Five Memphis Fire Department lieutenants have filed a complaint with the City of Memphis’ Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion alleging discriminatory practices in the Memphis Fire Department's promotional testing process for battalion chief. According to the Daily Memphian, the firefighters claim the test favors younger, white candidates with less experience, and that the subjective portions of the process, such as the portfolio review and interview, are problematic. The complaint also questions the scoring of the tests, alleging that Black candidates consistently receive lower scores despite their experience and preparation. The paper reports that the firefighters argue that the department's promotional practices need to be reformed to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all employees.

Former NFL player Michael Oher is focusing on his post-football career, specifically helping underprivileged youth in Nashville through his foundation following a legal battle over his portrayal in the movie "The Blind Side." In a lawsuit filed in Memphis, Oher claimed he was never adopted by the family who took him in and that he was placed in a conservatorship that exploited him financially. With a judge ending the conservatorship last year, Oher seems intent on moving forward, according to The Tennesean. His foundation partnered with Lipscomb Academy to offer scholarships and mentorship to underserved youth, aiming to provide opportunities Oher says he lacked during his childhood.

According to the Better Health Channel, sitting is the new smoking. This is problematic for those of us who sit at a desk most of the day. To see the details behind this claim, click here. And here are some additional tips for stretches to encourage movement!

The September/October issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is now accessible online and arriving in mailboxes soon! The cover story by Willie Santana takes an in-depth look at Hispanic naming conventions and how they are not widely understood in the institutions of government, including the courts. John Floyd explores the admissibility of a denial in court, while Eddy Smith reviews several important trusts and estates developments from this year and John Day clears up a common misconception about the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases in Tennessee. Past TBA President Jason Long reviews Dawn Coppock's eighth and final edition of "Coppock on Tennessee Adoption Law," and current TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. encourages experienced lawyers to mentor new attorneys, and for those new to the profession to be receptive to mentorship in unexpected places. Enjoy these and other articles across the legal spectrum.

A recent LinkedIn post from Akshay Verma, a former legal operations chief at Meta and Coinbase and legal industry thought leader, has sparked a debate among corporate legal operations insiders: should companies require a law degree for legal operations roles? "By insisting on a J.D., companies are losing out on fantastic candidates who possess the real skills and experiences needed for legal ops. Not only are you attracting the wrong crowd, but you are missing out on great talent," Verma writes. "Legal ops is about strategic thinking, process optimization and leveraging technology and data to make legal departments more efficient. It’s not about drafting briefs or arguing in court." Law.com unpacks the varying viewpoints.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has recently published her memoir, "Lovely One." (The title, according to Jackson’s aunt, is the meaning of her first and middle names, Ketanji Onyika, in an African dialect.) In an interview with NPR, Jackson describes her confirmation hearing — during which many senators criticized her judicial philosophy — along with her multi-generational path to becoming the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. She also talks about her support for a binding code of ethics for the justices of the court.

Changing practice management systems is like moving to a new city. You know what did and didn’t work in the prior town, but you also know there are new and different things to explore. This checklist offers helpful starter questions on your journey to a new practice management system. Use it in conjunction with this list of features to consider for a full 360-degree picture of options and possibilities. Find this and more in the Practice Management section of TBA’s Law Firm in a Box.

Judge David H. Veile was sworn in Aug. 30 as circuit court judge for the 21st Judicial District Division III, which serves Williamson County. The ceremony took place in the Justice Cornelia A. Clark Courtroom at the Williamson County Historic Courthouse with retired Circuit Court Judge Mike Binkley administering the oath. Veile, a Franklin trial attorney and former police officer, won the Republican primary for the seat in March and ran unopposed in the August general election. Veile serves on the TBA Board Governors as a middle Tennessee governor. See photos or watch a livestream of the event.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division is excited to announce a new addition to the Tennessee High School Mock Trial Competition. With the receipt of a grant from the National High School Mock Trial Championship program, the 2025 competition will include a new Artist in the Courtroom Competition. The new competition will take place first on the district level with the top three artists moving on to the state competition. Those three artists will participate in the state competition in March with the state winner going on to compete at nationals in June. The Artist in the Courtroom program is designed to give more students the opportunity to learn about the courtroom and the legal process, while improving their artistic ability and being introduced to the courtroom artist profession. Rules for the competition will be released with the case in November. Next year's state competition will take place in Nashville March 21-22, 2025. To learn more about the role of artists in the courtroom check out this informative video.

TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. addressed attendees at the 2024 Equal Justice University conference in Murfreesboro last week. He thanked those working in the access to justice field and said the TBA is proud to be part of a collaborative effort to provide quality and accessible legal services across the state. He highlighted the TBA’s Grassroots Initiative and encouraged attendees to get involved in policy advocacy efforts. He also recapped the efforts of the Administrative Office of the Courts and Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby during the last legislative session, which led to an $8.6 million increase in indigent funding, while reiterating that securing additional funding remains a top priority for the association. Additionally, Lanquist called for an increased commitment to pro bono work, increased outreach to law students and new ways to use technology to assist indigent clients and self-represented litigants. Finally, he pledged the TBA would continue to work with policy makers to explore, implement and evaluate new approaches to serving those who cannot afford legal representation. Watch Lanquist’s remarks on the TBA’s Facebook feed and see photos from the day.