The Board of Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection (TLFCP) filed a petition with the state Supreme Court today, requesting the court amend Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9 to increase attorney registration fees from $170 to $185 and in turn increase the allotment of the fee that goes to TLFCP to $25 per attorney, improving TLFCP’s ability to reimburse claimants for losses caused by dishonest attorneys. Additionally the TLFCP is asking the court to amend Rule 25 to raise the attorney cap from $250,000 to $400,000 upon recommendation of the board and with approval of the court.

Make plans now to join the TBA Bankruptcy Section for the 17th Annual Bankruptcy Law Forum May 13-15 in Gatlinburg. The program offers 10 hours of CLE, including three hours of ethics credit. Registration is limited for this in-person program, so don't delay in reserving your spot for this unique program in a wonderful and relaxing setting. This year’s forum is sponsored by Butler Snow, Miller & Martin and Woolf, McClane, Bright, Allen & Carpenter.

Williamson County lawyer Wendell J. O’Reilly was permanently disbarred by the Tennessee Supreme Court today and ordered to pay restitution to his clients. The court determined that O’Reilly, while suspended from the practice of law, knowingly engaged in the unauthorized practice of law; failed to adequately communicate with his clients; knowingly misled courts, clients and third parties; knowingly charged excessive fees; failed to safeguard client funds; knowingly failed to comply with final court orders; engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice; and failed to respond to the board about a disciplinary matter. His actions and omissions were found to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 3.3, 4., 5.5, 8.1 and 8.4(a), (b), (c), (d) and (g).

The group of students who integrated Memphis schools more than 60 years ago were honored with a resolution by the Tennessee House of Representatives today, the Commercial Appeal reports. “After six decades, the state legislature is now honoring the Memphis 13 for the challenges they willingly accepted and conquered as young children to advance the cause of civil rights in Tennessee education," said Rep. G. A. Hardaway, D-Memphis. The Memphis 13, a group of 13 Black first graders, integrated four schools in the Memphis city school system in 1961.

The Annual Belmont Criminal Law Journal Symposium, "Global Perspectives: Criminal Justice Reform in the United States and Around the World," is March 4. The free, virtual symposium will compare and contrast criminal justice reform in the United States to nations around the world. The topics will include pre-trial rights, appointment of counsel, plea bargaining, trial diversion programs and reentry reform.

General Sessions Judge Don A. Layton announced plans to seek a fourth term in Anderson County's General Sessions Court, Division I. He has presided over the court since 1998. Prior to taking the bench, he served as clerk & master for Anderson County and had an active private law practice. Layton has been chosen as president of the General Sessions Judges Conference. He is a frequent instructor and lecturer at state and educational conferences and a member of the Anderson County Bar.

The issue of juvenile transfer to adult court is central to the race for district attorney general in Shelby County. Incumbent District Attorney General Amy Weirich, a Republican, is seeking reelection and three Democratic candidates are vying for the nomination to challenge her. The issue is one that sets the Democratic candidates apart from Weirich: All three believe that under the status quo, too many juveniles are transferred to adult court. In contrast, Weirich says Shelby County has more juvenile transfers than any other county in Tennessee simply because it has more people and thus more crime. The Commercial Appeal also looks at Weirich's advocacy for “truth in sentencing” laws.

Georgia lawyer Allison S. Hines Ficken and Ohio lawyer Daniel Michael Spirko were recently reinstated to the practice of law after having been on inactive status for more than five years. Ficken was reinstated effective Feb. 8. Spirko was reinstated effective Feb. 4.

Memphis lawyer Lucian T. Pera is the 2022 recipient of the Michael Franck Professional Responsibility Award, one of the top ethics honors of the American Bar Association. The award honors an individual whose contributions in the professional responsibility field reflect the highest level of dedication to legal professionalism. Pera, a former Tennessee Bar Association president and partner at Adams and Reese, is recognized nationally for his work on ethics in the legal profession as well as media law and transparency issues in government, particularly in Tennessee where he also served as president of the Tennessee Open Government Coalition. He has written extensively about ethics and lawyer regulation nationally and for the ABA, including an ethics column for Law Practice, a magazine of the ABA Law Practice Division. Read more from the ABA Journal. 

Brentwood attorney A.J. Bahou today announced he will run for State House District 63 in the Republican primary. Bahou, an intellectual property patent attorney, served as chair of the Tennessee Young Republicans from 1997-1999, and was active in the organization for over seven years. He has also been active in Leadership Brentwood, Brentwood Rotary, the Nolensville Lions Club and the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the board and executive committee of LaunchTN, a statewide incubator for small business startups in Tennessee. Learn more about his campaign in this press release or online at https://voteajbahou.com.