Starting with the class of 2028, Tennessee high school students must take at least one computer science course to graduate. A new policy, unanimously approved by state lawmakers in 2022, is designed to prepare students for a growing number of jobs that require a deeper understanding of technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Tennessee is one of 12 states that already have a computer science mandate in place. According to Axios Nashville, more than 200 CEOs signed a letter this month urging state leaders nationwide to follow Tennessee’s lead by requiring AI and computer science courses for high school graduation. “To be a full participant in the economy and the world, you have to be able to understand the technology that’s driving the world,” state Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, told Axios. Yarbro helped lead efforts to draft Tennessee’s plan for computer science education.

Don’t miss Friday’s Criminal Justice Section murder mystery forum. A CLE experience like no other, the event will give an update on recently passed Tennessee criminal laws in a fun and relaxed environment. Law student volunteers will play characters, providing an immersive and interactive experience. Attendees will be tasked with solving the murder of J.W. Hanks, a fictional 1920s record company magnate, using clues and materials based on the recent criminal law focused legislation. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Learn more and register here to join a team of sleuths to solve the mystery.

Nashville lawyer Margaret Behm will be honored next month with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award from the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court. Behm, an attorney with Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, is being recognized for her selfless contributions to the legal profession, which include a number of “firsts,” including serving as the first chair of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission and the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. In announcing this year's recipient, TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said, “Margaret Behm has spent her career in service to the legal profession advancing the best things about our practice. While she has promoted the role of all lawyers, she has specifically promoted the role of women by serving as a mentor and an inspiration to many, including many serving on the bench today. She embodies the qualities envisioned in the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award. A lawyer’s lawyer, we are grateful for her many contributions to the profession.”

The professionalism award honors a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the rule of law and the legal profession in Tennessee. It is named in honor of the late Judge Pamela L. Reeves, former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the first recipient of the award. Reeves was an active leader in both the American Inns of Court and the TBA, where she was elected the first female president in 1988. The award will be presented at the 2025 Bench/Bar Luncheon set for June 12 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Franklin. Read more in the TBA’s press release.

The 2025 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition Champions, Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA), traveled to Phoenix this past weekend and captured their first national championship. Senior Kavneer Majhail was named an outstanding attorney at the National Championship. In attendance were 47 additional state champions who competed for the top prize.

The national championship round was held in the historic Maricopa County Old Courthouse, which is most well known for hosting the first trial of Ernesto Miranda, which ultimately led to Miranda v. Arizona and the present-day Miranda rights. The courtroom in which the competition was held was the one served by the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. 

The MBA competing team members were William Guo, Russell Howard, George Ma, Kavneer Majhail, Nikhil Misra, Jasmaih Oberoi, Jack Rogers, Kenneth Royer and Sammy Thompson. They were supported by non-competing team members Henry Bone, Witt Combs and Alex Kaegi. These talented students are coached by the dedicated team of Wade Cowan, Tracy Hancock and Marisa Combs Smith. See photos from the event.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has extended its suspension of a rule requiring law schools to pursue diversity, equity and inclusion efforts through August 2026. The move reflects ongoing legal and political challenges  to race- and gender-conscious policies, including threats of federal funding cuts and lawsuits targeting DEI initiatives in legal education. TBA YLD Diversity Chair Jennifer Safstrom recommends reading this article from Bloomberg News to learn more.

TBA YLD Health & Wellness Coordinator Patrick Morrison reminds us that as a young lawyer or law student, working and studying can often feel unrelenting, but maintaining your well-being is key to long-term success in our profession. As summer associate positions begin and summer months roll in — or if your fiscal year-end is approaching — take a moment to check in with yourself. Here are a few tips that may be useful:

• Create a Daily Routine: Structure your day with clear work hours, breaks and downtime.
• Use the "Two-Minute Rule": If something will take two minutes or less (like responding to an email), do it immediately. This can help you stay on top of small tasks without feeling overwhelmed. 
• Take Real Breaks: Take a walk, go to a fitness class, go to lunch with friends, read a book, or listen to music — anything to recharge. When you step way from work, do something non-work-related, even if it is for five minutes.

Taking small steps can make a big difference in preventing burnout and staying balanced. Check in with yourself and your goals. Your well-being matters just as much a your success.

Members of the newly appointed 2025-2026 Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Board met in Chattanooga to plan for the upcoming bar year. County Mayor Weston Wamp and District Attorney Coty Wamp welcomed the group to Chattanooga while Ross Smith provided updates from the Tennessee legislature during Friday's opening session. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Collier joined the YLD on Saturday morning for a presentation on civility. The group also got to know one another better with a dinner at Feed Table and Tavern and a morning wellness walk through the arts district led by Health & Wellness Coordinator Patrick Morrison. President-elect Alex McVeagh, who will be sworn in as president at the TBA Convention in June, provided an overview of the upcoming bar year as well as the expectations for all board members. He also introduced his initiatives for the year: Recovery Court and Leadership & Law Academy. District 7 Representative Alyssa Fox, a new board member, was presented with the disco gavel for being the most enthusiastic participant at the meeting. See photos from the event.

Members of the newly appointed 2025-2026 Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Board met in Chattanooga this past weekend to plan for the upcoming bar year. County Mayor Weston Wamp and District Attorney Coty Wamp welcomed the group to Chattanooga while Ross Smith provided updates from the Tennessee legislature during Friday's opening session. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Collier joined the YLD on Saturday morning for a presentation on civility. The group also got to know one another better with a dinner at Feed Table and Tavern and a morning wellness walk through the arts district led by Health & Wellness Coordinator Patrick Morrison. President-elect Alex McVeagh, who will be sworn in as president at the TBA Convention in June, provided an overview of the upcoming bar year as well as the expectations for all board members. He also introduced his initiatives for the year: Recovery Court and Leadership & Law Academy. District 7 Representative Alyssa Fox, a new board member, was presented with the disco gavel for being the most enthusiastic participant at the meeting. See photos from the event.

A majority of the Judges of this Court in regular active service has voted for rehearing en banc of this case. Sixth Circuit Rule 40(d) provides as follows: A decision to grant rehearing en banc vacates the previous opinion and judgment of the court, stays the mandate, and restores the case on the docket as a pending appeal. Separately, a majority of the en banc Court has voted to return the case to the original panel for entry of an amended opinion. ACCORDINGLY, it is ORDERED that the previous decision and judgment of this Court are vacated, the mandate is stayed, and this case is restored to the docket as a pending appeal. It is further ORDERED that the case be referred to the original panel for entry of an amended opinion that will issue forthwith.

Petitioner, Quaddariontae Burnom, appeals the denial of his petition seeking post- conviction relief from his 2022 guilty-pleaded conviction for second degree murder, for which he is serving an agreed twenty-five-year sentence. On appeal, Petitioner contends that he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel because counsel failed to adequately explain to him the significance of our supreme court’s decision in State v. Booker, 656 S.W.3d 49 (Tenn. 2022), before he entered his plea. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.