A conservative legal advocacy group has sued the State Bar of Wisconsin, claiming its diversity fellowship program for law students violates the free speech rights of bar members whose dues are used to fund it, according to Reuters. The lawsuit, filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty yesterday on behalf of a Wisconsin attorney, is the latest in a series of legal challenges to diversity programs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that colleges and universities cannot consider race in admissions. The attorney claims he should not have to pay for the program because it is unconstitutional and not germane to the core functions of the bar. The state bar responded saying it will "vigorously defend" the diversity program.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday rejected a reinstatement petition filed by Weakley County lawyer Thomas Allen Tansil, who was suspended by the court on Sept. 1, 2022, for five years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to conditions. After consideration of the reinstatement, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court dismiss the petition with prejudice and assess the costs of the disciplinary proceeding to Tansil. The court adopted the board’s recommendation.

Members of the TBA staff gathered recently to celebrate the holidays with a dinner in Nashville and a donation to the Room in the Inn toy drive. Room in the Inn provides a winter shelter program as well as services year-round that support those who call the streets of Nashville home. Programs for veterans, those seeking recovery and the medically fragile, emphasize human development through education, self-help and work. The nonprofit’s annual toy drive provides Christmas gifts for the children of its clients. See photos.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection met yesterday to consider claims from clients alleging financial loss due to the illegal actions of their lawyers. The fund approved two claims against Shelby County attorney Brian Chadwick Rickman: one in the amount of $12,995.96 and one in the amount of $3,500. It also directed Rickman to reimburse the fund for the expense. The Fund for Client Protection was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reimburse individuals for losses caused by dishonest conduct by attorneys. The fund is operated by a board, which meets quarterly to consider claims. In September 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court amended Rule 25 to require the fund to notify the Tennessee Bar Association of claims paid. News releases also are posted online.

The YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee will hold its next “Stand Against Injustice” event on Jan. 31, 2024. The “Redrawing Democracy” session will feature Dr. Sekou Franklin, author and professor at MTSU; Chicoya Smith Gallman, an attorney with the NAACP Tennessee Chapter’s Political Action Committee; and Tequila Johnson, founder and director of The Equity Alliance. The group will discuss gerrymandering, racism and voting rights in Tennessee. Register to attend.

The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga recently honored U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier for his service to the group. According to the Hamilton County Herald, Collier was presented with the Whitney M. Young Award and given an emeritus seat on the group’s board. Collier has been a member of the Chattanooga Urban League’s board of directors for more than 25 years. Most recently, he assisted with planning for the 41st annual Equal Opportunity Day celebration. Early in his tenure with the group, Collier assisted with the Young Professionals program, and later was instrumental in starting the annual Civics Bowl competition for the National Achievers Society. In addition to the award from the Chattanooga chapter, Collier received the Quarter Century Award from the national Urban League.

The American Bar Association (ABA) is accepting nominations for its 2024 Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts. The awards recognize outstanding work that fosters the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. Projects must have been published or released during 2023. The deadline to submit a nomination is Jan. 10, 2024. The awards will be presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, set for Aug. 3, 2024, in Chicago. Read more in a news release from the group.

The TBA’s next book club discussion event will take place on Jan. 24, 2024, with Preston Lauterbach, author of “Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis.” The event will take place virtually on Zoom. Register to attend. The book, selected by TBA President Jim Barry, centers on an ex-slave who becomes the south’s first Black millionaire in Prohibition-era Memphis. Lauterbach brings history and the realities of race relations to life in his works, which also include “The Chitlin’ Circuit” and “Bluff City.” He also has co-authored three memoirs on significant figures in Black music: American blues musician and song writer Robert Johnson; Memphis soul drummer Howard Grimes; and a soon-to-be released biography of the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Still trying to get CLE hours after Christmas day? Join your colleagues on Dec. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. CST for an overview of the federal Corporate Transparency Act, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024. The one-hour session will cover the basics of the law, as well as an analysis of its reporting requirements and how it will be applied. The webinar will be presented by Vincent Schilleci III, a shareholder in the Birmingham, Alabama, office of Maynard Nexsen.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic in law, and the TBA is creating a new AI Task Force to educate and provide guidance to Tennessee lawyers on issues surrounding this technology. Some of the goals of the task force will be to help inform lawyers about the proper use of AI in the substantive practice of law, the potential risks of using AI, and the beneficial use of AI in the administrative practice of law. The group also will review AI tools and contribute new information to the TBA's online practice management resources. If you are interested in participating in this new task force, please email TBA Coordinator Chelsea Bennett before Jan. 31.