The next legal clinic for veterans in Knoxville will take place Dec. 10 from 12-2 p.m. EST at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. This is a general advice clinic sponsored by the Knoxville Bar Association, KBA Barristers, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, the University of Tennessee College of Law, the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office and the local Veterans Affairs office. Attorneys and law students are needed for the in-person clinic. Attorneys also may help clients by phone. Sign up to volunteer here.

A split federal appeals court held last week that Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC was wrongly denied qualified immunity for its role acting as outside counsel for Nashville’s local government in a First Amendment suit. Bloomberg Law reports on the decision from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Read the opinion.

HERMANDORFER, Circuit Judge. As a convicted sex offender, Gene Roper must register his whereabouts with state authorities. He has a long track record of failing to do so. After Roper’s latest failure-to-register conviction, the district court sentenced him to prison. It also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which was above the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines’ recommendation but below the statutory maximum of lifetime supervision. In explaining the supervised-release term, the district court cited—among other considerations—Roper’s history of mental-health issues and the treatment that supervision could facilitate. Roper now says the district court erred by relying in part on his mental illness to justify the 20- year term of supervision. We disagree. And Roper’s supervised-release term otherwise falls within the statutory limits and is reasonable. We therefore affirm.

Vanderbilt University reportedly is still in talks with the Trump administration around a proposal that would provide preferred access to federal grants in exchange for the school implementing a series of government mandates, the Nashville Business Journal reports. The proposal had an original deadline of Nov. 21 for the school to respond. At that time, the university’s chancellor released a campus-wide message reiterating the school’s commitment to “academic freedom, free expression and independence” and belief that grants should be merit based. The paper reports that the university issued a statement saying: "We do not currently have a November 21st deadline, nor a directive to accept or reject the compact" and highlighting its track record of "principled, bipartisan dialogue with the federal government."

This is an appeal from the denial of two class action certifications. The trial court found that the classes proposed by the Appellants did not meet the requirements of Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 23. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Are you interested in serving with the TBA in 2026? Several positions will be voted on this spring. Available opportunities include a new vice president from the Eastern Grand Division, three district governors and six grand division governors (two from each division) on the TBA Board of Governors, and four positions representing Tennessee in the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates. Learn more about these positions in the 2026 Election Notice published in the November/December 2025 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal or download a nominating petition. Nominating petitions should be submitted no later than Jan. 15, 2026 to barED@tnbar.org. Questions? Visit the TBA’s election webpage for more information.

Douglas Malcolm Carey, a 2023 graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, died Nov. 27 at his home in Crozet, Virginia. He had been working as a civil litigator for The Crone Law Firm in Memphis. Carey grew up in Virginia and New York. He attended the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs where he focused on track, theater, the circus arts and martial arts. He attended SUNY Oswego and graduated with a dual major of philosophy and biochemistry in 2016. Outside of work, he was a certified personal trainer and was passionate about power lifting and running. A memorial service is being planned at the University of Virginia Chapel in Charlottesville, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the TSC Alliance of Silver Spring, Maryland.

The TBA is offering an on-demand virtual 10-hour package as part of its Year End CLE event. The bundle includes a mix of sessions focused on ethics, AI, law practice management, professional skills, wellness and a legislative update. Check out the specific courses included in the package on the TBA website. Looking for something else? TBA also has six, eight, 12 and 15-hour packages, packages based on specific topics or practice areas, live webcasts, and on-demand videos all month long. Explore all the options to complete your CLE requirement by Dec. 31.

Family law arbitration promises efficiency, privacy and flexibility — but does the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA) truly safeguard the unique needs of divorcing spouses, parents and children? The TBA Family Law and Dispute Resolution sections will host a joint program on Dec. 18 at 11 a.m. CST that examines whether the RUAA provides adequate protections for family law litigants or whether specialized legislation is required. Participants will explore statutory gaps, including confidentiality, child‑focused standards, judicial review and enforceability of awards. Comparative insights from jurisdictions with domestic relations arbitration statutes will highlight best practices and potential reforms. Reserve your spot today!

Join speakers from The Legal Burnout Solution on Dec. 9 for a one-hour webcast on developing mindful law practice management skills designed to strengthen your focus, organization and long-term success while protecting against burnout. The session will focus on using mindfulness to develop resilience, cultivate sustainable work habits, enhance focus and efficiency, and improve client and team communication and collaboration — all with an eye to protecting yourself against ethical missteps. Learn more or register on the TBA website.