Twitter sued billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, asking Delaware’s Court of Chancery to order Musk to complete a $44 billion takeover deal, NPR reports. Musk entered into an agreement to buy Twitter in late April but has since launched a fight with the company over the prevalence of fake accounts, which he claims is higher than Twitter lets on. The lawsuit accuses Musk of hypocrisy and bad faith in breaching his contract with Twitter. It says that after Tesla shares declined in value Musk began to disparage the company and make public requests aimed at making Twitter appear negligent. Musk has 20 days to respond to the complaint, but lawyers for Twitter have proposed an expedited timetable, arguing a delay would hurt the company.

Attorney John Coke has been selected to serve as general counsel for the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Coke has been assistant general counsel since 2016 and transitioned into the new role on July 1. The AOC general counsel heads the legal service and judicial development team, oversees administrative functions and judicial conferences, and supports trial and appellate judges across the state. Before joining the AOC, Coke clerked for 20th Judicial District Judge Joe Binkley Jr. and for Judge Hamilton Gayden, also of the 20th Judicial District. He replaces former General Counsel Rachel Harmon who was promoted to deputy director earlier this year. Read more from the AOC.  

A survey of law students from 39 law schools has found that students are reporting a need for help with emotional or mental health problems, and more are reporting a past diagnosis of depression or anxiety, the ABA Journal reports. Eleven percent of the law students had thought seriously about suicide in the past year, compared to 6% in 2014. Nearly 33% of the students reported they had thought about attempting suicide in their lifetime, up from 21% in 2014. Nearly 70% of the law students thought they needed help in the last year for emotional or mental health problems compared to 2014’s 42%. The study’s authors suggest law school faculty and staff should “invest more energy and creativity and resources in supporting law student well-being.” They also suggested that law school deans of students should hold information sessions on how seeking help might impact the character and fitness evaluation for admission to the bar. Read the survey.

Joe D. Spicer, founding member Memphis law firm Spicer Rudstrom PLLC, passed away Monday. He was 89. Spicer earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law before moving to Memphis to begin his law practice. A skilled trial lawyer, Spicer would spend the next 50 years in courtrooms across Memphis and Tennessee. “Joe’s litigation skills were unmatched,” said Spicer Rudstrom Managing Partner Clint Woodfin in a release. “Perhaps lesser known was his business acumen. His decision to take Spicer Rudstrom statewide in 1996 now serves as the road map for the regional expansion of mid-sized litigation firms. He will truly be missed.” Funeral services for Spicer will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to any charitable organization of your choice.

Hit the slopes in beautiful Snowmass, Colorado, while earning CLE credit! The TBA’s 36th Annual CLE Ski program will take place on Jan. 21-26, 2023. This special event combines 15 hours of quality CLE on a variety of practice areas and topics with the beautiful slopes of one of Colorado's premier ski resorts as its setting. Attendees will stay at the Stonebridge Inn, just 10 miles southwest of Aspen. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information on topics and speakers.

The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility today censured attorney Brette Baldini Healy. Healy was employed as an in-house attorney in Georgia for a seven-year period while her Tennessee law license was administratively suspended. During this time, Healy was not licensed in any other jurisdiction. Her actions violated Rule 5.5 regarding unauthorized practice of law. A public censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has added attorney Courtney Swim as its new chief of staff, the Chattanoogan reports. Swim previously served as the department’s director of legislation from 2019 through 2021. She first joined the agency in 2017 as an associate general counsel. In her new role as chief of staff, Swim will oversee the department’s offices of Legislation, Communications, Research and Tax Policy. Prior to rejoining the Department of Revenue, Swim was an associate counsel for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, where she researched and advised on federal, state and local laws impacting the beverage alcohol industry.

Sumner County General Sessions Judge Mike Carter died yesterday. He was 64. Carter was appointed to the bench in 2015 after a third General Sessions judge position was created in the county. He won re-election in 2016 to a six-year term. Carter played a pivotal role in the creation of the Sumner County Mental Health Court in 2018. He earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law and was in private practice until his appointment to the bench in 2015. Carter was diagnosed with ALS in 2020. The Administrative Office of the Courts will update its story as more information becomes available.

The Tennessee Department of Health is now accepting applications for a litigation attorney to serve as a senior associate counsel in its Office of General Counsel. In this role, an attorney will provide legal advice and drafting services to healthcare licensure boards, analyze proposed legislation affecting public health, review and revise contracts involving the maintenance and sharing of data and more. Salary will be based on experience with a starting rate of $7,087 per month. To apply, email TDH.TalentManagement@tn.gov or complete the application process on www.tn.gov/careers. View this listing or browse all job listings on the TBA’s JobLink page.

The Davidson County Chancery Court today lifted an injunction on the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) Pilot Program. The program had been upheld by the state Supreme Court in May but a few issues remained for the lower court to resolve. In a statement following the decision, Gov. Bill Lee said, “Today the court removed the final roadblock to getting Memphis and Nashville families additional options for high-quality education. Starting today, we will work to help eligible parents enroll this school year, as we ensure Tennessee families have the opportunity to choose the school that they believe is best for their child.” The Tennessee Department of Education will make ESA resources available online for parents in the coming days.