Organizers behind the Judge Dinkins Educational Center — a trade school for teenagers — hosted an introductory reception earlier this month. The organization is currently operating out of the McGruder Family Resource Center until a standalone building can be built. Tim Forbes, a former Catholic school principal, has been hired to lead the effort. Board members, including former Mayor Karl Dean and Judge Sheila Calloway, introduced the concept to the community at the event. See pictures from the reception in the Nashville Post.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee have released case materials for the 2024 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. Students will present their best arguments in a criminal scenario centered around an evening of pranks and alleged revenge that goes terribly wrong, leading to charges of vandalism, burglary and felony murder. District competitions will be held in February. Teams advancing to the state competition will meet in Nashville March 22-23 to determine the Tennessee champion. Tennessee's winner will represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Wilmington, Delaware, May 2-5. The Mock Trial Committee is led by Chair Ashley Tipton, Vice-chair Michael Holmes and Long Range Planning Coordinator Zack Walden. Access resources for the upcoming competition.

While the holiday season can be a joyful time for some, the pressures and stressors of work and life escalate for others. To help members thrive during this time, the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee is offering a free webinar on Dec. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. CST. The session will focus on the difficulties professionals encounter during the holidays and how to navigate through them for a healthier experience. Panelists will discuss real issues faced by today's lawyers and explore resources available to assist. Learn more and register here.

The TBA Criminal Law Forum will take place virtually this year on Dec. 6 at noon CST. This year’s event will focus on the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s 2023 Plea Bargain Task Force report, featuring a discussion on the origins of the task force, ethical considerations and14 principles that represent the task force’s conclusions. Panelists will provide specific observations and recommendations about ways in which the plea-bargaining system can and should be improved. The program features two dual hours of CLE. Learn more and register here.

Gov. Bill Lee today announced a plan to expand beyond a three-county school voucher program for low-income children by offering public money for private schooling statewide, regardless of family income, Associated Press reports. State lawmakers narrowly approved the savings accounts initiative for the three counties in 2019. The program awards eligible families around $8,100 in public tax dollars to cover private school tuition and other preapproved expenses. The newest initiative will require the approval of the state legislature. Read Gov. Lee’s press release.

The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Monday vacated a lower court’s approval of a class action lawsuit comprising nearly 11.8 million Ohio residents against manufacturers of “forever chemicals” that are said to contaminate the environment, Reuters reports. The court ruled that the lead plaintiff, Ohio firefighter Kevin Hardwick, didn’t have standing to sue 10 companies over the chemicals found in his bloodstream. The appeals court instructed the lower court to dismiss the lawsuit, which had aimed to force the companies to pay for studies analyzing the health impacts of chemicals known as PFAs used in a wide range of consumer products including firefighting foam and non-stick pans. The PFAs have been tied to cancer and other diseases.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Hamilton County lawyer John Scott Wesson from the practice of law for seven years and ordered him to contact the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP). The hearing panel found that Wesson failed to respond to a summary judgment motion, respond to opponent’s application to the court for attorney’s fees, reasonably communicate with clients, represent his clients, inform his clients of his previous suspension, make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation, and appear at multiple show cause hearings. The court found that he also knowingly terminated and/or refused to comply with his TLAP monitoring agreement. The panel found Wesson violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 (diligence), 1.4 (communication), 3.2 (expediting litigation), 3.4(c) (fairness to opposing party and counsel) and 8.4(a)(d)(g) (misconduct).

The Tennessee Supreme Court today granted a motion to file a notice and petition for evaluation or examination under seal in regards to Davidson County attorney Alex Fletcher Thompson. The court is also directing Thompson to contact the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) for an evaluation within 10 days to determine if he is capable of practicing law and defending himself on a pending request for conditional admission.

The Texas State Bar told the state’s Supreme Court Monday that First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster should face professional misconduct claims for his role in an unsuccessful challenge to Joe Biden's 2020 presidential win, Reuters reports. The bar's Commission for Lawyer Discipline, which polices attorney conduct, urged the court to allow its case to move forward, claiming Webster should be reprimanded for alleged dishonest statements. The case will test the power of the commission to enforce attorney ethics rules against members of executive agencies. Webster serves under Texas Attorney General Paxton who is currently fighting a misconduct case from the bar over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

A group of state supreme court justices and court administrators from around the U.S. will examine whether law schools are adequately preparing students for real-world practice, reports Reuters. The 12-member Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform is a joint effort by the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. The group will research legal education, admissions processes and a decline in the number of public interest attorneys. The committee will issue reform recommendations to state supreme courts in 2025. The National Conference of Bar Examiners will debut a new national bar exam in 2026 with a focus on practical skills over on law memorization.