The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will host “The Rookie Series: Compassionate Lawyering” webcast on Aug. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will introduce attorneys to the principles of trauma-informed legal practice and explore how lawyers can better serve clients — especially those from marginalized or vulnerable backgrounds — by incorporating empathy and awareness into their work. Mental health professionals will join the discussion to examine how legal systems can unintentionally retraumatize clients and offer strategies for compassionate advocacy across various practice areas. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee, TBA Young Lawyers Division and the Chattanooga Bar YLD are partnering on a virtual name change clinic serving clients in East Tennessee. The clinic will take place on July 24 at 4:30 p.m. EDT via zoom. View a flyer for the event or volunteer here.

President Donald Trump yesterday said he is considering replacing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and he is down to three or four candidates for the job. Powell has faced pressure from the administration to cut interest rates at least two to three points, which he has refused to do without more knowledge on how recently imposed tariffs will affect inflation and the U.S. economy. Former Federal Reserve Gov. Kevin Warsh and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly are being considered for the job. Powell has said he intends to serve out his term as chair, which ends in May 2026. Yahoo Finance has more.

The ballooning cost of long-term care is an issue advisors should consider when executing a comprehensive estate plan. The average price for a private nursing home room has risen to $109,628, with states such as Alaska climbing to $361,223. Clients suffering from dementia can see costs up to 70% more than the average. A recent article in Forbes explores this trend and offers tips on how to mitigate the financial impact of paying for assisted living.

Volunteers are needed for a virtual debt relief/bankruptcy clinic that will take place via zoom on July 16 at 3 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. EDT. This clinic will serve individuals in both East and West Tennessee. Attorneys may volunteer here. Legal Aid of East Tennessee, West Tennessee Legal Services, the TBA Young Lawyers Division, the Chattanooga Bar YLD and the Federal Bar are partnering for this event. View a flyer for the clinic.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to move forward with plans to deport immigrants to countries not specifically identified in their removal orders while the government appeals a lower court’s order. According to SCOTUSblog, the justices paused a ruling by Massachusetts-based Judge Brian Murphy, which had required the administration to engage in a process designed to address “reasonable fear” of being tortured. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented in a lengthy opinion joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. The dispute stems from guidance issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this year, which instructed agents to take “all appropriate actions” to remove noncitizens still in the United States despite an order for deportation. Four undocumented immigrants with deportation orders sued over the policy.

K&L Gates recently announced Greg Parker as new managing partner of the firm's Nashville office, succeeding Lauren Patten. Parker earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He focuses his practice on IP litigation and IP procurement and portfolio management. One of the lawyers who opened the firms's Nashville office, Parker told the Nashville Business Journal, "We're seeing most of these big national firms take a real close look at Nashville as a place where they want to compete and have a presence ... This is a booming market. I welcome that growth and welcome that competition."

RONALD LEE GILMAN, Circuit Judge. Randy Wiertella died in the Lake County Adult Detention Facility (the Jail) on the morning of December 10, 2018. Dennis Wiertella, as the Administrator of the Estate of Randy Wiertella (the Estate), filed suit on behalf of the Estate. The Estate brought several claims, including a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claim that Wiertella’s constitutional rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments were violated by Jail staff Diane Snow, RN, and Christina Watson, LPN. Snow and Watson filed a motion for summary judgment, seeking dismissal on the basis of qualified immunity. The district court denied their motion. For the reasons set forth below, we AFFIRM the decision of the district court and REMAND the case for further proceedings on the Estate’s § 1983 claim.

The Petitioner, John Todd, filed an untimely petition for post-conviction relief claiming he received the ineffective assistance of counsel and that due process required the tolling of the statute of limitations because of his alleged mental incompetence. The post-conviction court summarily dismissed the petition, concluding the Petitioner had failed to present a prima facie case of mental incompetence to warrant an evidentiary hearing on the issue of due process tolling. The Petitioner appeals, claiming the post-conviction court erred in summarily dismissing the petition without an evidentiary hearing on the tolling issue because he presented a prima facie case of his mental incompetence. Following our review, we reverse the judgment of the post-conviction court and remand for an evidentiary hearing on the issue of whether the Petitioner is entitled to a tolling of the statute of limitations.

The Petitioner, Curtis D. Staggs, appeals from the summary dismissal of his petition for a writ of error coram nobis as time-barred by the applicable one-year statute of limitations. He contends that the coram nobis court should have held a hearing on his petition because the newly discovered evidence he intended to present would have established that he was innocent of the conviction offenses. After review, we affirm the judgment of the coram nobis court.