The Knoxville Bar Foundation is accepting applications for its 2022 grant awards through 5 p.m. EST on March 4. Individual grant awards usually are $5,000 or less and funds cannot be used for operating expenses. Applications must be submitted online. The foundation was established in 1992 to improve the administration of justice, enhance the public’s understanding of and confidence in the legal system, and serve the legal profession. It has awarded $455,000 for local law-related projects and programs since its inception.

The TBA Business Law Section will host its annual Business Law Forum on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. CST both in person and virtually online. The in-person event will take place at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S., Nashville 37203. A networking reception will follow the program from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. CST. This year’s forum will focus on hot topics for both the experienced and inexperienced business lawyer. The program is being produced by Justin Joy with Lewis Thomason in Memphis.

Volunteers are still needed for the Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place in person in Nashville March 25-26. Presiding judges, attorneys, law students and paralegals can sign up here to volunteer as a judge, scorer or bailiff. Those who volunteer for at least three trial rounds will receive reimbursement for travel and lodging. The 2022 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial case and rules were released last fall. District mock trial competitions are taking place this month with winners from each district taking part in the state competition. The Tennessee champion will compete at the National High School Mock Trial Championship, which will be held virtually in May.

The U.S. Senate yesterday approved a bipartisan bill that seeks to strengthen public financial reporting requirements for federal judges, including U.S. Supreme Court justices, Reuters reports. The measure, and a similar bill passed by the U.S. House, follow a September report from the Wall Street Journal that revealed 131 judges failed to recuse themselves from cases involving companies in which they or their family members owned stock. The Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act would establish a 45-day window for judges to report stock trades of more than $1,000 and require the judiciary to post disclosure forms online.

Join the Tennessee Department of Revenue on Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. CST for its latest free tax webinar covering franchise and excise tax basics. Participants will learn about filing a franchise and excise tax minimum return, estimated payments and extensions. Please note only these topics will be covered, and the webinar is not meant to be a comprehensive overview of the franchise and excise tax. Register for the webinar here.

The TBA Mentoring Committee will host a free virtual event from 11 a.m. to noon CST on March 3. The program will feature a group of panelists who will discuss diversity in mentoring and why it matters. Panelists include: Tannera George Gibson, Burch, Porter & Johnson; Dean Doug Blaze, University of Tennessee College of Law; Brent Hannafan, U.S. Attorney’s Office; Ed Stanton, Butler Snow; and Dean Alberto Gonzales, Belmont University College of Law. To RSVP for the event, email Ateia Aldridge.

Lists of candidates who qualified to run in upcoming primary elections have been released in Williamson and Wilson counties. In Williamson County, incumbent County Clerk Jeff Whidby will face off against retiring Rep. Glen Casada in the Republican primary and Andrew D. Becker and Deborah C. Sparks will appear on ballots in the Democratic primary. Current 21st Judicial District Circuit Court judges Deanna Johnson, Michael W. Binkley and Joseph "Woody" Woodruff are seeking reelection and will be joined in the Republican primary by Shane K. McNeill and Deana C. Hood. Read more from Community Impact Newspaper. In Wilson County, 63 qualified for local offices in the Republican primary, one for the Democratic primary and 16 for the independent primary. All those running for judgeships and district attorney are unopposed. The Tennessean has the full list of candidates.

Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Mark Fishburn has confirmed that he will retire at the end of his term after nearly 25 years on the bench, the Tennessean reports. "It has been the most difficult decision I have ever made as a judge," he wrote in a letter this week. After serving General Sessions court in 1998, Fishburn was appointed by former Gov. Phil Bredesen to be the first presiding judge of Division VI of the criminal court in 2003. Prior to his appointment, Fishburn spent 18 years as a defense attorney. Earlier this month, he presided over the mass murder trial of Travis Reinking, who was found guilty of killing four people at a Waffle House in 2018.  "At least in my case, retirement is not the end of the road, but simply a turn in my travels down that road," Fishburn wrote.

Chattanooga attorney Lee Ann Adams of Gearhiser Peters Elliott & Cannon was recently sworn in as president of the Chattanooga Bar Association during the organization’s 124th Annual Meeting. The gavel was passed to Adams by Immediate Past President Jeffrey Maddux of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel. New members of the board’s executive committee include: Judge Rob Philyaw, president-elect; Steve Smith, secretary; and Clerk & Master Robin Miller, treasurer. New board members are Zachary W. England, C. Scott Johnson, Mark W. Litchford, Richard C. Rose, Joseph C. Simpson, Nicole O. Watson and Melody Shekari who will serve as the YLD representative. The CBA also presented awards to: Wayne Peters, Albert L. Hodge Volunteer Award; Melody Shekari, YLD Volunteer of the Year; Judge Don Poole, Jac Chambliss Lifetime Achievement Award; Judge W. Jeffrey Hollingsworth, Ralph H. Kelley Humanitarian Award; Ellie Hill, Volunteer of the Year Award; Judge Rob Philyaw, President’s Award; and Mark Litchford, Volunteer of the Year Award.

The Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education will send all 2021 annual report compliance statements via email by Feb. 28, using email addresses on file with the Board of Professional Responsibility. The commission recently launched an online portal for completion of reports. Attorneys in compliance do not need to act on the reports, but those not in compliance, such as needing to complete 2021 hours or owing a fee, should complete the statement online and file it with the CLE. To ensure you receive your report, make sure your email provider permits messages from info@cletn.com. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.