The Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) raised more than $127,000 during its Breakfast of Champions fundraiser on April 6. The money raised will help LAS ensure Middle Tennesseans have access to the justice system, overcome unfair circumstances and receive equal justice under the law. Jennifer Kraus, weekend news anchor for Nashville’s NewsChannel 5, hosted the event, which featured powerful personal statements from several LAS clients and a keynote address from former Tennessee Titans football player Eddie George, who spoke on leadership, adversity and what it means to be a champion. Read more about the event from LAS.

The Rutherford County Commission is launching an oversight board for its Juvenile Detention Center following a report last year that exposed the county’s troubled history of illegally jailing children, the Daily News Journal reports. The commission hopes to appoint five members to the board by August. The board will have oversight of the juvenile detention center, the director, policies, procedures and budget plans submitted to the commission for approval. Those interested in applying for the board can obtain applications from the mayor’s office. Juvenile Court Judge Donna Scott Davenport, who was at the center of the investigation into the county’s arresting and jailing of more than 1,000 juveniles, announced she would retire in August. Republican Travis Lampley and Independent Andrae Crismon are competing for Davenport’s seat on the bench in the August election.

The Tennessee Black Caucus is making stops across the state as part of a listening tour that allows constituents to guide legislative proposals for 2023, WPLN reports. Rep. Vince Dixie, D-Nashville, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, says the discussion will be used to guide what laws and investments are proposed for communities during the next legislative session. Lawmakers will also be looking to hear from Nashville residents to find commonalities affecting other people across the state, such as gun violence. Stops have already been made in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. The caucus will be in Memphis at the National Civil Rights Museum on June 16 at 6 p.m. CDT. Additional stops will be planned for July.

Merchant & Gould PC, a national intellectual property law firm with a Knoxville office, has announced the launch of the M&G Integrator Program – a business consulting group that will offer product and service companies a new way to protect their brands in the fast-paced online marketplace. The group will serve clients in every industry, balance timely business strategies with a critical legal lens and complement its Internet Cybersecurity & E-Commerce (ICE) Practice. Read the full release.

Don’t miss your chance to have breakfast and network with fellow law school alumni during the TBA’s Annual Convention next week. The alumni breakfasts will take place on June 16 from 7:30 until 8:30 a.m. CDT at the Downtown Nashville Hilton. Nashville School of Law, Belmont University College of Law, University of Tennessee College of Law, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and Vanderbilt University Law School will each host alumni breakfasts. Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law will host a virtual breakfast. Sign up for a breakfast when you register for Convention, or purchase individual tickets here.

Former state Rep. Michael Curcio has announced he’ll be joining Nashville-based Talbert Government Relations LLC as an equity member and partner. Founded by Jill Talbert in 2012, the firm is one of the state’s few female-founded, female-owned government relations firms. Curcio for six years represented state House District 69, which covers Hickman and parts of Maury and Dickson counties. He was appointed chair of the House Judiciary Committee his first year in office and was chair of the Criminal Justice Committee when he announced he would not seek re-election. “Chairman Curcio’s experience in state government, his ability to navigate complex regulatory issues and his breadth of knowledge of Tennessee’s Capitol Hill will make this a great partnership,” Talbert said. Read the full release here.

Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC is seeking to hire two attorneys to join its Wills, Trusts & Estates practice in Nashville. The estate planning attorney will preferably have an LLM and seven years of relevant experience. The attorney will immediately assist with significant trusts and estate/tax work. The role includes the potential of serving in a leadership role. The probate and estate administration attorney should preferably have more than five years of relevant experience and the ability to work with families of all backgrounds and wealth levels. To apply for either job, email Suzanne Hartness. Find these positions and more from the TBA’s JobLink page.  

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) is now accepting nominations for its annual access to justice awards. The Janice M. Holder Award, the B. Riney Green Award and the New Advocate of the Year award recognize those who have contributed to Tennessee’s equal justice community and will be awarded during the annual Equal Justice University (EJU) conference on Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Nominations and supporting documents are due by July 8. Visit TALS’ award nomination page for nomination instructions, the awards nomination form, and specific eligibility and criteria for each of the three awards.

The annual Lawyers Luncheon will take place next Friday at noon CDT at the Downtown Nashville Hilton as part of the 2022 TBA Convention. The event will include presentation of a number of awards, including the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award, the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing, the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, the Claudia Jack Award, the Fourth Estate Award, the YLD Fellows William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award, and President’s Awards for those who served with distinction this past year. The lunch also will include passing of the gavel from TBA President Sherie Edwards to President-elect Tasha Blakney and oath of office administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the good work of colleagues and hear about Blakney’s vision for the new bar year. Admission to the luncheon is included in the full 2022 Convention registration or individual tickets can now be purchased.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today affirmed a 30-day suspension for Davidson County attorney Candes Vonniest Prewitt. A Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) hearing panel found that Prewitt violated multiple provisions of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct in her handling of a personal injury case for a client with whom she had a romantic relationship, including Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.7, 1.16 and 8.4(a). The BPR recommended that the court impose a 30-day suspension, 10 extra hours of continuing education in ethics, and supervision by a practice monitor for six months after reinstatement. On appeal, the Davidson County Chancery Court and the Supreme Court affirmed the panel’s decision. The high court ruled that the discipline was supported by substantial and material evidence and was neither arbitrary nor an abuse of discretion. It also noted that though Prewitt complained of a hearing panel’s alleged conflict of interest, she waived the issue during the disciplinary proceedings.