Members of the TBA gathered at the Sumner County Sheriff's Office in Gallatin for a TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Essential Documents clinic on July 11. There was tremendous interest in the services provided, which included wills, advanced directives and powers of attorney. The clinic resulted in successful essential document drafting and offered a training opportunity for two new lawyers and three law students to continue this pro bono service in the future. The clinic was organized by TBA YLD District Representative Grace Burnett.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville is hosting a free legal clinic for artists and creatives on Aug. 5 from 6-8 p.m. CDT at the Country Music Association. The clinic offers one-on-one 30-minute consultations with volunteer attorneys for creatives across Tennessee. Volunteer attorneys can expect questions on contracts & licensing, copyright, business formation and nonprofit governance. Email vlpa@abcnashville.org for more information or to volunteer. Representatives from the Legal Aid Society’s Taxpayer Project also will be on-site to answer federal income tax questions. Those interested in legal services should register online by July 31.

The July/August issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal is live online and arriving in mailboxes soon. In this issue's cover story, Joy Boyd Longnecker, Matthew Lybeck and David Raybin highlight the glaring disparities in criminal and civil discovery under Tennessee law. Memphis Law student Brenden King considers how the paralegal role might be redefined by AI. Newly installed TBA President Charlotte Knight Griffin shares her vision for the 2026-2027 bar year in her inaugural President's Perspective column, The Legal Life recaps the TBA's Annual Convention held in Knoxville June 10-13 and Buddy Stockwell says "farewell" in his final column for the Journal. Other columns include Russell Fowler's History's Verdict, Wade Davies' Crime & Punishment and Marlene Eskind Moses and Ansley Owens Tillett's Family Matters.

Anderson County attorney David A. Stuart received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility on July 10. The board determined that Stuart violated Rule of Professional Conduct 5.1(a) when he failed to supervise a nonlawyer employee at his firm. After agreeing to represent a client in an immigration matter, Stuart assigned the calendaring of applicable deadlines to the nonlawyer employee. That employee failed to calendar the deadline for filing a pleading and overlooked a notice that the government filed for an order of removal. As a result, no response was filed and an order of removal was entered. Stuart later filed a motion to reopen, which was granted by the tribunal.

The American Bar Association (ABA) is asking a judge to order the White House to release certain communications with law firms and presidential allies related to executive orders issued in 2025 against several major law firms. The group wants to see if Trump allies Steve Bannon and Boris Epshteyn acted as intermediaries between the White House and targeted law firms, Bloomberg News reports. The ABA sued the administration for what it calls a “law firm intimidation policy.” Following the president’s actions in 2025, four law firms sued while nine agreed to spend $1 billion in free legal services on “shared causes” and abandon diversity recruiting initiatives. The four that sued are awaiting a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after trial courts struck down the executive orders.

A three-judge panel will hear the complaint filed by the city of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority over a new law that takes appointment of the airport board away from the mayor. Chattanoogan.com reports that Judge Alex McVeagh this week referred the matter to the Tennessee Supreme Court for designation of the panel. In related news, the Times Free Press reports on new appointments that have been made to the state-constituted board. Meanwhile, a similar suit brought by the Nashville Airport Authority has been put on pause by U.S. District Judge William Campbell. He stayed the suit pending resolution of another suit filed against the Federal Aviation Administration in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, The Tennessee Journal reports. The situation also has been complicated by the newly formed state board taking office and filing to withdraw the suit against the state.

The ACLU and National Immigration Law Center are asking U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson to reopen a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new law criminalizing illegal immigration. Richardson dismissed the case in June, ruling that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing because they could not demonstrate that their removal orders were “valid” and “outstanding” as required by the law. In a Monday filing, lawyers offered new details showing their two pseudonymous plaintiffs, "Lucy" and "Benjamin," both have outstanding removal orders and therefore are at risk of arrest under the law. The filing argues that reopening the case is needed to avoid "manifest injustice" and a drawn-out appeal. Richardson responded Thursday, asking attorneys why they waited two weeks to seek expedited reopening and why they did not file a new case, since his dismissal was without prejudice. The Tennessee Lookout reports on the developments.

Gov. Bill Lee has said that he will not pursue a pause or moratorium on executions in the state, or order a review of the current execution protocol following the failed execution attempt of death row inmate Tony Carruthers. According to WPLN, Lee told a group of reporters in Knoxville that the protocol was “carried out appropriately” and “the Department of Correction did exactly what they were supposed to.” Actions News 5 has reaction to that decision from Carruthers’ attorneys. Lee’s decision comes after the ACLU called for a pause in executions, a number of death row inmates are seeking reprieves and Republican state senators have asked for an investigation into the attempted execution of Carruthers.

Judge Peter Frech was sworn in July 8 in Nashville as the newest judge on the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. He was appointed in April to replace Judge Thomas Wyatt of Chattanooga, who retired at the end of June. A blog post from the court noted that Frech brings diverse experience and dedication to the bench. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a military police corrections specialist, graduated with a degree in political science from Middle Tennessee State University, and earned his law degree with a concentration in advocacy and dispute resolution from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law. Frech will hear cases in both the Nashville and Murfreesboro offices.

Knox County lawyer Julia Anna Trant received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility on July 10. The board determined that while representing a client before the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Trant failed to timely file documents as required by the court. Her actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4.