Brick Church Middle School in Nashville has been renamed to honor the late Judge Richard H. Dinkins, a civil rights pioneer who helped reshape public education in Nashville. Dinkins played a critical role in desegregating the city’s public schools and advocated for educational equity throughout his life. The Nashville Board of Education voted unanimously in March to rename the school. Metro Nashville Public Schools held a dedication ceremony Saturday that included remarks from city leaders, a student presentation and the unveiling of displays honoring Dinkins’ life and impact. The Tennessean has photos.

New lawyers in the class of 2024 faced a lot of competition in the job market — the class was 12% larger than its immediate predecessor — but they have fared well according to a report from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). A year after graduation, a record 93.4% had jobs, the highest employment rate ever. In total, 20,810 graduates obtained jobs in private practice — also the largest number on record — passing the previous peak of 20,611 law firm jobs for the class of 2007. Other data also indicates that these graduates are satisfied with their work. A record low of 6.8% of those with jobs were seeking other opportunities. Looking ahead to predictions for the classes of 2025 and 2026, NALP says many firms pulled back on their 2024 and 2025 summer associate hiring, which could suggest there could be a contraction coming. The ABA Journal has more on the summer associate hiring situation.

Registration will close Friday for the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) Equal Justice University (EJU) conference. The annual event, co-sponsored by the TBA, is set for Aug. 27-29 at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. This year’s conference will include more than 50 CLE sessions, inspiring keynote speakers. Check out the full schedule.

Byron Black, the 69-year-old man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend and her two daughters in 1988, was put to death Tuesday morning after Gov. Bill Lee and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. According to The Tennessean, witnesses said he showed both visible and audible signs of distress as the state administered lethal injection drugs. Black's attorneys had argued a medical device implanted in his chest could shock him as he died and had sued to have the device deactivated. Speaking after the execution, Black’s attorney said she believes the lethal injection drug did not work as intended and that Black was tortured before his death. He is just the second individual to be executed in the state using a new protocol that relies solely on pentobarbital. Several Tennessee death row inmates have filed suit arguing that the new protocol brings a high risk of torturous death.

The American Bar Association (ABA) will consider a proposal during its annual meeting next week in Toronto that would end the practice of reserving five seats on its governing board for women, racially and ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+ and disabled lawyers. If adopted, the board instead would set aside three board seats for lawyers committed to “advancing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” regardless of the individuals’ demographic backgrounds. Reuters reports the change is part of a larger proposal to reduce the size of the board, which oversees management of the association, from 43 members to 32 members. The ABA says the changes are needed to help the organization become more nimble and efficient amid declining membership.

The TBA Construction Law Section will host the inaugural Joint Georgia/Tennessee Construction Conference Oct. 9-10 in Chattanooga. The two-day event will kick off with a welcome networking reception followed by a day of high quality CLE sessions for both Georgia and Tennessee lawyers. Topics include regional differences in construction law, a view from the bench session featuring judges and arbitrators, a case study session and more. Speakers confirmed so far include Atlanta lawyer Mark Carter with Buchalter, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Julie Jacobs, Memphis lawyer Regan Steepleton with Evans Petree, and Chattanooga lawyers William G. Colvin and Elisa Fox and Timothy Gibbons with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel. The program will offer 6.75 total CLE hours, including one dual hour. CLE credit will be submitted to both Georgia and Tennessee. Get more information and register on the TBA website.

The Nashville law firm Neal & Harwell will close at the end of August as many of the lawyers remaining at the firm join the Nashville office of Womble Bond Dickinson. The move follows the decision of firm co-founder Aubrey Harwell and his son Trey Harwell to join Adams & Reese in May. According to a press release from Womble, 18 of the 20 lawyers joining the firm will serve in the Business Litigation Group while two will join the Finance, Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group. According to the Nashville Business Journal, Womble opened its Nashville office in 2022. The firm had seven attorneys in the office before the addition of the Neal & Harwell team.

The Tennessee Bar Association is accepting applications from candidates interested in the position of director of access to justice and strategic initiatives. This full-time position is responsible for leading the association’s efforts to expand access to legal services and improve the justice system, while advancing strategic initiatives that support organizational priorities, including policy advocacy, public service collaborations and leadership-driven projects. Access the full job description here. To apply, send a cover letter explaining interest in the position and a resume by email to Human Resources and Administrative Coordinator Tanja Trezise. The position is currently held by Liz Slagle Todaro, who is transitioning from the TBA this fall after 13 years. She will remain active in Tennessee’s access to justice and larger non-profit communities, including serving on the boards of the Nashville Urban Debate League and Family Reconciliation Center.

Lenoir City Judge Gregg Harrison has been reinstated to the bench and will serve through the end of his original term in 2030, the News Herald reports. Harrison was removed from the post in March after city councilmember Robin McNabb — his opponent in the 2022 judicial election — won a Tennessee Supreme Court decision that Harrison, along with more than a dozen other municipal judges statewide, were disqualified under newly clarified residency requirements. In response to that decision, the General Assembly passed legislation (SB255/HB490) permitting judges elected or appointed before March 7, 2025, to retain their seats through their current terms, even if they no longer meet the revised residency criteria. In light of the new law, 9th Judicial District Chancellor Tom McFarland restored Harrison to the bench with back pay. McNabb has continued to challenge Harrison’s return, filing a new lawsuit claiming the statute is unconstitutional. City attorney Walter Johnson, who was named to the court when Harrison was removed, has returned to his original duties.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has rejected a $2,500 settlement offer from the Civic Engagement Forum to resolve a complaint involving unregistered ads it ran against Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, during her 2024 primary race. Registry Chair Tom Lawless said the fine was too low, noting political operatives should be held accountable for violating campaign laws. According to Tennessee Lookout, the group admits it should have registered as a political committee and filed expenditure reports. It proposed the offer "to settle the matter and avoid further costs and uncertainty." The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office determined the Civic Engagement Forum and a second group, Citizen Engagement Forum, shared identical content opposing Reneau and likely were connected though the group denies any connection.