The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Knox County lawyer Gary Lee Anderson from the practice of law after finding that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility about a misconduct complaint. Anderson is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Nov. 28. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk Jamita Swearengen is requesting a 14% raise for her office staff from the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. Swearengen proposed that 6% of the raise be covered by the raise all county employees get in January while 8% would come from her own budget. The Daily Memphian reports that the commission deferred action on a plan to shift $215,693 in office revenues to pay the raises for 28 full-time employees and one temporary employee, and will discuss the matter further at its Nov. 13 committee sessions.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has transferred the law licenses of Gibson County lawyer Clifford Dwight Hawks and Knox County lawyer William Wright Petty to disability inactive status. Hawks and Petty may not practice law while on inactive status but may seek reinstatement by showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the Washington County Bar Association will hold a legal advice clinic in Washington County on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. EDT. The event will take place at Good Samaritan Ministries, 100 N. Roan St., Johnson City 37601. Contact Caitlin Torney with questions or to volunteer. Also on Saturday, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold a clinic at the Antioch Library Southeast Branch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. Prospective clients are encouraged to fill out an intake form in advance of the event. Attorneys can sign up to volunteer here. The library is located at 5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #201, Antioch 37013.

James Thomas “Tommy” Head, age 79 of Henrietta, died Oct. 19. Head was elected to represent District 68 in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1986 and served for nine terms. Current House Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis, said, "During his 18 years of service in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Rep. Head was a solid steward of our state tax dollars through his service as vice chair of the Joint Fiscal Review Committee, chair of the House Budget Subcommittee and chair of the House Finance Ways and Means Committee. His exemplary service and dedication helped lay the foundation for Tennessee to be fiscally strong." Services were held Oct. 24. Memorial donations may be made to the Mt. Carmel Cemetery Fund, 425 Mt. Carmel Rd, Clarksville, TN 37043 or the Pat Summitt Foundation, 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Ste. 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued an order allowing out-of-state lawyers to temporarily offer their services, free of charge, to residents affected by severe flooding in East Tennessee. The order follows a joint request from the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) and Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) asking the court to activate Rule 47 — which was first enacted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — to help those impacted by natural disasters. Lawyers who register may provide legal services in affected areas without seeking pro hac vice admission or paying an admission fee. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts. The state of North Carolina issued a similar order after Hurricane Helene, allowing Tennessee lawyers to provide pro bono services to storm survivors there.

TBA’s Group Health Insurance, provided by BlueCross BlueShield, offers guaranteed issue coverage, with no health questions and no pre-existing condition exclusions. The Cookeville law firm Byars Law made the switch. Here is what attorney Gordon Byars says about the program: “TBA’s health insurance allows our firm to offer competitive insurance benefits to our employees. If we did not have this resource, we could not afford to offer a similar plan through the normal marketplace. The price is competitive, and the coverage is amazing. Having this benefit to offer has allowed us to recruit better quality employees as we expand our practice." Find out more or get your quote now.

Judge Kimberly Lund was recently appointed to the 19th Judicial District Chancery Court which serves Robertson and Montgomery counties. In this new role, she will work in the county where she lives, which she has not done previously in her legal career. "I’m excited to work in the county where I live. I haven’t had that experience, so I’m looking forward to serving those folks." Prior to the appointment, Lund served as an assistant district attorney for the 19th Judicial District. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The 2024 TBA Topgolf Estate Planning Tee-off will take place next Thursday in Nashville. This annual favorite offers three general CLE credits followed by two hours of Topgolf gameplay. The event also provides a perfect team-building exercise for your group or firm. Topics for the tee-off include the Corporate Transparency Act, trust modification, estate taxes and much more. Breakfast and lunch are provided. Topgolf bays are covered and climate controlled for your comfort. Space is limited, so register now before it’s too late!

Carter County lawyer Jason Lee Holly was temporarily suspended from the practice of law after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding three misconduct complaints. Holly is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Nov. 27. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.