Two programs from the 2025 TBA Convention will replay as one-hour webcasts as part of TBA's Christmas in July CLE series. On July 7, tune in for AI in the Life of a Lawyer with Baker Donelson attorneys Bruce Doeg, former TBA President Ed Lanquist and Clinton Sanko. The panel will provide practical examples and demonstrations of AI tools currently used by attorneys, along with real case studies to highlight their application. They also will address the ethical considerations and potential risks of using AI in legal practice, with guidance relevant to Tennessee attorneys. On July 8, watch an in-depth examination of one of Tennessee’s most controversial political and legal events as panelists Lamar Alexander, Hal Hardin and Keel Hunt discuss the Blanton Pardon Scandal. Each webcast will air at noon CDT, offering one hour of dual credit and one hour of general credit respectively.

Happy 250th birthday America! The TBA will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day on Saturday. The office will reopen Monday at 8 a.m. CDT. As always, the TBA.org website has continuing legal education options and other information available 24/7. Reach out to staff directly using contact information available on our online staff directory.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on July 8 at 8:30 a.m. CDT about state tax obligations for new businesses in Tennessee, as well as other resources that may assist those businesses. Each new 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 of Revenue and other relevant state agencies. Register on the department's website.

A federal judge has ordered Tennessee to halt its takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The Daily Memphian reports that U.S. District Court Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. issued the order yesterday in response to a motion for a temporary restraining order filed by attorneys for the Memphis schools and Shelby County. Crenshaw also directed attorneys in the case to present by Monday three proposed dates for a hearing in the case. Memphis officials filed suit against the takeover in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on June 18, hours after the first meeting of the new appointed oversight board. They later expanded the suit to include individual members of the oversight board.

A Nashville judge has extended an order that blocks Tennessee health officials from reporting 400 immigrant children with disabilities and chronic illnesses, enrolled in a safety-net health program, to a state immigration enforcement office. According to News Channel 5, Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal postponed a planned hearing set for July 2. She instead set a July 10 deadline for attorneys to come to an agreement on a more long-term injunction, according to the Tennessee Lookout.

Eight Republican senators are calling on Gov. Bill Lee to conduct an independent review of the failed execution attempt of death row inmate Tony Carruthers before the state carries out another death sentence. “We write as members of the Tennessee Senate who firmly support the death penalty, to express our serious concern over the failed execution of Tony Von Carruthers on May 21, 2026, and to call for full transparency and accountability from the Department of Correction,” the letter reads according to WPLN. The letter also asks Lee to correct any issues before the next execution on Aug. 13. The move comes after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called on Lee to pause all executions by lethal injection.

The U.S. legal sector added 5,100 jobs in June, pushing legal employment to an all-time high for the third straight month, according to figures released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The total number of jobs in the legal sector, including lawyers, paralegals, judges and legal assistants, hit 1,243,500 in June, the preliminary data show — up 0.41% from 1,238,400 in May. That represents an 8.4% gain from five years ago, offering more evidence that legal AI tools have yet to cut into staffing, according to Reuters.

Braden H. Boucek was formally invested as the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee during a ceremony on June 26. Chief Judge William L. Campbell Jr. administered the oath of office while U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Judge Whitney Hermandorfer presided over the ceremony. Hermandorfer had administered Boucek's initial oath of office in December 2025. U.S. Republican Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty were on hand to deliver remarks recognizing Boucek's unanimous Senate confirmation and his record of public service. Boucek previously served an assistant U.S. attorney in Nashville and Memphis, an assistant attorney general for the state and an assistant district attorney. He most recently was vice president of litigation at the Southeastern Legal Foundation. Read more about the ceremony in a release from the U.S. attorney’s office.

U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson has dismissed a class-action lawsuit challenging Section 1 of HB1704, which makes it a Class A misdemeanor for noncitizens to remain in Tennessee 90 days after a final removal order. Richardson dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, 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. The law went into effect July 1, according to the Tennessee Lookout.

After 12 consecutive victories on the popular television quiz show Jeopardy!, Memphis lawyer Adam Remsen missed a question in the final round of his 13th game on June 30. He lost to California research attorney Richard Nguyen, according to the Commercial Appeal. Remsen is a lawyer with Regional One Health and co-founder of the local Quark Theatre company. He is now the winning-est player ever from Tennessee and tied for 17th place on the list of all-time champions. He will return for the show’s annual "Tournament of Champions” next year. Asked about the experience, Remsen tells the Daily Memphian: “I felt slightly disappointed, of course, but also a lot of relief.” He says he is ready to get back to regular life and his duties as an attorney.