Utah has joined a growing number of states allowing law school graduates to practice law without taking or passing the traditional bar exam. The Utah Supreme Court last week approved a program permitting graduates of American Bar Association-accredited law schools to obtain licenses after completing 240 hours of supervised legal practice and meeting other requirements. Graduates may still choose to sit for the bar exam. According to Reuters, the program aims to reduce the financial and logistical burdens of exam preparation while ensuring new lawyers gain practical experience. Oregon, Washington and Arizona have adopted similar alternative pathways to licensure.

Former Tennessee Govs. Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen emphasized the need for civil discourse and bipartisan cooperation during a Sept. 30 policy forum hosted by ThinkTennessee at the Music City Center in Nashville. Haslam and Bresden, who co-host the podcast “You Might Be Right,” discussed the importance of compromise in policymaking and reflected on lessons from their time in office, crediting the state’s progress in education to sustained collaboration across administrations. According to the Nashville Post, both also highlighted the key role of local governments in economic development. The event brought together state and local leaders from government, business and nonprofit sectors for discussions on housing, workforce development, transportation and childcare. Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, who recently was appointed deputy governor also participated in the forum.

Gov. Bill Lee last week announced that applications are being accepted for two grant funds totaling $175 million to strengthen downtown public safety and support local law enforcement in reducing violent crime. Local jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies may apply for funding from the $75 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund and the new $100 million Downtown Public Safety Grant Fund. Both funds were included in the governor’s 2026 budget proposal and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. The intervention fund supports local law enforcement efforts to develop and implement strategies to reduce violent crime and improve public safety infrastructure. The downtown fund was established to increase public safety, reduce blight, enhance economic development infrastructure and curb crime in downtown business and commercial areas. Eligible agencies should have received application instructions by Oct. 3 and may apply through Oct. 24.

President Donald Trump and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee have endorsed Republican Matt Van Epps ahead of Tuesday’s 7th Congressional District primary election, the Nashville Post reports. Trump’s endorsement came one day after Lee announced his support, writing on X that “Matt will stand with President Trump 100% to push back against the extreme agendas that threaten this country.” Following Trump’s endorsement, state Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, suspended his campaign and endorsed Van Epps. Campaigns for the other two Republican frontrunners, state Reps. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, and Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, have not commented. Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, currently serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee National Guard. Polls for the primary election will be open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT.

U.S. Supreme Court justices returned to the bench today with a docket of cases scrutinizing presidential powers, the Trump tariffs, transgender school sports bans, conversion therapy, the Voting Rights Act, gun limits and election finance. Today, the justices heard arguments in two cases: whether lawyers can be barred from speaking to their clients in certain situations and whether state limits on malpractice actions apply in federal court. Tomorrow, they will consider the legality of a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy, which is intended to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity. SCOTUSblog has a roundup of today’s actions, including a review of cases that the court accepted for the 2025-2026 term and those it declined to accept for review.

The TBA will host its Local Government Forum next Tuesday, Oct. 14, as a live virtual event from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. CDT. This year’s program will feature topics at the forefront of the field, including a legislative update, ongoing PFAS litigation, HR issues, and the use of AI in government. A discount is available for Local Government Practice Section members. Not a member of the section yet? Get started here. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

The Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) currently has three vacancies on its board of delegates and is seeking dedicated leaders to fill the positions. Available roles include a representative from Knoxville, a representative from the SL Hutchins National Bar Association (NBA) chapter in Chattanooga and a law professor delegate. For the Chattanooga and law professor delegate seats, nominees must be members of their local NBA affiliate. There is no affiliate in Knoxville so the requirement does not apply for that role. Learn more at tablawyers.org or contact Chicoya Smith for more information.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court following the retirement of Justice Holly Kirby on June 30, 2026. Applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 35 years of age, have been residents of the state for five years and must reside in the Eastern or Western Grand Division of Tennessee. Applicants must complete the application and submit it to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) by noon CDT on Oct. 22. The council will meet on Nov. 25 at 9 a.m. CST in the courtroom of the Nashville Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Ave. N., Nashville 37219. Complete application instructions can be found here and questions can be directed to AOC Assistant General Counsel Laura Blount or at 615-741-2687.

The federal judiciary can continue “paid operations” through Oct. 17 if the government shutdown continues, two weeks longer than initially projected, a judiciary official said Wednesday. According to Bloomberg Law, employees will remain fully paid while working during that period, but if the shutdown extends past Oct. 17, the judiciary will exhaust its remaining funds and limit operations. Federal courts across the U.S. are preparing for slower dockets and reduced administrative work if funding runs out. Court calendars are expected to slow as the Justice Department asks to pause certain civil cases while lawyers are furloughed. Criminal cases, in which defendants have constitutional rights, will be prioritized if funding lapses.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited Memphis on Wednesday to discuss state and federal law enforcement presence in the city with law enforcement leaders, the Daily Memphian reports. Bondi told officers that the Trump administration wants “cops to be cops again,” while Miller pledged “zero tolerance” for gang and drug activity. Hegseth said President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the effort, which will soon include National Guard deployments and hundreds of Tennessee Highway Patrol state troopers. Trump signed a presidential memorandum Sept. 15 announcing the Memphis task force, which has since taken shape on the ground. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, released a letter he has sent to Bondi and Hegseth that said, in part, “I still have many questions about how the Memphis Safety Task Force will work, the priorities of federal law enforcement and the mission of National Guard troops,” he wrote. “Many of the terms and structures of President Trump’s ... [m]emorandum ... remain undefined.”