Join TBA and your colleagues as we celebrate National Ethics Awareness Month on March 27 with three back-to-back ethics webcasts led by CLE performer Stuart Teicher. Starting at 9 a.m. CDT, Teicher will host Wedded Bliss and Attorney Ethics, during which he will explain how the secrets to a decades-long marriage are actually attorney ethics lessons in disguise. At 10:15 a.m., Teicher will take on Ted Lasso and Attorney Ethics: Lessons In Life, Law, and Leadership, discussing how this feel-good show is a playbook for ethical behavior. The series will end with The Perfect Pop Song and Attorney Ethics at 11:30 a.m., during which Teicher will unpack the ways in which creating a perfect pop song is related to attorney ethics. Visit the individual event pages for more information and to register.

Thank you for your support of the Tort & Insurance Practice Section! It’s been a busy year, led by section Chair Jordan Gibson. Our section's yearly forum took place virtually in February, and featured a course focused on first party claims, a session on health care liability updates, and an ethics course dedicated to the fine art of getting what you want without being a jerk. If you missed the event, no worries; the sessions are available as a 1-Click Package. 

Thank you for being part of the Tort & Insurance Practice Section. If you have thoughts or ideas for future section initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your support of the Disability Law Section this bar year! It’s been a busy year, led by section Chair Chris George. In October, the section held its yearly forum virtually on Zoom. The event featured a course focused on using artificial intelligence in the disability determination process, a conversation with a retired administrative law judge, and a DDS/OHO update. These sessions were led by Disability Law Section members, including Chris George and Emma Webb. If you missed the event, no worries, the sessions are available on demand in our TBA CLE catalog. You also can connect with section members at one of the roundtables that take place periodically throughout the bar year. The next one is scheduled for May 15, where we will discuss some of the highlights from the NOSSCR conference. RSVP here!

Thank you for being part of the Disability Law Section. If you have thoughts or ideas for future section initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your support of the Litigation Section this bar year! It has been a busy year, led by Chair Mary Taylor Gallagher. We are excited to continue our Perspectives From the Bench series, and this summer we're headed to Chattanooga! The upcoming event will feature a conversation with Tennessee Supreme Court Justices Sarah Campbell and Mary Wagner, moderated by Gallagher and executive committee member Zac Greene. Following the program we will have a reception where folks can chat with the justices and network with colleagues. Also, the Litigation Section plans to join forces with the Communications Section later this spring for a CLE focused on open records and cameras in the courtroom, so stay tuned for those details.

Thank you for being part of the Litigation Section. If you have thoughts or ideas for future section initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your support of the Communications Law Section this bar year! It has been a busy year, led by section Chair Todd Hambidge. The section is gearing up for the 2025 Reporters Workshop coming up next month. We are excited to host the selected journalists in sessions that will help them develop a deeper understanding of media law issues that affect their everyday work. Firms interested in supporting this important educational event should contact Communications Law Section Coordinator Brooke Leeton. Also, the Communications Law Section plans to join forces with the Litigation Practice Section later this spring for a CLE focused on open records and cameras in the courtroom, so stay tuned for those details.

Thank you for being part of the Communications Law Section. If you have thoughts or ideas for future section initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Knoxville-based U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan on Monday ruled that Edward Kelley's pardon regarding his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol does not cover his conviction for conspiring to kill law enforcement agents investigating him. The Tennessean reports that the Maryville man was separately charged, convicted and then pardoned for his actions related to the riot. Judge Varlan wrote that Trump's pardon does not apply to the conspiracy charge "because this case involved separate offense conduct that was physically, temporally and otherwise unrelated to defendant’s conduct in the D.C. case and/or events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021." Varlan also separately denied Kelley's motion for a new trial due to insufficient evidence.

Thank you for your support of the Federal Practice Section this bar year! It has been a busy year, led by section Chair Brent Jones. In December, Jones and attorney Jonathan Moffatt teamed up for a webinar on the Bail Reform Act of 1984. If you missed the program, no worries, it is currently available on demand in our CLE catalog. For more learning opportunities, register now for this year’s virtual forum on July 15. Our annual forum is a great time to connect with others in your practice area and remember, you can use your section discount for the CLE.

Thank you for being part of the Federal Practice Section. If you have thoughts or ideas for future section initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met in Chattanooga to select nominees for a circuit court judge in the 11th Judicial District in Hamilton County. After holding a public hearing and interviews, the commission forwarded the following individuals to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration: Christina R. Mincy, Jennifer K. Peck and William Matthew Wayne. The vacancy was created with the appointment of Judge Michael J. Dumitru to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Visit the Administrative Office of the Courts' website for more on the candidates.

The indigent representation proposal from the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court is designed not only to ensure that the state meets its obligations under the law, but also provides for a phased implementation to strategically address the special needs of some communities and case types. During last year's effort to increase the compensation rate for appointed attorneys, the AOC was encouraged to consider alternatives, including ones that would better address the needs of smaller and rural communities. This proposal seeks to respond to those concerns by providing flexibility and stability to focus on building capacity in those areas, as well as for contracts that require tailored solutions such as those for complex cases. The proposed plan requires a recurring appropriation of $17 million, and over time, the dollars used to pay today’s claims would be used to expand contracting options. Learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee.

The TBA will host three ethics webcasts on March 27, featuring the CLE Performer Stuart Teicher. The sessions will blend humor, pop culture and professional responsibility to provide insightful lessons on attorney ethics. Wedded Bliss and Attorney Ethics will explore how principles of a lasting marriage connect to legal ethics, covering topics like communication and conflicts of interest. Ted Lasso and Attorney Ethics will use moments from the hit show to illustrate integrity, leadership and key rules of professional conduct. The Perfect Pop Song and Attorney Ethics will reveal what makes a song timeless and relate it to legal competence, communication and ethical structure. Attorneys can register for these interactive webcasts through the TBA website.