U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz today announced the creation of a National Security and Civil Rights Unit within the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. This move permanently positions a supervisory attorney and several prosecutors to respond to and prevent hate crimes and civil rights violations, as well as threats to national security. According to a press release from Ritz' office, the new unit prioritizes cases consistent with Attorney General Merrick Garland’s May 27, 2021, directive to U.S. attorneys to combat hate crimes and incidents, address them when they occur, support those victimized by them and reduce the pernicious effects these incidents have on our society.

Sullivan County lawyer Ricky A. W. Curtis received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Curtis violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 (diligence), 3.4(c) (fairness to opposing party and counsel) and 8.4(d) (prejudice to the administration of justice).

Shelby County lawyer Urura W. Mayers was permanently disbarred from the practice of law Friday by the Tennessee Supreme Court. After a hearing on the disciplinary petition, a hearing panel determined Mayers withdrew client funds from her trust account without authorization on multiple occasions and used those client funds to gamble at casinos, and attempted to deceive investigators by making false factual statements and submitting altered bank records. After being temporarily suspended from the practice of law pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, § 12.3, for misappropriating funds and posing a threat of substantial harm to the public, Mayers failed to comply with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, § 28 requirements for suspended attorneys by failing to notify the courts, opposing counsel and clients of her suspension. Mayers continued to engage in the unauthorized practice of law for an extended period of time, failed to respond to subsequent lawful board requests for information and failed to participate in the disciplinary process.

Dr. Catherine Burks-Brooks, a member of the Freedom Riders with a Nashville connection, has died at age 83. WPLN reports that she was among the Nashville students who joined the original 13 Freedom Riders in May 1961, after violent attacks by white mobs in Alabama. Burks-Brooks’ participation in the Freedom Rides led to her expulsion just nine days before graduation from Tennessee A & I, now Tennessee State University. She worked as a social worker and an entrepreneur before moving to the Bahamas in the 1970s. In 1979, she returned to Birmingham, where she served for many years as a substitute teacher in Birmingham City Schools. In 2008, Tennessee State University awarded her and the other expelled Freedom Riders an honorary doctorate.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will host a virtual name change clinic in partnership with Legal Aid Society of East Tennessee and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee this Saturday. During the clinic, volunteer attorneys will meet with clients in Zoom breakout rooms to help clients fill out name change petitions and give counsel and advice on the name change process. A training about the process and how to fill out the forms will be provided ahead of the clinic. The clinic starts at 9 a.m. CDT and is fully virtual. Sign up to volunteer at this link.

More than 31,000 Tennesseans have lost their health care coverage as TennCare coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic tapers off. The Tennessee Lookout reports that an “unwinding report” details that, as of April, slightly more than 80,000 people were eligible to have TennCare coverage renewed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government temporarily prohibited Tennessee from requiring annual renewals and removing program participants, allowing TennCare participants to continue to receive coverage. The agency said the policy bumped up membership by 25%.

The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily reinstated Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, allowing a ban on treatments that include hormone blockers and surgery to take immediate effect. The Associated Press reports that a three-judge panel voted 2-1 to reverse a Nashville federal judge’s order that prevented the law from taking effect July 1. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti praised the ruling in a statement, saying “The case is far from over, but this is a big win.”

The city of Memphis Friday filed a motion to dismiss the civil suit from Tyre Nichols’ mother and estate, saying that Nichols’ death was the product of “five rogue police officers” and the city had no hand in the man’s death. According to the Daily Memphian, the city said it should not be a party to the suit because it fired the officers charged in Nichols’ death and disbanded the unit they belonged to.

Jennifer Sink is leaving her position as attorney for the city of Memphis to take a position at Memphis Light, Gas and Water. The Daily Memphian takes a look at her tenure at City Hall under Mayor Jim Strickland which included the COVID-19 pandemic and several lawsuits against the city. Sink says that much of her work — like a lot of what city government does — probably has gone unnoticed by residents. “There’s a lot of little things that we’ve done that maybe aren’t glamorous, maybe don’t make the news, but they’re important, and they have a ripple effect on people’s livelihood and their lives."

Dresden attorney and former Democratic lawmaker Roy Herron passed away on Sunday due to injuries sustained in a jet ski accident on July 1. He was 69. The former chair of the Tennessee Democratic party, Herron served a combined 26 years in the state’s House and Senate, where he became floor leader and caucus chair for the Democrats. A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, Herron was also one of the first students to earn joint degrees in divinity and law from Vanderbilt University. Herron is the author of three books, including "Things Held Dear: Soul Stories for My Sons." He recently attended TBA’s convention in Knoxville to participate in a book signing. TBA President Jim Barry says, “Roy was a credit to our profession and a great Tennessean. He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends, and his family is in our thoughts and prayers.” Herron is survived by his wife of 36 years, Rev. Nancy Carol Miller-Herron, his three sons, John, Rick and Benjamin; his brother, Ben; and many cousins, nephews and nieces. Funeral arrangements are pending, but services are expected to be held on Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Martin.