The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) named Sherie Edwards as its 2026 president at its Annual Meeting last week. Edwards, a former TBA president, received her law degree from Nashville School of Law in 1996, and completed her MBA at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Business in 2012. She retired as vice president of corporate and legal at SVMIC in 2024 after 25 years with the company and plans to launch a mediation practice in early 2026. Edwards also is a board member at the Tennessee Justice Center, a member of the National Conference of Bar Presidents Executive Council, president-elect of the Harry Phillips Inn of Court, and a delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. Other new officers announced were 1st Vice President Ben Raybin, 2nd Vice President Judge Ana Escobar, President-elect Beau Creson, 1st Vice President-elect Cherrelle Hooper, 2nd Vice President-elect Josh Burgener, Secretary Victoria Gentry, Treasurer Billy Leslie, YLD President Ryan Loufbourrow, General Counsel Lela M. Hollabaugh, and new board members Jason Gichner, Callie Hinson, Jae Lim, Bart Pickett, Tabitha Robinson and Princess Rogers. The NBA also presented the John C. Tune Public Service Award to Rebecca Lyford. The award recognizes members who make outstanding contributions to the greater Nashville area community while distinguishing themselves as practicing attorneys. Read more in a press release.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met in Jackson on Dec. 10 to select nominees for an upcoming vacancy on the Court of Appeals Western Section, which will occur with the retirement of Judge Kenny Armstrong on Feb. 9, 2026. After holding a public hearing and conducting interviews, the council selected three nominees to forward to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. They are: Eileen Kuo, Steven Wayne Maroney and Gadson William Perry. View the nominees’ applications on the Administrative Office of the Courts website.

Blount County Juvenile Court recently announced the appointment of Richard H. Robinson as magistrate judge for Blount County. The oath of office was administered by General Sessions Court Judge Kenlyn Foster. Robinson previously served as as a special master for Knox County's 4th Circuit Court. He is a 2005 graduate of the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. “We are pleased to welcome Magistrate Judge Robinson to Blount County Juvenile Court,” said Foster. “He brings vast legal knowledge and experience to his new role, and more important, he is a genuinely kind person who shows great compassion for the children and families who appear before him.” Read more in a press release from the court. See photos from the swearing in ceremony.

Curated for general, solo and small firm attorneys, the TBA's year-end 15-hour CLE package includes a mix of popular ethics, law practice management and hot topics programming. Check out the specific courses included on the TBA CLE website. Looking for something else? TBA also has six, eight, 10, 12 and 15-hour packages based on specific topics or practice areas, live webcasts and on-demand video all month long. Explore all the Year End options to complete your CLE requirement by Dec. 31.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps was sworn into office, roughly 36 hours after he won a special election for the District 7 seat according to the Nashville Banner. In a speech on the House floor, Van Epps reiterated his allegiance to President Donald Trump and his policies. Read more from the paper.

On Dec. 15, the Tennessee Supreme Court responded to a petition for reinstatement from Georgia attorney Meredith Gardial noting that she has outstanding requirements with the Board of Professional Responsibility and the Commission on Continuing Legal Education. If these obligations are not satisfied by Jan. 27, 2026, the court said it would dismiss her petition.

On Dec. 4, the Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Utah attorney Danielle Cristene Droitsch to inactive status noting that all required reinstatement fees and delinquent annual inactive registration fees have been paid to the Board of Professional Responsibility.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently took action on two reinstatement petitions. On Dec. 10, the court reinstated Sullivan County lawyer Joseph Salvatore Imburgia, who had been on inactive status since Dec. 10, 2019. On Dec. 9, the court reinstated the law license of Georgia attorney Sarah Elaine Willis, who had been on inactive status since July 23, 2019.

Knox County Chancellor John Weaver directed that documents concerning the state’s execution procedures and recent executions be provided immediately to the legal team of Harold Nichols, who was executed Dec. 11. The October lawsuit from Nichols alleges that the Tennessee Department of Correction has refused to release key records. Nichols’ attorneys cite months of unanswered or denied requests. Weaver heard arguments in November and required all contested documents be submitted by Dec. 3. A future hearing will determine whether the records were withheld willfully, WATE reports.

The American Alliance for Equal Rights filed a federal lawsuit against the Women of Knoxville and its nonprofit community fund, The Women Foundation, claiming the group’s initiative to provide small loans to Black-owned businesses is discriminatory, Knox News reports. The program requires applicants’ businesses to be at least 51% Black-owned. In September, a white woman affiliated with the alliance sued the nonprofits in federal court, arguing the program discriminates by awarding money exclusively to Black-owned businesses. The funds, raised through private fundraising, do not include taxpayer dollars. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Global Black Economic Forum have joined the lawsuit defending the Knoxville organizations. On Nov. 4, the alliance sent a letter to Knox County commissioners threatening legal action against the county. The nonprofits said the alliance misreads federal law and showed a “willful disregard” for the program’s specifics, adding that private charitable funds are not subject to the review the group seeks.