The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Thursday announced that Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers, reports the Associated Press. The Goodlettsville-based retailer in July reached a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to resolve alleged violations that included unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers and inaccessible electrical panels. That agreement states, in part, that if inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General may be fined $100,000 a day for any that are not resolved within 48 hours.

Join colleagues online on Aug. 15 from 11 a.m. to noon CDT for a webcast with attorney Jim Romer as he discusses the process of opening a University of Tennessee Medical Center in Jamestown. Register here and watch for more details coming soon.

Legal Aid of Tennessee, the TBA YLD, Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective and the Chattanooga Bar Association YLD hosted their triannual virtual name change clinic on July 11. Seven attorneys from Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville logged on to assist 11 clients with drafting name change petitions and advise them on next steps. See a photo from this event.

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The ABA recently reported that being an attorney is the most stressful occupation. Many attorneys do not need data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to verify this. They know it first hand. One of the least stressful occupations is working in forestry, most likely because of the time these workers spend close to nature. With this information in mind, the TBA YLD is excited to introduce "Exploration: A CLE Series!" The series will begin at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park in Manchester on Oct. 23. This program will provide three hours of CLE ethics credits and a ranger-guided hike. Save the date and watch for registration information coming soon. Plans are in the works to offer additional CLE programs across Tennessee at our beautiful state parks.

The YLD will continue its focus on health and wellness in other ways as well. Join colleagues online Sept. 12 at noon CDT for an informative panel discussion on "Demystifying TLAP." Click here for more information and to register. And watch for a new Health and Wellness section in each issue of the TBA YLD newsletter.

There is still time to sign up for the 2024 Elder Law Forum, which will take place in person Friday, July 19, at Belmont University College of Law. This annual staple for Tennessee attorneys provides insight from top professionals while allowing attendees to meet with other lawyers in the practice area. This year’s forum features timely topics such as conservatorships, dementia, client intake, ethics, litigation in elder law and more. The event will run from from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to learn and earn CLE with colleagues.

The Mid-South Commercial Law Institute recently named new officers and five new directors to its 25-member board. Officers are President Paul Jennings with Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville; Vice President/President-Elect Cara Alday with Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway in Chattanooga; Secretary Cynthia N. Podis with Podis & Podis in Nashville; Treasurer Stephen D. Barham with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga; and Immediate Past President James E. Bailey III with Butler Snow in Memphis. New directors, elected to five year terms, are: R. Bradley Banks with Richard Banks & Associates in Cleveland, Blair B. Evans with Baker Donelson in Memphis, Nashville attorney Erica R. Johnson, Chapter 7 Trustee F. Scott Milligan in Knoxville, and Daniel H. Puryear with Puryear, Pippenger and Cook in Nashville. See the list of the full 2024 board.

Georgia lawyer Lauren Catherine Foster was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee effective June 25. Foster had been on inactive status since May 10, 2016. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported that it found the petition for reinstatement to be satisfactory. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on July 10.

The Daily Memphian looks at three races that will be on the ballot for Aug. 1 primary in Shelby County. In state House District 96, five Democratic candidates will face off. They are Eric Dunn, Telisa Franklin, Gabby Salinas, Orrden Williams and David Winston. In House District 97, Republican incumbent John Gillespie faces a primary challenge from Christina Oppenhuizen. And in state Senate District 30, incumbent Sen. Sara Kyle faces a Democratic primary challenge from Erika Stotts Pearson. Read more about each of the races from the paper.

The State of Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday weekend will take place July 26-28, the Department of Revenue reports. On these days, Tennesseans may save nearly 10% on qualifying clothing and school supplies under $100 and computers priced $1,500 or less. Read more in a release. For more information about the sales tax holiday, including a list of qualifying items, visit www.tntaxholiday.com, call 615-253-0600 or email revenue.support@tn.gov.