Retired Nashville attorney Dot Dobbins, age 77, died Monday after being struck by a vehicle while walking her dog in Nashville's Germantown neighborhood. Dobbins, a leader in the legal aid and family law communities, practiced law for over 40 years. She began working at the Legal Aid Society (LAS) as a law clerk while at Vanderbilt Law School. After graduation, she stayed on at LAS, practicing at the Matthew Walker Health Center office in North Nashville. According to a Facebook post from LAS, while in law school, Dobbins helped start a women’s center at Scarritt-Bennett and joined the YWCA Board where she helped to raise awareness of domestic violence, including playing a foundational role in opening Nashville’s first domestic violence shelter through the YWCA. She wrote the first order of protection legislation for Tennessee and worked with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) to get the legislation passed. When LAS founder and former Executive Director Ashley Wiltshire created the Nashville Family Law Unit, Dobbins became its lead attorney, a position she held for 11 years before leaving LAS to become general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Human Services. Prior to retiring, Dobbins practiced family law, including collaborative divorce. Dobbins was featured in a May 2021 video interview as part of the Nashville Bar Association's Historical Committee. Service information is pending.

Knoxville lawyer Donald Eugene Ray, 89, died June 2 after a lengthy battle with cancer. A graduate of the law school at the University of Wisconsin, Ray served four years with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps and later worked as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Energy at Oak Ridge and in Ohio and with Lockheed Martin in Ohio and Oak Ridge. He volunteered for several charities in the Knoxville area including Lions Club, Foster Care Review Board, Domestic Violence Shelter Board and America's Promise mentoring program.

Nashville attorney Daniel Luther McMurtry died April 21 at age 55. McMurtry was born and raised in Nashville and earned his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law. He practiced law from 1997 until his death. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family requests that donations be made to an animal rescue organization of the donor’s choice.

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter died Thursday at age 85. Appointed in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, Souter gradually moved toward the court’s liberal wing and was part of the majority that upheld the essential holding of Roe v. Wade, which recognized a constitutional right to abortion, The Hill reports. He also sided with the court’s liberal justices on major issues including affirmative action and religion. Souter served on the court for more than 19 years before retiring in 2009. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he continued to hear cases on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by sitting by designation. “Justice David Souter served our court with great distinction for nearly 20 years,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.”

Dr. Helen Clawson Smith, known as Helen Claire by family and friends, died April 30 at the age of 94. Smith earned her undergraduate and Master of Education degrees from Memphis State University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Houston in 1972. She later earned a law degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. She spent her career in education, both in teaching and administration, and was instrumental in developing early childhood reading programs. After retiring in 1996, Smith volunteered as an ombudsman for the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, advocating for seniors in long-term care, and served on the board of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities. A small graveside gathering will be held on May 18 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.

Music industry attorney Joel A. Katz, a key figure in entertainment law, died April 18 at age 80. Katz was the founding chair of the media practice at Greenberg Traurig and played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of countless artists, producers and executives, according to MusicRow magazine. Over his career, he represented a wide-ranging roster of legendary clients. In 2021, he stepped down from Greenberg Traurig and joined Barnes & Thornburg. Katz earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee, which named its law library in his honor. Services were held last month in Georgia. Donations in his honor may be made to the Mayo Clinic.

Knoxville attorney Thomas Carl Cravens III died April 20 at age 75. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he earned his bachelor's degree and Master of Business Administration before going on to attend the University of Tennessee College of Law. Cravens was a partner at the law firm of Kennerly, Montgomery & Finley. He also co-founded World's Fair Beer, worked for real estate developer Walter Wise, and ran a travel agency with his wife. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 413 Cumberland Ave., Knoxville, TN 37902, the Billy Graham Association or a charity of the donor's choice. Services will be held on May 2 at 1 p.m. EDT at St. John's Cathedral. The family will receive friends following the service. Interment will be 3 p.m. at Highland Memorial Cemetery.

Clarksville attorney Brian Lee Hill died Dec. 23, 2024, at age 52. Hill was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and earned his law degree from the Appalachian School of Law. He represented clients in bankruptcy cases. A memorial service was held Jan. 10 at Allen Funeral Home in Hurricane, West Virginia. Online condolences may be made here.

Attorney and Dr. Robert Thomas Armour died April 14 at age 70 in Barbourville, Kentucky. Armour earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University and practiced law for several years before transitioning to a career in education. He began his teaching career in Memphis and later joined the faculty at Union College, where he taught until his retirement in 2020. During his there, he chaired the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences for over a decade, "guiding both students and faculty with wisdom and compassion," according to his obituary. Armour relocated to Kentucky after retirement but remained a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. A private gathering of family and friends will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Knox Funeral Home.

Charles Stephen "Steve" Weaver died April 12 at age 76. In his early years, he was a musician, songwriter, guitar instructor, entertainment agent and a member of several regionally popular groups based in Memphis. After graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1977, Weaver relocated to Atlanta and was an assistant professor and director of the Commercial Music/Recording Program at Georgia State University. He began his private practice in 1983, with offices in Memphis and Nashville, moving all offices to Nashville's Music Row in 1995. Weaver was a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association and Country Music Association, among others. Memorial gifts may be made to Alive Hospice of Nashville or Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. A private memorial will be scheduled at a later time.