Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III today announced that Navient, one of the nation’s largest student loan providers, will pay $1.85 billion to resolve allegations of deceptive practices in originating predatory student loans. According to a coalition of 39 attorneys general, Navient steered struggling students into costly long-term forbearances despite saying it would help borrowers find the most affordable income-driven repayment options. Under the terms of the settlement, Navient will cancel the remaining balance on more than $1.7 billion in subprime private student loan balances owed by approximately 66,000 borrowers nationwide. In Tennessee, $2,861,854 will be available in restitution and $47,626,335 will be available in debt relief. The state will also receive $687,456 of the settlement. Read more from the AG’s office.

The U.S. Supreme Court today blocked a Biden administration policy that would require employees at larger businesses be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask, the Tennessean reports. "Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly," the court wrote. The high court let stand a second vaccine mandate for those employed at health care facilities that receive federal funding through Medicare and Medicaid. That measure will go into effect this month.

The University of Tennessee has racked up more than $1 million in legal fees for its NCAA investigation into alleged recruiting violations committed by ex-football coach Jeremy Pruitt and some on his staff, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The university announced in November that its internal investigation, which began in November 2020, had concluded, but failed to comment further. Based on invoices provided to the Sentinel, UT has paid the firm Bond, Schoeneck & King a total of $1,077,638. The December invoice had not yet been released. Tennessee’s statement hinted at the possibility of self-imposed sanctions, which could potentially soften the blow from the NCAA if the school is found to have violated the rules. Those penalties could be scholarship reductions or recruiting limitations.

Myron C. Ely, 81 and a lifetime resident of Knoxville, died peacefully at home on Jan. 3. A 1966 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, Ely went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. He later served for many years as president of East Tennessee Title, the oldest title company in the area. He was a two-time president of the Tennessee Land Title Association and a member of the association’s Education Committee. A private family interment was already held. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 Worlds Fair Park Dr., Knoxville, TN 37916 or Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, 3700 Keowee Ave., Knoxville, TN 37919.

Hall Booth Smith PC, with offices in Memphis and Nashville, has announced that is expanding to Denver, Colorado, with the addition of 17 attorneys and 18 staff members from litigation defense firm Nixon Shefrin Ogburn Drew PC. The firm, headquartered in Atlanta, says the move is part of its continuing effort to expand westward. The Denver team will focus on medical malpractice, high-stakes litigation, personal injury, professional liability, insurance coverage and health care matters. 

The Knoxville law firm of London Amburn is seeking a full-time associate attorney to join its litigation practice group. Ideal candidates will have up to five years of experience in insurance defense, excellent communication, legal writing and case management skills. The firm focuses its practice on health care (including medical malpractice and nursing home defense, corporate, transactional, regulatory, and compliance matters), mergers and acquisitions, general corporate and business, employment, workers' compensation, mediation, products liability, transportation and general civil trial practice in both federal and state courts. Those interested should send a resume, cover letter and professional references to Spencer Fair. Read the full job description.

Candidates for Davidson County district attorney general are beginning to fundraise in earnest, the Nashville Post reports. Former federal prosecutor Sara Beth Myers held her first campaign event in December and reportedly raised more than $30,000. Among her supporters are state Rep. Darren Jernigan, potential mayoral candidate Hal Cato and former TBA executive director Allan Ramsaur. A second candidate, former Assistant Nashville District Attorney Danielle Nellis, is hosting a fundraiser on Jan. 18 at the offices of Klein Solomon Mills PLLC. Hosts include lawyers at the firm and Tayo Atanda, an Amazon attorney and former Waller Lansden partner. Today, incumbent Glenn Funk will kick off his campaign at the offices of Freeman Webb. His backers include attorney Charles Robert Bone, Conviction Review Unity leader Sunny Eaton, developer Tony Giarratana, Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover and former Mayor Bill Purcell.

Nashville is one of four finalists for the 2024 Republican National Convention, a party official tells the Nashville Post. The other cities still in the running are Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City. Party officials will now travel to each city to determine their feasibility of hosting the major national event. Gov. Bill Lee had asked Nashville tourism officials last month to bid for both the Republican and Democratic conventions.

Chattanooga lawyer Andrew S. Cunnyngham has announced his campaign to be the Republican candidate for the 12th Judicial District Circuit Court, Chattanoogan.com reports. Cunnyngham is currently working with the Wooden Law Firm and is a mediator. He earned his law degree in 2001 from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. Cunnyngham says he is running on a platform of modernizing the courts and cleaning up “old court dockets.” The district covers the counties of Bledsoe, Grundy, Franklin, Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie.

Tennessee’s legislature is expected to consider major changes to the state’s criminal sentencing guidelines in the new session, WPLN reports. At the center of the debate is the myriad of laws that contain different parole eligibility standards for different crimes. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, reportedly plans to propose a bill that would eliminate early release for the most serious crimes, and limit the options judges have for other offenses. He argues that victims should have greater certainty as to when offenders will be released. By contrast, Gov. Bill Lee’s 2019 criminal justice task force urged legislators to rewrite the sentencing code to reduce the number in lockup. Juvenile justice advocates also are fighting a state law that requires teens to serve at least 51 years in prison before they can seek release. A suit challenging that law is set to go before the state Supreme Court in February.