The TBA Corporate Counsel Section will hold its annual forum virtually on March 28. The event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT, will include sessions on the complexities of attorney/client privilege for in-house counsel, an employment law update, a Supreme Court update and a look at how AI can impact contract negotiations. Participants include Nashville lawyer John Edwin Gerth with Epstein Becker Green, Atlanta lawyer Alex Koskey and Memphis lawyer Matthew White with Baker Donelson, and University of Tennessee professor Hemant Sharma. Section members receive discounts on registration costs. Not a member yet? Join here.

TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast features TBA lobbyists Berkley Schwarz of Pier Strategies LLC and Ashley Harbin of Adams and Reese. This week they discuss several legislative developments, including SB1052/HB1355, which amends Tenn. Code Ann. §36-1-102(45)(B) to specify that a biological father who only pays token support to the child’s mother does not qualify as a putative father; SB540/HB492, which addresses custody determinations and failure to pay child support; SB541/HB906, which pertains to legislation from the TBA probate study group; SB394/HB569, concerning the selection of a settlement agent in real property transactions; SB943/HB1255, which mandates continuing education for judges involved in child custody proceedings; and the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts’ plan for indigent representation presented on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Listeners can tune in on the TBA website or directly through this link.

Nashville law firms are increasingly expanding their specialties, with several adding new practice areas in response to the city’s growth and demand for legal services. In a report from the Nashville Business Journal, firms like Thompson Burton and Adams and Reese have significantly broadened their practices, incorporating areas such as business immigration, artificial intelligence (AI) and entertainment law. As AI technology becomes more integral to the legal field, firms such as Baker Donelson and Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison have introduced dedicated AI teams to help clients navigate legal challenges related to AI, while others, like Lewis Thomason, have implemented policies to ensure AI is used only for non-substantive tasks due to data privacy concerns. There are many variations in the use of AI, based on the individual firm’s field of practice, but, the paper reports there "seems to be an agreement on the establishment of clear guide rails and that AI cannot replace the human touch or nuance of legal practice."

The TBA is seeking to fill vacancies, both on its Board of Governors and in its House of Delegates. Open positions on the board include 4th District governor and East Tennessee governor. Seats available in the House of Delegates include those in the 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 31st districts. Finally, a vacancy exists in the position of young lawyer delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. Those interested in being considered for any of these positions should email TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright at barED@tnbar.org by March 3. For additional information on these vacancies, including terms of service and counties included in each district, visit the TBA’s election page.

In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that plaintiffs are not entitled to attorneys' fees after obtaining a preliminary injunction that is later mooted, Bloomberg Law reports. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said the plaintiffs do not count as “prevailing parties” entitled to attorneys’ fees because no court has conclusively resolved their claims. The case involved Virginia drivers who challenged a state law suspending licenses for unpaid fees, with the state changing the law after the plaintiffs secured a temporary injunction. The court's ruling set a rule that prevents civil rights lawyers from receiving attorneys' fees in such cases, despite the temporary success. Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing the plaintiffs’ victory, though temporary, was never overturned.

Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. has been federally charged with bribery and tax evasion, the Commercial Appeal reports. Ford turned himself in to federal authorities Friday morning. An indictment charges Ford with one count of bribery and kickbacks related to programs receiving federal funds and six counts of attempting to evade tax payments. If convicted on all counts, Ford could face up to 40 years in federal prison. Three nonprofits are named in the criminal complaint, along with businesses owned and operated by Ford. According to the news outlet, the charges may be connected to a previous investigation into Ford's involvement in securing a $450,000 grant for Junior Achievement of Memphis, which later purchased computers from Ford's business. The FBI executed a search warrant at Ford's home in May 2023 as part of the ongoing investigation.

Paint Memphis, a nonprofit known for transforming a city corner with its annual mural fest, has appealed a court ruling that found it failed to fully pay two former co-directors for six months of work. A judge in Shelby County General Sessions Court ruled earlier this month that Paint Memphis must pay the former co-directors a combined $5,720 for their work from October 2023 to April 2024, the Daily Memphian reports. The organization is now appealing the ruling, and a new trial, including consideration of evidence, is expected to start over. A court date has yet to be set. In related news, Paint Memphis also faces allegations of failing to fully comply with its agreement with South Arts, an Atlanta-based funder. South Arts has provided $7,500 annually to Paint Memphis for the past three years to pay the lead artist, with Paint Memphis agreeing to match the amount in some years. However, several artists have reported being underpaid.

The ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service has honored Chattanooga attorney Richard Gossett for his exceptional dedication to pro bono service through his participation in ABA Free Legal Answers. Gossett answered 1,355 civil legal questions on the Tennessee site of ABA Free Legal Answers in 2024, the Hamilton County Herald reports. A letter from the committee described his contribution as “fantastic.” Gossett, a retired banking attorney who spent a lengthy career at Baker Donelson, has a long history of volunteer work in the legal field. Now in its ninth year, ABA Free Legal Answers has facilitated over 400,000 civil legal questions submitted by users to more than 15,000 pro bono attorneys across 43 jurisdictions, including a federal portal addressing veterans' benefits and immigration issues. The committee presents this annual recognition to individuals, law firms, corporate law departments and other organizations that have provided “extraordinary” pro bono service through the virtual legal advice portal.

TBA members and guests traveled to Havana, Cuba, Feb. 6-10 for an international CLE experience. The TBA contingent stayed at the Hotel Grand Aston La Habana in the Vedado neighborhood along the Malecón, Cuba’s infamous sea wall. Seven hours of CLE included an introduction to the Cuban legal system, U.S.-Cuba relations, fundamentals of civil and criminal law, and more specialized topics like human rights, anti-money laundering and economic reform. Highlights in addition to the educational programs included a walking tour through Old Havana. On the tour, the group enjoyed a private performance by a renowned Cuban flamenco troupe, then wound their way through the Cuban streets beginning at the Plaza de San Francisco and concluding at Plaza de la Catedral. Travelers went on excursions outside of Havana, with one group going to the town of Cojimar to visit Ernest Hemingway’s house, while the other group traveled to the eco-community of Las Terrazas in Sierra del Rosario. On the last full day in Havana, travelers were able to choose their own adventure, taking either a tour of Cuba’s classic American cars or visiting the Museum of Cuban Art. The trip ended with a farewell dinner at the tour guide's house. One traveler said of the program, “This trip was amazing; I learned so much about the Cuban people and society. The CLEs were engaging and interesting. Everyone was awesome." See photos from the trip. Interested in learning more about TBA's next CLE abroad destination? Complete this form to receive updates.

The TBA’s Practice Management Center is now “Law Firm in a Box” — a unique tool offering TBA members a host of resources for launching and growing a law firm. Checklists, buying guides, comparison charts and more are available in each of the tool’s six segments: Opening a Firm, Building a Firm, Managing a Firm, Protecting a Firm, Winding Down a Firm and Accessing Expert Advice. Don’t lose access to this valuable member benefit, which now can be found on the TBA website.