The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will hold a retirement reception honoring Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly M. Kirby on June 4 from 5-7 p.m. CDT. The event will take place in the law school’s Gordon Ball Reading Room. It is being cosponsored by the Memphis Bar Association and the law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson. Members of the legal community are invited to attend and celebrate Kirby’s many years of service. RSVP here or contact Maria Fuhrmann at maria.fuhrmann@memphis.edu with questions. Kirby, who earned her law degree from the school in 1982, is retiring from the court at the end of June. Download a flyer for the event.

The American Bar Association (ABA) Litigation Section’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee will host “Building Pathways for Children & Youth: A Collaborative Convening” on June 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at Family & Children’s Service in Nashville. The free event will bring together lawyers, advocates, community leaders and private-sector representatives to discuss ways to better support children and youth through collaboration and community engagement. The program also will include a youth experiential learning lab, collaborative brainstorming sessions and a panel featuring Tennessee leaders with lived experience in youth systems, including representatives from Youth Villages. Lunch will be provided. More information and registration is available through the ABA website.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) will kick off its annual fundraising campaign on May 28 with a virtual presentation from Russell Fowler, LAET's director of litigation and managing attorney. "The Top 10 Tennessee Lawyers" will cover litigators, judges and scholars and the legal and major ethical challenges they confronted and overcame, thus advancing the profession, ethical standards and justice in general. Additionally, LAET's Director of Development & Communications Chris Berryman will give a preview of the organization's upcoming pro bono initiatives. Register here for this free event.

An investiture ceremony and reception for U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee Luke A. Evans will take place May 14 at 3:30 p.m. CDT. The ceremony will be held at the Ceremonial Courtroom 6B, United States District Court, 719 Church St., Nashville 37203. A reception will follow. View the invitation. Read more in a release from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

The Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board will hear oral arguments in three cases in Nashville on June 9. The cases include Howell v. 501K Recycling, involving a dispute over additional medical treatment for an alleged work-related aggravation of a preexisting condition; Torres Atunez v. MG Dyess Inc., addressing whether an employee’s misrepresentation of identity voided an employment contract; and Harris v. Express Services, which considers issues related to a willful misconduct defense and medical benefits. The arguments will be held in-person in Nashville at the Tennessee Supreme Court, 401 7th Ave. N, Nashville 37219, starting at 1 p.m. CDT. The docket is available online.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) will hold its Spring Memorial Service on May 15 to honor 13 lawyers who recently died. The group says that due to the number of passages, some recently passed members will be honored at a separate ceremony in November. The spring event will take place at 3 p.m. EDT in the Supreme Court courtroom at the Tennessee Supreme Court building, 505 Main St., 2nd Floor, Knoxville 37902. The Chattanooga Bar Association (CBA) recently held its annual memorial service as well. Judge Alex McVeagh presided over the event. Read more about those honored.

Effective July 1, lawyers will have to comply with new redaction rules for filings in Tennessee’s appellate courts. The TBA Appellate Practice Section will host a free webinar on the new rules and how they will significantly change the process for writing and filing briefs with the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals and Supreme Court. Appellate practitioners Jacob Vanzin, Ben Raybin and William Gill will explore the rules and offer a primer on how to comply with the new requirements. One hour of general CLE credit is available for a $50 processing fee. Learn more and register here.

Tennessee state Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, who died April 24 at the age of 71, will lie in state at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 30. Colleagues and the public are invited to visit the capitol to pay their respects. According to the Commercial Appeal, a celebration of life service also will be held at a date to be determined. That event will take place in Memphis at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, 70 N Bellevue Blvd. Memphis 38104. Hardaway had served in the Tennessee House since 2007.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on sales tax exemptions on April 28 at 9 a.m. CDT. Participants will hear an overview of Tennessee’s sales tax exemptions and how they apply to businesses across the state. The session also will break down common exemption categories, documentation requirements, and compliance best practices. Each business webinar, offered quarterly, covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes and how to get help from the department and other relevant state agencies. Register for the webinar here. 

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and the Herff Chair of Excellence will host the 2026 Herff Conference on May 15 at the law school. This year’s theme, "Countervailing Power — Antimonopoly for Workers," will focus on the rise of antitrust litigation in the labor market, including looking at the underlying laws and the proof elements for a violation. The keynote address will be given by former Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya. Lunch and a reception are included in the free program. Learn more online.