eight hours of dual credit. Sessions include our popular Ethics Homeshow, updates from the Board of Professional Responsibility and ethics violations in the movies. Also check out our Attorney Wellness Package for five dual CLE hours. Topics include coping skills, setting work boundaries and mindfullness. All of TBA's CLE packages are quick, convenient and approved. Sign up today! Check out our other packages or choose from more than 200 on-demand programs.

Join colleagues on Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. CST for the ethics webcast "Current Developments from the Board of Professional Responsibility." BPR Ethics Counsel Laura Chastain will review the latest ethics updates, providing a great opportunity to earn a dual credit before the Dec. 31 deadline. And don't forget, all CLE can now be taken online! Register here.

A new Vanderbilt University poll shows that support among Tennesseans for gun safety reforms has increased in recent months as the state legislature's popularity continues to decline, reports Knox News. The poll found 76% of voters polled would support legally requiring gun owners to safely secure their firearms in vehicles and "passing laws that temporarily restrict access to guns for individuals who are at high risk of harming themselves or others." Only 16% would somewhat or strongly oppose the temporary gun restriction proposal, while 19% would oppose a vehicle safe storage law. Approval of the state legislature dropped one point from Vanderbilt's spring poll to 42%, the lowest ever recorded by the poll.

Law School Admission Council (LSAC) data released today shows that more students of color are applying to law school, with applicants in nearly all ethnic categories increasing, the ABA Journal reports. The results follow a four-year trend of applicants of color increasing about 1% each year. In related news, Reuters reported a growing number of law schools are experimenting with small-scale admissions programs that do not rely on the Law School Admission Test, a move they hope will broaden applicant pools and bolster diversity.

The Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association (TDLA) recently presented its inaugural Nathan E. Shelby Emerging Leaders Award to AJ Parker in the Nashville office of Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell. The award recognizes a member of the association who participates in the Emerging Leaders Program and demonstrates development of leadership skills. The award honors Shelby, who was TDLA president-elect in 2022-2023 and, according to the group, was known for his strength in identifying and mentoring young lawyers to fulfill their potential as effective civil defense lawyers and leaders in the association. Shelby died Sept. 6.

Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness filed a petition for reinstatement to active status on Nov. 7. On Dec. 5, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court remove his disability status but leave his license on inactive status until he resolves an outstanding disciplinary complaint. The court adopted the board’s recommendation. The court also issued an order allowing Chamness to file documents in his case under seal.

Knox County attorney John Kenneth Hoffmeister was reinstated to the practice of law today after being on inactive status since May 24, 2018. Hoffmeister petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility found that reinstatement would be appropriate. The court made his reinstatement effective as of Dec. 8.

Attorneys Shane Cortesi, Charles Gilbreath and Stephan Wright, based in both Nashville and Chattanooga, have announced the establishment of Wright, Cortesi & Gilbreath. According to the Nashville Post, the firm will handle civil and intellectual property litigation, patent work, trademark and copyright filings, contracts and employment law. Cortesi is joining the firm after working as a solo practioner in Nashville. He will remain in Nashville. Wright and Gilbreath both worked in the Law Office of Stephan Wright in Chattanooga. Learn more online.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free live webinar Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. CST to discuss the taxation of software in Tennessee. Topics include definitions of prewritten, custom and remote access software, determining sales price, software as a service (SaaS), sourcing and more. Learn more or register here. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month.