Tennessee lawyers representing the state at the ABA’s Midyear Meeting in New Orleans heard updates on the profession from a variety of ABA leaders at the TBA’s annual delegation breakfast on Sunday. Among those addressing the group were ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross, ABA House of Delegates Chair Gene Vance, ABA President-elect Mary Smith and ABA Executive Director Jack Rives. The delegation, under the leadership of former TBA President John Tarpley, also heard from TBA President Tasha Blakney and took part in a Saturday reception honoring former TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson. See photos from those events here.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the Kingsport Bar Association will host a legal clinic on Feb. 16 from 5-6:30 p.m. EST at the VO Dobbins Community Center, 301 Louis St., Kingsport 37660. Members of the public may attend without pre-registering and receive general advice on civil matters including housing, benefits, taxes, estate, family, property, landlord/tenant and contracts. Lawyers interested in volunteering can indicate interest here. The Kingsport clinic is held regularly on the third Thursday of the month.

Nashville lawyer Donald Walter Fisher died Jan. 31 at the age of 65. A graduate of Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Fisher moved to Nashville and founded the Fisher Law Group. He primarily practiced in the field of personal injury defense. Visitation will take place on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. and Friday from 8:30-9 a.m. at Woodbine Funeral Home Hickory Chapel, 5852 Nolensville Rd., Nashville 37211. A funeral service will take place Friday at 9 a.m. at the funeral home. A graveside service will follow at 11 a.m. at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, 7931 McCrory Ln., Nashville 37221. All times central.

Gov. Bill Lee is set to deliver his fifth State of the State address tonight at 6 p.m. CST. He will give the speech before a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly in the House Chamber, the Tennessean reports. Read excerpts released by his office or watch the speech live here. In advance of the speech, House Democratic Leader Karen Camper released a prebuttal message focused on efforts to end police brutality. In the video, Camper calls on colleagues to “show the nation that we can work together and serve justice for Tyre Nichols and all the victims of police brutality.” She also called for bipartisan action on health care, child care, housing, education and the crisis at the Department of Children’s Services. Tri-State Defender has more on her remarks and a link to the recorded message.

An effort to end the American Bar Association's longstanding requirement that law schools use the LSAT or other standardized test in admissions has failed for a second time in six years, Reuters reports. The ABA House of Delegates rejected the change to its accreditation standards today after more than an hour of debate. The proposal to allow law schools to go "test optional" in 2025 has divided law schools and the ABA itself, with law student diversity emerging as the primary point of contention. Those supporting the change argued that the LSAT is a barrier for minority test takers because on average they score below white test takers and because law schools rely too heavily on those scores. Those opposing the change warned that eliminating the requirement would make admissions offices more dependent on subjective measures such as the prestige of an applicant’s college, which could disadvantage minority applicants.

LAW TECH ’23 is returning as a live and in-person program this year! Make plans now to join us March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST at Belmont University College of Law in Nashville. This year's program will offer opportunities to network with sponsors, attendees and speakers, and win prizes! Topics to be covered include using technology to advance your practice, what role ChatGPT AI will play in legal document creation, analyzing online advertising, and a deep dive into remote ADR. Another highlight of the day will be the ever-popular "Bill & Phil Show" with Bill Ramsey and Phillip Hampton. Learn more and register here.

The judges of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee have selected Wendy Oliver as the next clerk of court following the retirement of Tom Gould at the end of January. Oliver served as the deputy clerk under Gould. The judges report they are very pleased that Oliver has accepted the position and are confident she will be an outstanding clerk. Oliver has devoted her entire adult career to the court, the judges say in a statement.

Nashville lawyer Maclin P. “Mac” Davis Jr. died Jan. 11 at the age of 96. A 1950 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, his first legal job was with the law firm of Armistead, Waller, Davis & Lansden. He was made partner in 1955. In 1967, the name of the firm was changed to Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. Except for a nine-year interlude as a partner in the Nashville office of Heiskell, Donelson, Bearman, Adams, Williams & Caldwell, Davis worked at Waller for his entire career. Davis also served as a member of the state House of Representatives from 1954-1956. His most significant case was his own challenge to force the legislature to reapportion itself every 10 years. The case led to the “one man, one vote” decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. Funeral services will be held Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. CST at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Rd., Nashville. A reception will follow. Interment of ashes will be at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery on Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. Memorial donations may be given to Grace Episcopal Church, 5291 Main St., Spring Hill 37174; St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, 4513 Park Ave., Nashville 37209; the W.O. Smith Nashville Community School of Music, 1125 8th Ave. S., Nashville 37023; or the animal rescue organization of the donor’s choice.

The board overseeing Tennessee's emergency medical services voted today to suspend the licenses of two Memphis Fire Department personnel for not providing on-scene medical treatment to Tyre Nichols after police officers beat him. EMTs Robert Long and JaMicheal Sandridge were called to the scene to treat Nichols' injuries, but in a 19-minute video they are seen standing around Nichols, sometimes pacing. Matthew Gibbs, an attorney for the Tennessee Department of Health asked for the suspensions. The Tennessean reports on the proceeding.

Alternative legal services providers, known as ALSPs, have shown accelerated growth and now make up $20.6 billion of the legal market, according to a recent report. The Thomson Reuters Institute’s biennial “Alternative Legal Services Providers 2023” found that ALSPs are up 45% since the last report in 2021. The most common use of ALSPs is for specialized expertise. But the lines between ALSPs, firms, corporate departments and technology and software firms are “rapidly blurring,” according to the report. The ABA Journal has more on the findings.