The Nashville Business Journal has awarded its 2023 Lifetime Achievement distinction to Nashville lawyer Charles W. Bone, a founding partner of Bone McAllester Norton, which merged with Spencer Fane in 2021. According to the Journal, Bone was selected as this year’s honoree for the critical role he has played in Middle Tennessee’s growth, noting that he has provided counsel to more than 100 financial institutions and was responsible for forming the first community bank holding company in Tennessee. He also was a leader in the campaign that defeated the 2009 “English only” referendum in Nashville, an adviser for Al Gore and instrumental in the release of Cyntoia Brown, a juvenile convicted of murder. The Journal sat down with Bone for an interview about the state of the legal profession, what law schools should be teaching and some of his most memorable cases.

A new report from the Tennessee Department of Health finds that the leading external cause of death in Tennessee children is firearms, Tennessee Lookout reports. The annual report on the causes of death in children age 17 and younger shows that Tennessee children are killed by guns at a rate 36% higher than the national average. In 2021, the latest year analyzed, 67 children died by homicide; 53 of whom were Black, a rate four times as high as white children. The data, collected between 2017 and 2021, also shows that overall deaths from all causes — accidents, suicides, premature births, medical conditions and murder — is nearly twice the national average. Read more in the 2023 Child Fatality Annual Report.

Hundreds of would-be lawyers faced significant delays while trying to take the first-ever hybrid LSAT remotely last week, Reuters reports. The Law School Admission Council, which administers the exam, said the problems stemmed from its online proctoring system. Frustrated test takers flooded social media sites with complaints about absent proctors and unexpected delays. The council apologized to test takers in an email Sunday, saying the exams “involved unacceptable delays and other problems” and that it was working with the vendor, Prometric, to correct the issues. It also said it will offer free retakes on Aug. 19 and 20 either remotely or in person. Examinees may also reschedule for another free test through June 2024. The council previously said 61% of test takers had opted to complete the exam remotely, There were no reported issues at in-person test centers.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s travel, paid for by wealthy friends, is more extensive than previously reported, according to a new ProPublica report. The additional trips include a yachting excursion around the Bahamas, travel to premium sports events and transportation to events aboard private aircraft. The group of benefactors also has expanded from initial reporting and now includes David Sokol, a former top executive at Berkshire Hathaway, H. Wayne Huizenga, a billionaire who turned Blockbuster and Waste Management into national businesses, and oil executive Paul “Tony” Novelly. Pro Publica now reports that since he was appointed in 1991, Thomas has received at least 38 destination vacations and 34 flights by private jet or helicopter.

This year's Disability Law Forum is returning as a live and in-person program on Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at the Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club in Hendersonville. Sessions will cover ways to prepare a successful GRID case, best practices from a vocational expert, a DDS/OHO update and an ethics course designed to help "unstick" stuck cases. A happy hour will immediately follow the program.

TBA's Disability Law Forum is returning as a live and in-person program this year. Join us Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST at the Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club in Hendersonville. Sessions will cover a variety of topics applicable to disability law practitioners, including ways to prepare a successful GRID case, a session featuring best practices from a vocational expert, a DDS/OHO update and an ethics course designed to help you "unstick" stuck cases. Make plans to mingle with fellow attendees and section executive council members at a casual happy hour immediately following the program.

Come out and join us to earn CLE credits, network with colleagues and take in the beautiful scenery. We look forward to seeing you! Learn more and register here.

A new proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks to provide Medicare funding for health care professionals to train family caregivers, according to a recent article in U.S. News & World Report. The rule covers both individual and group education for issues such as medication management, dressing, toileting and use of medical equipment. Training for these caregivers is vastly underutilized, with a recent report showing only 7% of people serving in such roles received any formal instruction. Tennessee has seen a critical shortage of home care and assisted living workers, further exacerbating the need for such classes. Trends show the 65-and-up age group is the state’s fastest growing demographic, leading to an expected 59,300 openings for professional caregivers in 2028. To combat the trend, the state earmarked $1.2 million for increased pay for caregivers in FY 2023.

Content from this year’s Elder Law Forum is now available on the TBA website for viewing. This annual favorite for Tennessee lawyers provides the updates you need to stay on top of the practice area. Experts in these sessions share timely considerations on TennCare redetermination, ethics for elder law attorneys, crisis planning, tax considerations and more. Also featured is a judge’s panel highlighting tips for success in probate court. You can find the content here.

The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) member picnic will be held on Sept. 28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. CDT at Walk of Fame Park located downtown Nashville across from the Country Music Hall of Fame. For more information and to register for the family-friendly BBQ dinner, click here.

Members of the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division will be visiting all the law schools in Tennessee this fall. They will discuss the students' coming entry into the profession, share some of the benefits of their TBA membership, and how to apply to the Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI). As part of the free membership package, students get the opportunity to network and increase their professional knowledge. 

YLD members will be visiting Belmont University College of Law on Sept. 7 from 12-1 p.m. CDT, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey's School of Law on Sept. 21 from 12:-12:50 p.m. CDT, Nashville School of Law on Sept. 25 from 5:15-6:15 p.m. CDT, University of Tennessee College of Law on Oct. 3 from 12-1 p.m. EDT, Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law on Oct. 4 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. EDT, and Vanderbilt Law School on Oct. 23 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. CDT. Lunch or dinner will be served. Please join us. All are welcome to attend!