The U.S. Justice Department is investigating a cyber breach involving the federal court records management system, Reuters reports. Matt Olsen, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, told the U.S. House Judiciary Committee that he could not talk about the probe’s specifics, but his division is focused on the risk of attacks from nations like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. The risk of cyber attacks came to light last year, when the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said it was adding new security procedures to protect records following an apparent compromise of its electronic case management and filing system. In other concerning news for the federal judiciary, a new report from the Government Accountability Office notes that its biggest tech projects — including a new system to process judges' financial disclosure reports — are facing cost overruns and a lack of oversight.

Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III and a bipartisan group of attorneys general announced an agreement in principle to address the opioid crisis for the second time this week. The proposed settlement would require former opioid maker Allergan to pay up to $2.37 billion to participating states and local governments. If finalized, the Allergan settlement, together with the Teva Pharmaceuticals settlement announced earlier this week, would provide as much as $6.6 billion nationwide. Abbvie, which acquired Allergan in 2020, disclosed the agreement in its earnings released today. Both settlements remain contingent on resolution of details regarding the settlement structure, which is expected to build on the framework developed in prior nationwide opioid settlements. The parties are also negotiating terms requiring business practice changes and transparency.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has received six applications for the state's attorney general and reporter position. The applicants are: Donald Q. Cochran Jr., Jerome Cochran, David Michael Dunavant, R. Culver Schmid, Jonathan Thomas Skrmetti and William Edwin "Bill" Young. Interviews will be held on Aug. 8 and 9 at the Nashville Supreme Court Building and will be livestreamed on the court’s YouTube page. The court said it will announce further details on the interview process early next week. Under the state constitution, the attorney general is appointed by the state Supreme Court and serves an eight-year term. The term for the new attorney general will begin Sept. 1. Learn more about the candidates on the court’s website.

A new American Bar Association analysis confirms President Joe Biden has far outpaced his Oval Office predecessors in nominating women and racially diverse attorneys to the federal bench. Reuters reports that the ABA found as of July 1, 68% of the 68 federal judges nominated by Biden and confirmed by the Senate are Black, Hispanic or Asian American, and just three are white men. By contrast, 16% of the judges installed on the federal bench by former President Donald Trump are non-white, according to the organization's 2022 Profile of the Legal Profession. The report, released Thursday, details how diversity within the federal judiciary is slowly increasing. Read the full story.

Nashville law firm Cornelius & Collins LLP, has relocated from downtown to MetroCenter. “Our new location in the Tennessee Bankers Association building on Athens Way is much more convenient for many of our clients and allows them to avoid the difficulties of traveling into and parking downtown,” said Brian Holmes, the firm's managing partner. Read the full press release.

When attendance declined at Graceland in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID pandemic, it also caused the venue to miss payments for bonds issued by the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County. While attendance has rebounded some, bond payments have still lagged causing the legislature this past year to pass a law change that will help avoid nonpayment of the bonds in the future. The Commercial Appeal has the full story.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division hosted its second Essential Documents for Essential Workers clinic in Chattanooga on July 23. Essential workers and their spouses met with volunteer attorneys to draft wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives. More than 30 families were served, 17 attorneys volunteered their time and over $14,000 of free legal services were donated. Thank you to District Representative Logan Threadgill and Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel PC for organizing the event! See pictures from the clinic.

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III last week announced that opioids maker Teva has reached an agreement in principle to settle a lawsuit brought by states and local governments for $4.25 billion. Teva, an Israel-based drug manufacturer, makes Actiq and Fentora, which are branded fentanyl products for cancer pain, as well as a number of generic opioids including oxycodone. The suit alleged that the company deceptively marketed opioids by downplaying the risk of addiction and overstating their benefits, including encouraging the idea that signs of addiction should be treated by prescribing more opioids. In announcing the deal, Slatery said, “This settlement is another major step in holding opioid manufacturers accountable and we expect these funds to make a significant difference in treating opioid addiction disorder in Tennessee and across the country.”

Legislation paving the way for the Republican National Convention (RNC) in 2024 is scheduled to be reconsidered at the Nashville Metro Council’s next meeting on Aug. 2, Nashville Post reports. Metro Councilmember Robert Swope, one of the body’s few Republicans, has introduced another draft agreement between the RNC and Nashville after the first effort was stymied. This time, Swope has a second resolution to open dialogue with state officials on allowing Metro to impose development impact fees, which could be used to fund schools, infrastructure and other city costs. Axios Nashville also reports that other possible enticements are on the table, including enhanced zoning authority, expanded Medicaid and increased funding for Nashville schools.

Tennessee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program will be heading back to court on Aug. 5 after a motion for a temporary injunction was filed by the Shelby and Davidson County governments. A separate motion was also filed on behalf of parents in those communities by the law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd. A three-judge panel will hear the motions just days before the start of the new school year. Even if the state’s voucher program moves forward, the legal fight is expected to continue, WPLN reports. The ESA program passed the legislature but was held up in the courts. Earlier this month, the Davidson County Chancery Court lifted an injunction, allowing the program to go into effect.