Two advocacy teams from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law are headed to nationals after recent wins at their respective regional competitions. The Memphis Law Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition team came in first place at the 2022 Southern Regional Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition. Coached by Andre Mathis, Aurelia McBride and Chancellor Will Perry, the team is made up of Briana Butler Bridgeforth and Alexxas Johnson, who will advance to nationals in March. The ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition team of Hailey Townsend and Win Duncan, with Kylie Ronnow on brief, was a champion in the virtual Chicago region and will compete in nationals in early April. Read more about the teams and both competitions on Memphis Law’s website.

TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorneys and TBA lobbyists Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin, tackle this week’s news from the General Assembly on the latest episode of the TBA’s Legislative Updates. This week the trio gives a progress report on TBA-backed legislation and much more. To see a list of all of TBA’s bills, visit our online bill tracker. Legislative Updates airs every Thursday on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has named shareholder Stephen Adams the new section chair of its intellectual property service group. A longtime member of the Chambliss Startup Group, Adams works with early innovators on a variety of matters related to protecting their business as it grows and matures. He is a member of the Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association, the Chattanooga Technology Council (ChaTech) board of directors, the ChaTech Early Innovators Award selection committee and the Tennessee PATENTS Pro Bono Assistance Program. Read more from the Hamilton County Herald.

A bill mirroring the restrictive abortion ban passed last year in Texas is set to be heard by the Tennessee House Health subcommittee next week, the Tennessean reports. Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, signed an amendment to House Bill 2779 that would ban abortions except to prevent the death or "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" of the pregnant woman. The legislation blocks state enforcement of the ban, instead allowing state residents to sue abortion providers or a person who "aids or abets" abortions, such as by paying for or reimbursing the costs of a procedure. Residents who successfully sue under the proposed law could receive $10,000 or more for "each abortion that the defendant performed," according to Alexander's amendment. 

The TBA’s Entertainment & Sports Law Section has announced its annual forum will take place on May 19 at Belmont College of Law from 12:30 to 4:45 p.m. CDT. Additional information about the program is forthcoming. Entertainment & Sports Law section members will receive a special discounted price on the program. Not a member of the section? Join today.

President Joe Biden today signed an executive order on government oversight of cryptocurrency, which urges the Federal Reserve to explore whether the central bank should jump in and create its own digital currency. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the effort would "promote a fairer, more inclusive and more efficient financial system" while countering illicit finance and preventing risks to financial stability and national security. The order also directs the Treasury Department and other federal agencies to study the impact of cryptocurrency on financial stability and national security. Earlier in the week, the Treasury Department also said its financial literacy arm would work to develop consumer-friendly materials to help people "make informed choices about digital assets." The Tennessee Ledger has the story.

The Hamilton County Commission will appoint a temporary replacement for former Rep. Robin Smith, who resigned Monday and was in federal court yesterday to plead guilty to federal wire fraud. The commission said the county needs to appoint an interim member because several months are left in the legislative session, Chattanoogan.com reports. The commission will accept letters from interested candidates through noon on March 18 and will vote on a replacement on March 30. No candidate has picked up filing papers for the August primary, but interested individuals have until April 7 at noon EDT to do so.

The ABA Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division has been focusing on wellness issues in its newsletter for members. The “Legal Burnout Solution” series has dealt with a number of topics, including making time for self-care. A recent issue featured a foreclosure attorney who reprogrammed how she thinks about work hours. By slightly adjusting her work schedule to prioritize morning workouts, she now reports enjoying and staying consistent with exercise and feeling less stress, all while maintaining the same level of service to her clients. She shares how she overcame challenges to stick with her plan. The article also looks at the “Prepare, Prune, Pass it On, and Plan” model, which is designed to help prioritize projects and reinforce new positive behaviors. Read more about self-care and watch for an upcoming issue about improving self-esteem.

For the first time since former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam granted clemency to sex trafficking victim and convicted murderer Cyntoia Brown Long, the two will sit down together for a discussion on criminal justice reform. The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy will host the event “Reform for Redemption: Cyntoia Brown Long and Gov. Bill Haslam on Criminal Justice Reform and the Power of Mercy” next Tuesday at 6 p.m. CDT. Law professor Chris Slobogin will moderate the discussion. The in-person event is free and open to the public. The program also will be offered virtually. Learn more and register here.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division is hosting a virtual legal clinic in partnership with Belmont Law and TN Free Legal Answers on March 28 at noon CDT. Attorney volunteers will work with Belmont law students to answer legal questions submitted to the online TN Free Legal Answers platform. Teams of lawyers and students may select which questions they want to answer. The entire clinic will take place via Zoom. Please contact Belmont University College of Law Public Interest Coordinator Alexandra Rogers, 615-460-8250 to volunteer.