TBA YLD President-elect Jennifer Sneed-Perry has appointed six law students to serve as law student liaisons for the 2026–2027 bar year. The students will fill newly established roles on the YLD Membership Committee and be led by YLD Law Student Liaison Coordinator Lorne Hiller, who also serves as a young lawyer delegate to the TBA House of Delegates.

The selected liaisons are: Drew Fowler from Belmont University College of Law, Carlee Sullins from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, Marilyn Harrison-Bates from Nashville School of Law, Haley Crossley from University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Trent White from University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and Weslyn Harmon from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Throughout the bar year, the law student liaisons will collaborate on a variety of projects, strengthen connections between the TBA YLD and Tennessee’s law schools, and engage with members of the YLD Board. The program will culminate with the students attending the TBA Annual Convention in Memphis in June of 2027, where they will present their final project.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board of directors selected Mitch Graves of Memphis to serve as interim board chair of the utility. According to the Commercial Appeal, Graves will serve as chair through April 2027, taking the place of Bill Renick, who resigned Feb. 24.

State investigators are investigating an in-custody death at the Marion County Jail in Jasper, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The deceased arrestee was identified as Clifford Ray Rector Jr.. Rector had been arrested Monday for public intoxication. “He was put in the drunk tank and at some point became unresponsive,” Marion County Sheriff Ronnie “Bo” Burnett said Wednesday. Staff reportedly used a defibrillator on Rector and performed CPR until emergency medical technicians arrived. Rector was transported to Parkridge West Hospital in Jasper, where he was pronounced dead. Burnett said jail surveillance footage was provided to state investigators and the officers involved turned over their body cameras to aid the investigation.

Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin was elected president of the American College of Business Court Judges (ACBCJ) at the group's annual meeting in California. Founded in October 2025, the ACBCJ is a national organization of business judges who hear complex commercial cases. The group provides networking opportunities for business judges from across the country, as well as developing education programs and seminars to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to deal efficiently and professionally with the increasingly complex issues they see in court. The ACBCJ meets annually in the location of the then-president. The next group will be meeting in Nashville in 2027.

The TBA’s 21st Annual Bankruptcy Law Forum will take place April 24-25 in Gatlinburg. The two-day program offers attorneys updates on developments in bankruptcy law while allowing time to explore the Great Smoky Mountains. The event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn and includes a Friday evening networking reception and dinner as part of the registration cost. Attendees may bring guests for an additional charge. Lodging reservations must be made by midnight March 24 to ensure accommodations. For more information on speakers and to register, visit the TBA website.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today agreed to withdraw a petition for temporary suspension filed by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) against Williamson County lawyer Mitchell Ray Miller. No explanation as to the reason for the withdrawal was provided. Miller previously was suspended on Sept. 5, 2025, for two years with four months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation with conditions.

This case arises out of the demise of a 20-year marriage. The trial court declared the parties divorced, equitably divided the marital estate, and awarded the wife alimony in solido, transitional alimony, and alimony in futuro. The husband appeals. Finding no abuse of discretion, we affirm the trial court’s decision in all respects.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met in Knoxville to select nominees for the Court of Criminal Appeals Eastern Section vacancy following Justice Kyle Hixson’s elevation to the Tennessee Supreme Court. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the council selected the following nominees: Paul Othneil Moyle IV, assistant district attorney general for the 11th Judicial District (Hamilton County); Criminal Court Judge Stacy Lee Street, presiding over the 1st Judicial District, which includes Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties; and Brennan Maureen Wingerter, director of the Appellate Division for the Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference. Read more about the nominees on the Administrative Office of the Court's website.

Kirkland & Ellis will open its Nashville office in The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, 150 3rd Ave. South, Ste. 1220, Nashville 37201. The world's largest law firm by revenue announced its move to Tennessee last month, and its website lists 16 attorneys associated with the new location. The Nashville Business Journal has more on the move.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Shelby County lawyer Mary R. Rudolph from the practice of law on March 5 after finding she failed to respond to a complaint of misconduct. Rudolph is immediately precluded from accepting new cases and must cease representing existing clients by April 4. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.