The TBA Litigation Practice Section is continuing its “Perspectives From the Bench” series next Thursday at the new TBA office in Nashville. The program will feature a conversation with Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivins and former Supreme Court Justice and current Nashville School of Law Dean Bill Koch. Attorneys Hunter Branstetter with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Todd Presnell with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings will moderate the discussion, which will focus on each justice's path to the bench, the role of mentors, the importance of the Rule of Law and more. Make plans now to join colleagues for this informative program on May 21 from 3-4:30 p.m. CDT and a networking reception that will follow at 4:30 p.m. Learn more and register on the TBA website.

Police are investigating after gunfire was reported outside the Montgomery County Court Complex in Clarksville today. According to the Tennessean, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said the agency and the police department responded to the scene and secured it around 1:45 p.m. CDT. "There is no danger to the public," the sheriff's office wrote in a statement. The case will be investigated.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a First Amendment lawsuit, alleging a “startling pattern” of retaliation and harassment by Memphis Safe Task Force agents against residents in Memphis, the Tennessean reports. The lawsuit focuses on four Memphis residents who allege they were followed, threatened, harassed, “falsely” arrested and rushed with vehicles by task force agents after attempting to photograph or film agents’ activities. The suit also challenges Tennessee’s so-called “Halo” law, which restricts approaching law enforcement officers within 25 feet after being ordered to retreat. The suit argues the law is vague and has been used to suppress constitutionally protected activity. Defendants include federal and state officials connected to the task force. The suit seeks to halt the alleged retaliation and block enforcement of the Halo law. The task force has been operating in Memphis since 2025.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention. This year's CLE lineup, which will offer 8.5 hours of credit, will include a presentation on using technology to transform the way litigators prepare, organize and present their cases from managing discovery to preparing depositions, presenting evidence and collaborating with co-counsel. Join Tara Cheever with Lit Software for this interactive, demonstration-driven session. Attendees will discover how to streamline workflows, enhance mobility and seamlessly integrate new technology into traditionally Windows-based environments, without disrupting existing systems. The program will take place June 11 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. EDT at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville. Learn more about the convention and register here. Can’t make the full convention? Day passes for Thursday’s Tech Showcase are available and include access to this CLE session.

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.

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is urging Gov. Bill Lee to allow DNA and fingerprint testing for Tony Carruthers, Action News 5 reports. “Tennessee is about to execute Tony Carruthers without testing DNA and fingerprint evidence that could prove his innocence,” Kardashian said in a post on Instagram, according to the Commercial Appeal. Carruthers was convicted in a 1994 triple murder where three people were found buried in a Memphis graveyard. Advocates say unidentified forensic evidence at the scene could prove his innocence. Carruthers is set to be executed on May 21.

Gov. Bill Lee recently announced that Chief Legal Counsel Erin Merrick will leave the his office for the private sector in early July after more than seven years. Fox 17 reports that during her tenure, Merrick has aided in the selection of four Tennessee Supreme Court justices, as well as many appellate and trial judges across the state. “Since the early days of the Lee Administration, Erin has been an invaluable member of our team and a trusted advisor, offering wise counsel and steady leadership,” said Lee. Current Deputy Counsel Alexa Witcher has been named Merrick's successor.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and its Black Law Students Association hosted the 2026 Julian Blackshear Jr. Scholarship Gala in March to celebrate access to legal education and the legal profession. Named for civil rights attorney Julian Blackshear Jr., one of the law school’s first Black graduates, the annual event supports scholarships for law students through contributions from alumni, faculty, staff and community partners. This year’s keynote speaker was Iké Adeyemi, senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Eastman Chemical Company, who spoke about leadership, resilience and using the law to create social change. The law school also posthumously presented the R.B.J. Campbelle Jr. Award to Knoxville attorney and civil rights advocate Rudolph V. McKamey, who was denied admission to the law school in 1948 because of his race. He later graduated from Howard University School of Law before building a career advocating for equality and justice in Knoxville. Read more and see photos from the event on the law school's website.

The TBA has added new staff member David Lazar, who joins the association as the data and systems analyst. Lazar holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Hofstra University in New York with minors in marketing, mathematics and rhetoric. In his role at TBA, he will manage and optimize the organization’s core platforms, including the association management system, learning management system, bulk email platform and website, while providing support to staff and members. Before joining the TBA, Lazar worked in the field of communications, writing for NBC Sports, Spectrum News NY1 and the New York Post. Outside of work, he volunteers at his local animal shelter, helping dogs and cats find homes. His contact information is available on the TBA staff webpage.

Temple University in Philadelphia on Friday announced that University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Dean Lonnie T. Brown Jr. has been named the Kean Family Dean of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Brown will begin the role on Aug. 1. “The Beasley School of Law is one of Temple University’s strongest academic assets, and we are delighted to welcome Lonnie as its Kean Family Dean,” Temple President John Fry said. “This was a thorough and competitive search process, and Lonnie quickly emerged as the top candidate, given his extensive experience as both a leader and legal scholar." Brown has been the dean of Winston Law since 2022 and is the Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law and Haslam Family Professor. “I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected as Kean Family Dean of the Beasley School of Law. The university and law school’s sincere commitment to student success, broad access, community engagement and overall excellence is palpable, and I could not be more excited about this amazing opportunity to contribute to those critically important objectives in the years ahead,” Brown said.