Nashville law firm Bass, Berry & Sims is launching a new practice group focused on investment funds, the Nashville Post reports. The group will include attorneys who have already been at the firm, including those working on the private equity team, as well as new firm member Bryan Bylica and counsel Nova Harb, both recently with McGuireWoods. The group will handle issues associated with private equity, private credit, growth equity, venture capital, endowments, pension funds, Small Business Investment Company funds and Rural Business Investment Company funds.

Fayetteville lawyer R. Whitney Stevens Jr. died Feb. 9 at the age of 74. A 1975 graduate of the Cumberland Law School, Stevens began his law practice in Fayetteville with his father. At the time of his death, he was affiliated with the law firm of Stevens, Bagley & Stevens. Stevens served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. A memorial service was held last Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fayetteville First United Methodist Church, 200 Elk Ave. N., Fayetteville, TN 37334; or a Veteran's organization of the donor’s choice.

The slate of judicial candidates in Weakley and Henry counties are now known. In Weakley County, a contested race for district attorney general includes Republican candidates Adam P. Nelson and Robert R. Young and independent Colin Johnson. The race for circuit court clerk will include independent Jennifer Kay Killibrew and Republican Courtney McMinn. In Henry County, the race for circuit court judge Part 2 will see three running in the Republican primary: Bruce I. Griffey, Terry J. Leonard and Dennis Vance. Two Republicans, Matt Stowe and Jeffrey Neil Thompson, will face off for 24th Judicial District Attorney General. The McKenzie Banner has the full slate of candidates in both counties.

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III is one of five attorneys general leading a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general calling on the Federal Trade Commission to adopt a national rule targeting impersonation scams. In a letter to the agency, the group expresses concern about the number and extent of impersonation scams. They argue that a national rule is needed to stop fraudulent acts and protect Americans, and provide recommendations for what elements the rule should include. Read more in a press release from Slatery’s office.

Tennessee lawmakers and their staffers came together with members of the Tennessee Bar Association during the annual Big Shrimp legislative reception on Tuesday in Nashville. The event, held at the City Club, gave attorneys the opportunity to meet with senators and representatives in a relaxed atmosphere. The event was last held in February 2020.

The Veterans’ Legal Advice Clinic is a joint project of the Knoxville Bar Association/Barristers Access to Justice Committees, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, the UT College of Law, LMU-Duncan School of Law, and the local Veterans Affairs office. This is a general advice and referral clinic that requires attorney volunteers for its continued operation. The next Veterans Legal Clinic will be held in person at the Knoxville Community Law Office on March 9 from noon until 2 p.m. EST. Attorneys can register online to volunteer at the clinic. 

The TBA Litigation Section will host its annual Litigation Forum virtually on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. CST. The program will offer two 1.5 hour sessions. The first session will focus on ethical issues associated with the remote practice of law, as well as the triumphs and travails of practicing full-time in a virtual law firm. The second session will feature an in-depth discussion about litigation issues that arise in conservatorship cases, a topic covered in the January/February 2022 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal.

Pulaski, Tennessee, is the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan, but a new group is working to overcome that history and make the city more inclusive, especially for Black residents. The Tennessean reports on the work of the Community Advisory Council on Inclusive Recognition & Acknowledgement (CACIRA), which is focusing on highlighting overlooked historical figures of their city, starting with the slaves who fought for the Union Army. New monuments that are approved will be erected at Cave Spring Park, which is located in a part of the city that was home to many of Pulaski's Black population.

The TBA will be closed Friday in observance of "National Employee Appreciation Day.” Normally celebrated the first Friday in March, the TBA is marking the day this week due to scheduling issues. Launched in 1995, the day recognizes the importance of strong employer-employee relations and the value of making workers feel appreciated. The office will re-open at 8 a.m. CST on Monday.

Baker Donelson has named Martha L. Boyd as vice chair of its Labor & Employment Group. Boyd will work with the group’s chair, Angie Davis, to oversee the management and strategy of the firm’s national labor and employment practice. A shareholder in the firm’s Nashville office, Boyd advises businesses on employee leaves of absence, workplace violence, responding to and investigating claims of harassment and discrimination, and non-competition and non-solicitation agreements. Boyd also serves as co-leader of Baker Donelson’s coronavirus task force. She was a member of the TBA's Leadership Law class in 2006.