The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated the law license of Williamson County lawyer Jason Scott Mangrum. On Oct. 4, Mangrum was suspended by the court for six months with 30 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. Mangrum filed a reinstatement petition on Oct. 28. The Board of Professional Responsibility found the petition to be satisfactory.

Tennessee lawyers gathered today at Topgolf Nashville for TBA’s 2024 Estate Planning Tee-off. Attendees heard from Charles Frazier with the Law Offices of Charles R. Frazier; Newman Bankston with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis; Michael Goode with Lewis Thomason; Robert Malin with Pinnacle Financial Partners; and David Parsons with David Parsons Law. Topics included updates on irrevocable trusts, the Corporate Transparency Act, and estate, gift and fiduciary income tax planning. Thank you to event sponsors Pendleton Square Trust Company Inc. and the American Cancer Society. See photos from the event.

A swearing in ceremony for those who passed the July 2024 Tennessee Bar Exam was held in Memphis today. The event wrapped up a week of events held in Knoxville, Nashville and Jackson. Constance Brown and Cole Harrell-Morris from the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division were on hand to congratulate the new admittees. See photos from today's event.

The TBA Health Law Section has partnered with organizations across the state to provide free advance health care directive clinics in each of Tennessee’s grand divisions. The section is seeking volunteer lawyers to assist with the upcoming Memphis event. No previous experience is necessary and there will be experts on hand to answer questions. The clinic will take place Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST at the Memphis Medical Society, 1067 Cresthaven Rd., Memphis 38119. Contact TBA Health Law Section Immediate Past Chair Ian Hennessey with questions and/or volunteer interest at ian.hennessey@amrllc.com.

Former state commissioner Christi Branscom has rejoined Knoxville-based Partners Development as principal, general counsel and managing broker, the Nashville Post reports. Branscom previously served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services for nearly six years. During her tenure, the department undertook renovations at the John Sevier State Office Building and the Tennessee State Library and Archives building and opened several facilities at state parks. Branscom earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and a law degree from the University of Memphis School of Law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Steven Lee Lefkovitz to disability inactive status. Lefkovitz may not practice law while on disability inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court by showing that the disability has been removed.

Do you have questions about how Tennessee's system of indigent representation works? Have you had experience as an appointed attorney that you would like to share? TBA's Government Affairs team wants to hear directly from members on issues that impact their work and the larger legal community. There are a few ways you can connect with TBA to share your questions and experiences with indigent representation. Attorneys interested in learning more about TBA's grassroots advocacy efforts can sign up for TBA Grassroots Advocacy Updates, which will highlight related policy content across all of TBA's communication platforms. For attorneys with experience working with clients who are indigent or vulnerable, we invite you to complete this survey, which includes specific questions about court appointed representation. More information is available on our Indigent Representation Resource page.

The 2026 election for Knox County mayor has narrowed with Knox County Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond withdrawing from the race for the Republican nomination. Knox News reports that he instead will seek reelection as court clerk. That decision leaves Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay, a Republican, as the only mayoral candidate so far. Hammond said he wants to focus be on his present role, where he says his team has “made wide-ranging improvements to benefit the court system and [the] citizens." Hammond, who served as a Knox County Commissioner from 2004-2014, was diagnosed in August with early-stage prostate cancer, which he says is treatable.

The U.S. federal judiciary this week issued warnings urging lawyers to beware of emails mimicking notifications of electronic court filings in cases they are handling. Reuters reports that the emails seek to lure recipients to a malicious website with computer viruses. Law firms and lawyers nationwide have received fake notices that purport to come from the federal judiciary but are actually phishing attempts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said. Read the notice from the office.

Though Memphis residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of gun reform on Tuesday, the measures will not go into effect unless state law is changed. The Commercial Appeal reports that the measures were written as “trigger laws,” which will only take effect if state legislators change the law or carve out an exception for Memphis. According to the Daily Memphian, Memphis City Council Chairman JB Smiley Jr. says the council should approve the measures and have an ordinance on the books should state law change.