OpenAI has hired Ironclad co-founder and former CEO Jason Boehmig to lead a new legal vertical, marking the AI company's direct entry into the market for legal-specific tools. Boehmig, a former corporate attorney who co-founded contract management platform Ironclad in 2014 and recently transitioned to executive chairman there, said he sees the legal industry as more dynamic than ever as firms, in-house teams and law schools all grapple with generative AI. The move follows similar pushes into legal tech by Anthropic, which launched a suite of legal plug-ins for Claude earlier this year, and Microsoft, which released an AI legal agent within Word in April. Law.com has more on the story.

Retired U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla died May 15 at age 79. A visitation will be held on June 13 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. CDT at Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1720 Peabody Ave., Memphis 38104 in Trezevant Hall. At 11 a.m., a funeral service will celebrate the lives of McCalla and his wife, Mary, who died in April. A reception will follow at the University Club of Memphis, 1346 Central Ave., Memphis 38104. Memorial gifts may be made to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Otolaryngology Advancement Fund; Historic Archives of Rosemark and Environs Inc. by mail to 8671 Rosemark Rd., Millington, TN 38053; or Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church online or by mail at the address above.

According to a statement released on May 21, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has introduced six articles of impeachment against U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Local Memphis reports that Cohen claims Roberts has committed high crimes and misdemeanors by "violating the Constitution, disregarding his statutory obligations as Chief Justice, and breaching his oaths of office." Specifically, the articles assert that Roberts has allowed the court to become a partisan force and has "systematically preferred the powerful over the people" and delivered "arbitrary, unexplained, and inconsistent decisions that violate the Constitutional protection of the parties." No co-sponsors have come forward so far but Newsweek reports that the effort reflects widespread Democratic frustration with recent rulings. In previous remarks Roberts has pushed back against characterizations of the court as politically motivated.

Can't join us for the full TBA Convention this month? Or maybe you need to add a guest ticket for a specific event? Individual tickets now are available for purchase for the following events: Wednesday's opening reception; Thursday's Public Service Breakfast, University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Breakfast, TBA's Tech Showcase and the evening reception at Smokies stadium; and Friday's breakfast and Lawyers Luncheon. Buy tickets here.

Senior Judge Don R. Ash has been assigned to oversee the cases of 11 current and former Knox County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) employees, including former Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones, indicted on charges of conspiring to illegally spend drug funds and misuse department staff time. According to WBIR, Ash was assigned because Knox County judicial personnel have personal connections to several defendants. Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen similarly recused herself, and Steven Crump, executive director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, has been appointed district attorney general pro tem. The indictments — stemming from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe built on a prior federal investigation — came shortly after a county Republican primary in which two of the defendants ran for sheriff. That race ultimately was won by a KCSO employee who was not among those charged. Knox News has more on the case.

The Tennessee Bar Association's Law Student Volunteer Award recognizes the efforts of a student enrolled at or recently graduated from a Tennessee law school who provided dedicated and outstanding pro bono service while working with an organization primarily engaged in providing legal representation to indigent clients.

This year, the TBA honored Sierra Sidoti, a student at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law during the TBA Annual Convention in Knoxville. Since the summer of 2024, Sidoti has served as a pro bono law clerk in the Knoxville office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). Her work there has involved clinic coordination, case placement and follow-up, research support, data tracking and reporting, and direct coordination with volunteer attorneys. Sidoti also is a member of the TBA Young Lawyers Division's Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) class of 2026. DLI is a six-month leadership, professional development and networking program for Tennessee law students.

According to LAET Director of Pro Bono Mary-Frances DeVoe, Sidoti’s most significant contribution occurred during a prolonged staffing gap in 2025, when the pro bono coordinating attorney role remained vacant for approximately six months. During this time, Sidoti stepped up, and despite being a law student, helped maintain continuity of pro bono services by supporting clinics, communicating with volunteer attorneys, assisting with case placement and follow-up, and ensuring that clients did not lose access to services. “Without her involvement, Legal Aid would have struggled to sustain pro bono operations in Knoxville during this critical time,” DeVoe said in nominating Sidoti. “Her reliability, professionalism and willingness to rise to the occasion whenever needed” exceeded what typically is expected of a law clerk. 

DeVoe also noted that when the position finally was filled, Sidoti played a key role in onboarding the new staff member and supporting the transition. Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney Rebecca Spicer-Keller, who was hired to fill the position, says that Sidoti was instrumental in shaping her early days with the organization. “She guided me through our case placement process, shared critical insight about our community partners, and helped introduce me to attorneys who frequently volunteer with Legal Aid. Her institutional knowledge proved essential to ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of services.”

Caitlin Torney, director of career services at the Duncan School of Law, says Sidoti exemplifies academic excellence and is well respected by both faculty and peers. Torney previously worked at LAET and in that role, she observed Sidoti’s work. “At Legal Aid, Sierra consistently took initiative, attending every legal clinic she could and going beyond what was expected. She was exceptional with clients — professional, compassionate, and patient. She was also a natural leader among her fellow summer clerks.”

Writing of her time working as a law clerk with LAET, Sidoti said, “My pro bono clerkship was a formative chapter, blending professional growth with meaningful impact. It reminded me that the law, at its best, serves the general good of the public. As I move forward in my legal journey, I carry the lessons from this period with gratitude, committed to continuing pro bono work whenever possible."

Starting July 1, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission will begin enforcing a 2025 law that effectively will ban THCA and similar popular hemp-derived products. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the ban is expected to heavily impact an industry that had grown significantly since 2018. Experts project severe economic consequences — including a drop in state hemp tax projections from over $55 million to under $10 million — given that THCA alone accounts for roughly 75% of hemp sales. Meanwhile, broader uncertainty looms as federal reclassification of marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 and removal of a state provision that would have triggered a medical marijuana review leave Tennessee's long-term cannabis policy unresolved. The news outlet reports that medical marijuana legislation is anticipated to be introduced when the state legislature reconvenes in January 2027.

The TBA will host its annual Real Estate Essentials program virtually on June 3 from noon to 3:15 p.m. CDT, offering an introductory overview of key topics in real estate law. The program will cover the fundamentals of commercial real estate in its first session, followed by a discussion of FIRPTA, FinCEN and cash reporting requirements. The course will feature presentations from Andy Maloney of Andy Maloney Law in Brentwood and Kirby Yost of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga. The program is designed for attorneys seeking a foundational understanding of real estate practice.

This is a Rule 10B interlocutory appeal of the denial of a second recusal motion. We find, as the trial court did, that the second motion is repetitive of the first and should be denied. We further grant attorney’s fees for a frivolous appeal.

This action involves the trial court’s denial of a petition for termination of a biological father’s parental rights to his minor child. We now affirm.