Robert Taswell “Tas” Gardner has been elected by fellow public defenders to serve as president of the Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference. The conference is a statewide network of publicly elected district public defenders representing each of Tennessee’s 32 judicial districts. As president, Gardner will lead the conference’s Executive Committee, which supports public defenders across the state and works with lawmakers on policies and procedures that impact the justice system. He also will serve on the TBA Board of Governors as the conference's representative. Gardner currently serves as public defender for Tennessee’s 24th Judicial District, which includes Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin and Henry counties. Read more in a press release from the group.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday announced the appointment of Josh Walker to the Tennessee Claims Commission for the Eastern Division. Walker, who currently serves as associate general counsel for the University of Tennessee, earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law). He will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Commissioner William A. Young. The appointment is effective July 1 and is subject to legislative confirmation. “I am proud to announce Josh Walker’s appointment to the Claims Commission and value the significant experience he will bring to this role,” Lee said in a press release. “I appreciate his leadership and am confident that Josh will serve Tennesseans with integrity.”

The ACLU of Tennessee has filed a lawsuit challenging a new Tennessee law that makes it a felony for local officials to vote in favor of sanctuary city policies. The law, passed earlier this year as part of a broad immigration package, also created a new state immigration enforcement division, a separate driver’s license design for noncitizens and a grant program for local law enforcement agencies, WPLN reports. The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of seven members of Nashville’s Metro Council, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. The group called the measure "an unprecedented effort to criminalize legislative speech, debate and deliberation." The challenged provision makes it a Class E felony — punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine — for local officials to support or enact sanctuary city measures. Officials also could be removed from office under the statute. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include council members Clay Capp, Brenda Gadd, Delishia D. Porterfield, Sandra Sepulveda, Zulfat Suara, Terry Vo and Ginny Welsch. The case was filed in Davidson County Chancery Court.

K&L Gates recently announced Greg Parker as new managing partner of the firm's Nashville office, succeeding Lauren Patten. Parker earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He focuses his practice on IP litigation and IP procurement and portfolio management. One of the lawyers who opened the firms's Nashville office, Parker told the Nashville Business Journal, "We're seeing most of these big national firms take a real close look at Nashville as a place where they want to compete and have a presence ... This is a booming market. I welcome that growth and welcome that competition."

Last week, Tennessee State University (TSU) reached an agreement with the state that allows the university to reallocate $96 million to support its operational needs over the next three years. Nashville Public Radio reports that the funds — which were previously allocated for deferred maintenance — make up a portion of the $250 million that the state allocated to TSU in April 2022 to make infrastructure upgrades and capital improvements. Interim President Dwayne Tucker thanked state officials for providing TSU with an opportunity for transformation, saying, “It not only provides crucial cash flow to ensure the university’s financial sustainability but also allows us to invest in enriching the student experience and strengthening our capacity to attract both students and qualified employees.” Last year, a state audit revealed that the school had mishandled millions of dollars in fiscal year 2023, and university leadership pledged to improve financial governance and staff training.

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amy St. Eve, chair of the Federal Judicial Conference’s Budget Committee, on Tuesday told a panel of the House Judiciary Committee that funds for the "Criminal Justice Act" (CJA) panel are set to expire on July 7 or 11, sooner than the conference's original estimate that funds could stretch until July 23. Bloomberg Law reports that the early expiration of funds will mean that CJA panel attorneys — who are appointed by courts to represent criminal defendants who can’t afford representation — will go nearly three months without pay for their work or reimbursement for case-related expenses. The delay also comes on top of a two-week prescheduled payment pause this month for unrelated systems updates.

A federal lawsuit has been filed challenging a new Tennessee law that criminalizes “harboring” undocumented immigrants. The Nashville Banner reports that the suit argues that the law, set to take effect July 1, is unconstitutionally vague, violates religious freedoms and infringes on federal immigration authority, potentially criminalizing landlords, families, churches and nonprofits for common acts of housing or helping undocumented people. Plaintiffs include the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a landlord and a legally present father with undocumented family members, all of whom say the law forces them to choose between their values and risking criminal prosecution. According to the Tennessee Lookout, the American Immigration Council, Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center also have joined the suit, which is seeking class action status.

Robert Lance Johansen, the father of Lauren Johansen, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against Brooke's Bail Bonding, Freedom Monitoring Services, On Time Bail Bonding and several people in their individual capacity. Johansen was a nursing student in Mississippi who was killed by her boyfriend Bricen Rivers after he was bonded out of a Nashville jail and left the state. The Tennessean reports that the suit alleges several mistakes by the bonding and monitoring companies which lead to Johansen's death. Chief Deputy Clerk Julius Sloss of the Davidson County Criminal Court acknowledged in July 2024 that errors occurred during Rivers' release. A six-judge panel in October 2024 ruled that two bonding companies did not break local court rules when they let Rivers go.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law, together with the Black Law Students Association, recently marked the 25th anniversary of the Julian Blackshear Jr. Scholarship Gala. The event celebrates a commitment to fostering a broadly diverse and welcoming community according to a press release from the school. The Blackshear Scholarship has provided years of opportunities for students at Winston Law. Named in honor of Julian Blackshear Jr., one of the first African American alumni of the college, the scholarship reflects his legacy as an attorney and civic leader. This year, his daughter Lillian Blackshear served as the gala's keynote speaker. Read more from Knox TN Today.

The TBA encourages all lawyers to participate in the Foundations 2.0 Survey, which is available via the link below. In 2014, Foundations for Practice identified the skills, competencies and abilities lawyers need to be successful in practice. The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) have launched Foundations 2.0 to ensure the competency framework accurately reflects the present and future needs of the profession. Your participation will provide key data on the abilities lawyers need as they enter and grow in the profession. Please note that while you may receive this survey from different bar organizations, you only need to take the survey once. The survey takes about 15–25 minutes and is open through July 2. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Access the survey here.