Nigel Lewis, an attorney supervisor in the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office, died March 17 at age 49 after a short cancer battle. He received his bachelor’s degree from Saint Leo University in Florida and later attended law school at Southern University and A&M in Louisiana. He also received a master's degree in tax law from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. began his legal career in a private firm where he worked for two years before moving to the public defender’s office. Lewis served there for 14 years until his death and worked in the direct representation unit, which handles clients charged with most serious felonies. Visitation and rosary will be held at Immaculate Conception, 1695 Central Ave., Memphis 38104 on Sunday. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. CDT, and the rosary will start at 6:30 p.m. A funeral and celebration of life will be held Monday at Immaculate Conception at 1 p.m. The Daily Memphian has more.

The death of Max Shelton, Memphis lawyer and founding member of Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, was announced by the firm. An obituary posted by the firm recounts milestones in Shelton’s career, from his early years as a health care attorney in 1965, to his work as an arbitrator and mediator, and then in his role as a trusted advisor for both clients and young lawyers. Shelton was a founding member of the Tennessee Society of Hospital Attorneys, which later became the TBA’s Health Law Section. He also was active in organizing and participating in the TBA’s annual Ski CLE program. In the local legal community, he served as president of the Memphis Bar Association and was the 2014 recipient of the Pillars of Excellence Award from the University of Memphis Alumni Association’s Law Chapter. The firm sums up Shelton’s contributions saying, “Max’s dedication, integrity and unwavering commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on our firm and the legal community at large … As we reflect on Max’s profound contributions to our firm and the legal profession, we remember him not only for his legal acumen, but also for his warmth, humor and genuine camaraderie. His presence will be deeply missed, and his legacy will continue to inspire us. Memorial donations may be made to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, 350 N. Humphreys Blvd., Memphis, TN 38120 or online at www.bmhgiving.org.

Memphis attorney William Michael "Mike" Richards, age 77, died on March 12 after a long illness. Following his graduation with distinction from Rhodes College (then Southwestern), he obtained his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. He practiced law for 50 years at the Memphis law firm Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC. Richards served as vice president of the Tennessee Bar Association and president of the Memphis Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Services will be held on March 19 at the Lord’s Chapel, located on the grounds of Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S Dudley St, Memphis 38104. Visitation is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT, with burial following the 1 p.m. service. Memorials can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Lawyers in Chattanooga recently gathered to remember colleagues that were lost in the past year. The Chattanooga Bar Association’s annual memorial service was held March 1 in the Hamilton County Commission Room of the county courthouse. Among those honored were William Thomas Alt, James Anderson Jr., Thomas Maxfield ”Max” Bahner, former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice William “Muecke” Barker, Mark Johnson Mayfield and John Wolfe Jr. Read about the tributes shared at the event in the Hamilton County Herald.

Don Ridgeway of Paris died March 2 at the age of 76. A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, Ridgeway worked in the insurance business and as a licensed funeral director. He was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1984 and served there for 18 years, holding the positions of Democratic caucus chair and chair of the Transportation and Conservation & Environment committees. After retiring from the House in 2002, Ridgeway joined the Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council, where he served as director for 21 years. A celebration of life was held on March 7. Memorial donations may be made to Henry County Helping Hand, 2025 Auction, PO Box 22, Paris, TN 38242 or Todd Latta Junior Golf League, c/o Andy Collins, 204 W. Washington St, Paris, TN 38242.

Hundreds of Knoxville community members, including state and local leaders, recently honored civil rights leader Robert J. Booker at the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Knoxville, reports Knox News. Booker died Feb. 22 at age 88. Booker was remembered as a leader of the Knoxville Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and Knoxville’s first Black state representative. “He was a revolutionary,” said Knox County Commissioner Dasha Lundy. “If he didn’t have that spirit in him, Knoxville wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Leon Jordan died on Feb. 27 at age 89. Jordan served in the U.S. Army from 1954 until 1956. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1958 from the University of Tennessee and his law degree in 1960 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Jordan began his law practice in Nashville with the firm of Goodpasture, Carpenter, Dale and Woods before becoming a partner in the law firm of Bryant, Price, Brandt, Jordan and Fox in Johnson City in 1971. In 1980, then-Gov. Lamar Alexander appointed him to Tennessee’s Chancery Court, and he was elected to a full term in 1982. Jordan was confirmed to the federal bench in 1988 and served as senior judge from 2001 until a few months ago. He served for several years as chairman of the planning committee of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, which honored him in June 2001 for his leadership. At the Judicial Conference in 2004, Jordan was elected president of the Sixth Circuit District Judges Association. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Federal Bar Association of the Court’s Northeastern Division. In December 2014, he was presented the Judicial Excellence Award by the Knoxville Bar Association. Judge Jordan’s beloved wife of 67 years, Dottie, died at the age of 91 just over two months ago. Arrangements are pending.

Carroll County lawyer Robert Taylor Keeton Jr., died Feb. 24 at age 87. Keeton earned his bachelor's degree from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served as president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association from 1981-1982 and president of the Tennessee County Attorneys Association from 2001-2002. Keeton was also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Carroll County Bar Association, American Bar Association, Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association, American Association of Trial Attorneys and was awarded the Huntingdon Pinnacle of Excellence Award. A memorial service will be held March 2 at 11 a.m. CST at Bruceton First United Methodist Church, 148 Pine St. N, Bruceton 38317. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Shriners Hospital; Bruceton First United Methodist Church, 148 Pine St. N., Bruceton, TN 38317; or the donor's charity of choice.

William John "Jack" Reynolds died Feb. 20 at age 90. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a degree in agriculture education, and after completing military service, he received a law degree from Southern Law School, now the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Reynolds began practicing law in Selmer in 1964. He served as county attorney for McNairy County, alderman for the City of Selmer and was a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, as well as the Hardin and McNairy County Bar Associations. In 1984, he moved his law practice to Savannah where he was later joined by his son and grandson, practicing under the law firm name of Reynolds & Reynolds. The family held a private graveside service. Memorials may be sent to Savannah Church of Christ, 1175 Pickwick St S., Savannah, TN 38372, or the donor's charity of choice.

Maria Jeannette Merrill of Columbus, Indiana, died on Feb. 19 at age 62. She earned a degree in nursing from the University of Evansville, a master's degre in nursing education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and her law degree from the Nashville School of Law. Merrill was a member of the American Society of Health Risk Management, the Health Care Compliance Association, the American Health Lawyer's Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. She worked at Lincoln Health System in Fayetteville as the chief legal officer and for the Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga for 18 years where she served as a clinical nurse specialist and later as the privacy program manager. A celebration life will be held Feb. 29 at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home, 3855 25th St., Columbus, Indiana 47203. Visitation begins at 4 p.m. EST and a tribute from the Nursing Honor Guard will start at 6 p.m. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association to support women's heart health.