Gov. Bill Lee has announced the appointment of Jeff Rader as special judge in the 4th Judicial District for Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties. Prior to becoming a general sessions and juvenile court judge in Sevier County in 1998, Rader practiced law at Ogle, Wynn and Rader from 1991-1998. He also has held numerous leadership roles, including founder of the Sevier County Safe Baby Court and Sevier County Workforce Probation and Recovery Court. Rader earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. This special appointment follows Judge Rex Ogle’s decision to take disability status effective June 3.

The Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) has announced changes to its leadership. The commissioners have elected board member Nancy Sullivan as their new chair, effective July 1. Sullivan will serve a two-year term, succeeding Joycelyn Stevenson. Stevenson, a former TBA executive director, has been renominated to the board by Mayor Freddie O'Connell and if confirmed by Metro Council, will serve a seven-year term. O'Connell has chosen Glenn Farner Jr. to fill the board's current open seat for a term ending in early 2031. The seat opened in March when Bill Freeman stepped down. Farner must also be confirmed by Metro Council. The Nashville Business Journal has more.

Coming up on July 11 is the always engaging CLE Performer Stuart Teicher with three hours of ethics CLEs. Join your colleagues for these webcasts beginning at 9 a.m. CDT: What Emojis Teach About Lawyer Legal Ethics, Cat Proverbs and Attorney Ethics and What Overrated Rock Bands Teach About Attorney Ethics. Want to get ethics credits now? Check out the latest ethics programming available on demand, including Taylor Swift is a Genius: Even About Legal Ethics and Learn By Doing: An Hour of Legal Writing Exercises.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will host a CLE during next month's TBA Convention focused on the expanded use of technology and virtual work that has become the new normal. Panelists will discuss challenges that attorneys, law firms and other practitioners face in maximizing their familiarity and skills outside traditional office and courtroom proceedings and into the “virtual office” with remote hearings and trials and fully virtual client relationships. Moderated by TBA YLD President Quinton Thompson, the program will take place June 14 from 10-11:30 a.m. CDT in the Venetian Room of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Learn more about this and other CLE being offered at the annual Convention.

The state of Illinois will switch to the NextGen Bar Exam in 2028, becoming the 19th state or territory to commit and the largest jurisdiction yet to adopt the revised version of the national attorney licensing exam. Illinois officials have not yet determined whether the switch will occur in February or July 2028, Reuters reports. Tennessee will transition to the new exam in July 2027.

Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business documents today, making him the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. The jury deliberated for two days after hearing several weeks of testimony. The judge in the case set sentencing for July 11. Each count carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though others convicted of this crime have often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation, Reuters reports. Trump has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal.

Two American Bar Association (ABA) groups are recognizing young lawyers in Tennessee. The ABA Business Law Section has named Legal Aid Society attorney Elizabeth Leiserson as its Outstanding Nonprofit Young Lawyer. The award recognizes distinguished service by a young lawyer in the nonprofit sector. Leiserson, who works out of the Nashville office, is project director of the Eviction Right to Counsel program, which assists low-income individuals across Middle Tennessee with housing-related legal matters. In addition, the ABA Young Lawyers Division has named its Top 40 Young Lawyers for 2024, including 8th Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Zachary Walden of Jacksboro and Corbin Carpenter with Carpenter Law in Memphis. This recognition honors ABA young lawyer members who exemplify a broad range of high achievement and legal and community service. See the full list or read more about the designation.

This appeal concerns the termination of a mother’s parental rights. Amanda L. W. (“Foster Mother”) and Brian L. W. (“Foster Father”) (“Foster Parents,” collectively) filed a petition in the Chancery Court for Madison County (“the Trial Court”) seeking to terminate the parental rights of Angel T. (“Mother”) and Fortrell C. (“Father”) to their minor children Treylynn T. and Amelia C. (“the Children,” collectively).1 The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (“DCS”), the Children’s legal custodian, supported the petition. This matter arose after Amelia received a suspicious head injury while in Father’s care. Mother never accepted that Father was responsible despite Father’s ensuing nolo contendere plea to attempted aggravated child abuse. After a hearing, the Trial Court terminated Mother’s parental rights on three grounds. The Trial Court found further that termination of Mother’s parental rights is in the Children’s best interest. Mother appeals, arguing only that the Trial Court erred in its best interest determination. We find, as did the Trial Court, that the grounds of substantial noncompliance with the permanency plan, persistent conditions, and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody were proven against Mother by clear and convincing evidence. We further find by clear and convincing evidence, as did the Trial Court, that termination of Mother’s parental rights is in the Children’s best interest. We affirm.

The Chattanooga Bar Association (CBA) celebrated the 2024 Law Day last week at the Hunter Museum with more than 200 attending. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti was the featured speaker. The CBA also presented its annual Liberty Bell Award for public service to retired Brigadier General Carl E. Levi. Levi’s career includes 53 years of public service to Chattanooga and Hamilton County government, 35 years of service in the U.S. Army and Tennessee National Guard and over seven decades of civic service and volunteer leadership, dedicated to the betterment of others. Chattanoogan.com has more details on his life. See a photo from the event.

Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy has spoken out on the city of Memphis subpoenaing his office for information he shared with Tyre Nichols’ attorneys, saying it was the city’s “mix-up.” Several weeks ago, the city sent a subpoena to Mulroy requesting all correspondence between his office and Nichols’ attorneys as well as with the U.S. Department of Justice, which is currently investigating the Memphis Police Department. Mulroy said he sent “part of the case file, video, reports of witness interviews, police reports and affidavits” to Nichols’ team and the city prior to receiving the subpoena. “I don’t think they realized we sent it all, so they sent the subpoena,” he said, according to the Daily Memphian.