For the week of August 25, 2025 - August 29, 2025

State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Eads, and state Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, have asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to conduct an unannounced audit of the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) crime statistics. In an Aug. 15 letter to TBI Director David Rausch, the lawmakers cited concerns that some felony crimes may have been downgraded to misdemeanors or recorded only as memos, keeping them out of official reports. Both legislators stressed they have no direct evidence but said an audit could restore public trust in crime data and help depoliticize the issue. MPD leaders strongly denied any manipulation, saying the department follows strict state and federal reporting standards and that errors are corrected through review and quality assurance. The TBI said it audits agencies every three years, with additional reviews possible if anomalies arise. It declined to confirm whether Memphis is currently under review. The Daily Memphian has the story.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Aug. 29 suspended Rutherford County attorney Andre Chase Rabideau from the practice of law for seven years after a hearing panel of the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) concluded that Rabideau failed to represent clients in a diligent manner, communicate with clients regarding the status of their case, inform clients of his administrative suspension and withdraw from representation. The court also found that Rabideau repeatedly made misrepresentations to clients concerning court dates and filings with the court; misrepresented the status of his license to a court; engaged in the unauthorized practice of law; accepted fees but failed to provide the professional services for which he had been retained; and abandoned representation of clients without notice to clients or permission of the court. These actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 1.16, 3.2, 3.4, 5.5, 8.1(b), and 8.4(c), (d) and (g). The court imposed the following conditions on any reinstatement: completing a practice and professional enhancement program, completing any requirements imposed by the Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program and paying restitution payments to four former clients. After reinstatement, Rabideau also must engage a practice monitor for two years.

The number of U.S. law school applicants rose 18% last year, the highest year-over-year increase since 2002, according to data released by the Law School Admission Council. Last year saw 76,599 applicants, an increase of 12,000 from 2023 when applicants were up 5%. American Bar Association-accredited law schools enrolled nearly 40,000 students in 2024. Reuters reports that most admissions experts and legal educators agree that a combination of a poor entry-level job market for recent college graduates and political events drove the surge. Additionally, experts said that strong employment rates among new law school graduates over the past half decade, as well as changes to the LSAT, also contributed to the increase.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee will host a public reading of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 12 to celebrate Constitution Day. The event will be held on the steps of the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building, 900 Georgia Ave., Chattanooga 37402, from 11:30 a.m. to approximately 12:45 p.m. EDT. The public is invited to join the court and local bar associations to read the Constitution in segments of one minute or less. Those interested in participating should check in at the bottom of the courthouse steps upon arrival. Readings primarily will be assigned on a first-come, first-filled basis. For more information, email Russell Eslinger.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee last week announced that Penelope R. Convertino, age 22, of Murfreesboro, has been charged with making a threat to murder a federal official with the intent to impede, intimidate and interfere with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties. “Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.” Read more in a press release from the office.

Ginny Blake, District 9 representative for the TBA Young Lawyers Division, last week organized a Tennessee Free Legal Answers Clinic which was held at Belmont University College of Law. Twelve Belmont law students were partnered with five volunteer attorneys to research and answer questions submitted by Tennesseans across the state. See photos from the event.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) recently announced in an email to TBA that it has received two new grants to help fund improvements to its services for low-income residents of Middle Tennessee. The Lawyers Trust Account has awarded LAS a $50,000 grant, which will fund the printing of forms and packets for pro se litigants, as well as a series of legal explainer videos for LAS's website. Additionally, Legal Services Corporation's (LSC) Pro Bono Innovation Fund has awarded LAS a $106,717 grant to implement recommended changes to its pro bono program. The recommendations came from a consultant who analyzed the program, which was funded by a previous LSC grant.

The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) recently announced the members of the 2026 Nashville Bar Foundation (NBF) leadership class. In 2014, NBF established the Leadership Forum — a nine-month leadership program for lawyers with three to eight years of experience — to bring together emerging leaders who participate in monthly workshops to help them realize their potential and benefit the legal profession and the local community. NBF President Laura Smith says, "We are proud to welcome the 2026 Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum class. This distinguished group of attorneys represents the future of leadership in our profession. We are confident that their contributions will strengthen both the legal community and the broader Nashville community for years to come." Read more about the class in a press release.

Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall (HSGLaW) recently announced it has moved to new office office space in Nashville's midtown. “Our roots in Nashville run deep, and we’re thrilled to reaffirm our commitment to this community by moving into a new, purpose-built space,” said founding member Tricia Herzfeld. “Nashville is not just where we work — it’s our home. We look forward to continuing to stand up for working people in Tennessee and across the nation from this new base.” In addition to its Nashville headquarters, HSGLaW maintains offices in Cincinnati, Louisville and Washington, D.C. The firm now is located at 1920 Adelicia St., Ste. 300, Nashville 37212. Visit www.hsglawgroup.com for more information.