Join colleagues on Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. CST for the ethics webcast "Current Developments from the Board of Professional Responsibility." BPR Ethics Counsel Laura Chastain will review the latest ethics updates, providing a great opportunity to earn a dual credit before the Dec. 31 deadline. And don't forget, all CLE can now be taken online! Register here.

A new Vanderbilt University poll shows that support among Tennesseans for gun safety reforms has increased in recent months as the state legislature's popularity continues to decline, reports Knox News. The poll found 76% of voters polled would support legally requiring gun owners to safely secure their firearms in vehicles and "passing laws that temporarily restrict access to guns for individuals who are at high risk of harming themselves or others." Only 16% would somewhat or strongly oppose the temporary gun restriction proposal, while 19% would oppose a vehicle safe storage law. Approval of the state legislature dropped one point from Vanderbilt's spring poll to 42%, the lowest ever recorded by the poll.

Law School Admission Council (LSAC) data released today shows that more students of color are applying to law school, with applicants in nearly all ethnic categories increasing, the ABA Journal reports. The results follow a four-year trend of applicants of color increasing about 1% each year. In related news, Reuters reported a growing number of law schools are experimenting with small-scale admissions programs that do not rely on the Law School Admission Test, a move they hope will broaden applicant pools and bolster diversity.

The Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association (TDLA) recently presented its inaugural Nathan E. Shelby Emerging Leaders Award to AJ Parker in the Nashville office of Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell. The award recognizes a member of the association who participates in the Emerging Leaders Program and demonstrates development of leadership skills. The award honors Shelby, who was TDLA president-elect in 2022-2023 and, according to the group, was known for his strength in identifying and mentoring young lawyers to fulfill their potential as effective civil defense lawyers and leaders in the association. Shelby died Sept. 6.

Williamson County lawyer Jay Nelson Chamness filed a petition for reinstatement to active status on Nov. 7. On Dec. 5, the Board of Professional Responsibility recommended that the court remove his disability status but leave his license on inactive status until he resolves an outstanding disciplinary complaint. The court adopted the board’s recommendation. The court also issued an order allowing Chamness to file documents in his case under seal.

Knox County attorney John Kenneth Hoffmeister was reinstated to the practice of law today after being on inactive status since May 24, 2018. Hoffmeister petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility found that reinstatement would be appropriate. The court made his reinstatement effective as of Dec. 8.

Attorneys Shane Cortesi, Charles Gilbreath and Stephan Wright, based in both Nashville and Chattanooga, have announced the establishment of Wright, Cortesi & Gilbreath. According to the Nashville Post, the firm will handle civil and intellectual property litigation, patent work, trademark and copyright filings, contracts and employment law. Cortesi is joining the firm after working as a solo practioner in Nashville. He will remain in Nashville. Wright and Gilbreath both worked in the Law Office of Stephan Wright in Chattanooga. Learn more online.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free live webinar Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. CST to discuss the taxation of software in Tennessee. Topics include definitions of prewritten, custom and remote access software, determining sales price, software as a service (SaaS), sourcing and more. Learn more or register here. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month.

After requesting two state bodies investigate the sentencing decisions of Shelby County District Attorney (DA) Steve Mulroy and Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan, WREG reports that state Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, is now asking the Senate Judiciary Committee to review Mulroy’s agreements with three outside organizations. Mulroy previously announced consulting agreements with Just City, the Vera Institute and the Justice Innovation Lab. Taylor says that, “Memphians have a right to know if the agreements between the DA’s office and these outside groups are inconsistent with state laws and policies." Mulroy says any allegations of impropriety are baseless and that consulting arrangements with national expert groups are common place.

Alicia Campbell, the director of victim services within the Williamson County District Attorney General’s Office, recently entered a guilty plea to charges of fraudulent use of a debit card, the Tennessean reports. Campbell, who resigned her position in August, entered the plea after investigators discovered she had made 14 personal purchases totaling $1,804.55 using a debit card assigned to the Victims of Crime Assistance Program. Campbell was granted judicial diversion relief, placed on a year probation and ordered to pay restitution. The full investigative report is available from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.