Memphis lawyer Stephen Kyle Tapp died April 12 at the age of 64. He graduated from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1990. Read his obituary in The Commercial Appeal.

Knoxville lawyer Milli Cunningham, the first pro bono director for the Knoxville Legal Aid Society, died Saturday (April 12). Cunningham entered the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1973 after putting her husband through school, following him to three international assignments and raising two children, Knoxnews reports. Following graduation, she joined the school’s legal clinic and helped establish its first family law unit. At the Knoxville Legal Aid Society (now Legal Aid of East Tennessee), Cunningham was influential in recruiting private attorneys to provide pro bono services. She also was an early proponent of increased legal protections for domestic violence victims. After five years with Legal Aid, Cunningham opened her own family law practice with an emphasis on mediation and collaboration. A memorial service will take place at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, 3700 Keowee Ave., Knoxville on Thursday at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church, Erskine College, CONTACT Care Line or Jewish Voice for Peace.

Funeral services were held today for Nashville attorney Raymond C. "Jack" Whiteaker, who died Wednesday (April 9). He was 86. A Nashville native and graduate of Vanderbilt University, Whiteaker served in the U.S. Navy before returning to receive degrees at Vanderbilt and New York University law schools. Whiteaker was on the legal staff of Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph for many years before retiring in 1991 as general counsel for Tennessee. He later co-founded a Nashville firm where he continued to practice for 10 years. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Belle Meade United Methodist Church or Richland Place.

Longtime Knoxville attorney Robert Watson Jr. died Friday (April 11) just three weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 69. A University of Tennessee College of Law graduate, Watson began his law practice as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Clinic. He began private practice in 1972 and in 1983 formed what would be his present day law firm -- Watson, Roach, Batson, Rowell and Lauderback PLC. During his legal career, Watson represented governmental entities, individuals, and physicians throughout Tennessee. He was chief trial counsel for the Tennessee Municipal League Risk Management Pool for the past 20 years. A memorial service will be on Wednesday at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension on Northshore Drive at 3 p.m. A celebration of his life will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Friends of the Smokies, P.O. Box 1660 Kodak, TN 37764, or Wesley House, 1719 Reynolds St., Knoxville, TN 37921.

Nashville native Ramsey B. Leathers died Friday. He was 93. Leathers was a Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps during World War II, serving as a glider pilot. He was a graduate of Cumberland School of Law and practiced in Nashville briefly before being appointed Probate Master of the Davidson County Court. He later was appointed Tennessee Supreme Court Clerk, a position that included serving as Clerk to all Tennessee appellate courts, as well as Clerk to the Court of the Judiciary and Clerk to the Board of Professional Responsibility. He retired in 1987 after more than 20 years of service. Visitation was held today at 5 p.m. at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home and will be held again tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. at St. David's Episcopal Church. Services will follow at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. David’s, 6501 Pennywell Dr., Nashville.

Robert Hunter Cagle, 81, died Tuesday (March 4) in Knoxville. He was a 1957 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law. After clerking for a U.S. District judge and serving as a U.S. attorney in Nashville, he returned to practice law in Knoxville with the firm of Poore, Cox, Baker and McAuley, where he practiced for 26 years. In 1987, he joined the firm of Kennerly, Montgomery and Finley and retired from active practice in December 2004. Read more about him on Knoxnews.com

A memorial service for Memphis lawyer Charles A. Sevier was held March 6 at Westy’s Restaurant and Bar. He died Feb. 25 at the age of 78. A fixture in Memphis legal circles for more than 50 years, Sevier was known by his friends and colleagues for his piercing intellect, blunt conversational style, and complete lack of pretense. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, gifts be sent to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis.

W. Thomas “Tom” Hutton died March 4 at the age of 70. A graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Hutton served with the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC for 43 years. He was a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation, Tennessee Bar Foundation, American Bar Foundation and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial be made to Memphis University School, Second Presbyterian Church or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Chattanooga attorney Harold A. “Hal” Schwartz Jr. died Wednesday. He was 71. A graduate of Baylor School in Chattanooga, he received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, his LL.B from the University of Pennsylvania and his LL.M (in taxation) from New York University. He served as president of the Chattanooga Bar Association and the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and was a Tennessee Bar Foundation Fellow. The family will receive friends Monday from 10-11 a.m. at Mizpah Congregation, immediately followed by funeral services. Memorial contributions may be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 5018, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or to the Miller Schwartz Fund at Mizpah Congregation, 923 McCallie Ave. in Chattanooga.

Sullivan County General Sessions Court Judge William A. “Bill” Watson died Friday after an extended illness, Tri-Cities.com reports. Watson, 74, had requested medical disability two months ago in a letter to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. The status allowed him to keep his judgeship while undergoing rehabilitation in advance of a heart valve replacement. He had planned to return to the bench, having picked up papers to run for another term this year. Watson was elected to the bench in 1998. He earned his law degree from the YMCA School of Law in 1973. Funeral services were held today. Memorials may be made to Piney Flats First Baptist Church AWANA or the Building Fund, 100 Cherry St., Piney Flats, TN 37686. Following his death, Sullivan County Administrator of Elections Jason Booher announced that the deadline for filing to run as a Democrat for the seat has been extended until March 27.