State Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, has filed a bill to give most dependents of Tennessee veterans with a 100% disability rating a “waiver of tuition, maintenance fees and student activity fees,” allowing the student to attend any public state university or college for free. WATE News in Knoxville reports that generally, a veteran who has a 100% disability rating is someone who was injured while serving. They cannot work and are mostly unable to take care of themselves because of their condition. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Tennessee had more than 37,000 veterans with at least a 70% disability rating or higher.

In a historic vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to expel New York Republican Rep. George Santos, making him only the sixth person ever to be expelled from that body. The final vote was 311 voting for expulsion, 114 against and two Republicans voting “present.” The Hill reports that Santos is facing federal indictment on 23 counts of wire fraud, identity theft and other campaign finance charges.

The TBA will be making major updates to its CLE website this Sunday night, resulting in the site being offline beginning at 9 p.m. CST. The outage should last no longer than two hours. Please contact TBA's CLE customer service team at cle@tnbar.org with any questions.

Join veteran attorney Cindy Sharp and certified contemplative practices teacher and attorney Becky Howlett as they unpack age bias in the legal field, including what it is, why it matters and ways to enhance collaboration across all age levels. In this one-hour dual-credit CLE, attendees will learn concepts to help identify and address age bias when dealing with colleagues, clients and others; how enhanced cultural competency will help attorneys advocate more effectively; and more! Register now for this Dec. 11 webcast beginning at noon CST.

Back by popular demand, TBA CLE brings you an attorney wellness session providing tools to combat and avoid legal burnout. This one-hour CLE session will empower lawyers to protect themselves from burnout; improve focus and boost overall productivity and efficiency; curb anxiety and stress; and use mindfulness to enhance ethical decision-making and conflict resolution. Join colleagues on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. CST to earn one dual credit hour.

On Jan. 18 the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee will provide a free webinar focused on navigating burnout. Panelists will discuss practical, preemptive and restorative strategies that legal professionals can add to their regular routine. The event will provide insight from rejuvenated legal professionals regarding their personal paths to wellbeing. Learn more and register for the free event using this link.

TBA CLE events are free for law student members. Attending these events is a great opportunity to increase your knowledge of the legal profession and network with TBA members. With the exception of our "Journey" CLEs, student members can attend events virtually or in person, at no cost. Listed below are upcoming CLE events. You can explore all of our offerings on our online CLE course catalog. 

TBA President Jim Barry announced during his installation at the June convention that the next installment of the TBA’s book club would be “Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis.” Those who have not started reading the book should do so over the holidays! More information will be coming soon about a discussion session in January. Written by Preston Lauterbach, “Beale Street Dynasty” is set between Reconstruction and Prohibition and focuses on the rise and fall of Beale Street. It is told through the life of the south’s first Black millionaire, an ex-slave who built an underworld dynasty in the booming river town and created a space for Black culture to flourish. Get started reading or check out this book review that Knoxville lawyer Nick McCall wrote for the Tennessee Bar Journal in October 2016.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals today ruled in favor of Covenant parents in their lawsuit to block the release of documents related to the March 27 shooting at the school, WKRN reports. Covenant families have fought for months to withhold release of the shooter’s writings. The court noted the Covenant School and Covenant Church, as well as parents of Covenant School students, have filed motions to intervene in the release of the documents, citing confidential information including school security and personal information of students and employees.

Tennessee’s attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti is leading 16 other states in opposing a federal proposal that would require LGBTQ foster children be placed with families or facilities that are supportive of their identities. Nashville Public Radio reports that LGBTQ youth are over-represented in the foster care system and that a growing body of research finds these children are more likely than their peers to face abuse and harassment in foster care. Skrmetti argues that the rule illegally expands Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) authority into family law, and that it would penalize foster care providers for “declining to violate their own conscious or religion.”