Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has nominated newly retired Metro Legal Director Wally Dietz to the locally appointed Metro Nashville Airport Authority, a pick that needs Metro Council approval at its July 21 meeting and would run through 2031. The Nashville Post reports that the nomination comes as a new state law took effect July 1 replacing the local board with a state-appointed one. O'Connell has declined to name anyone to that panel, and the original Metro-appointed board continues operating. Metro Nashville is suing over the takeover, arguing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cannot recognize the new state board without Metro's consent. The state-appointed board recently voted to withdraw from that lawsuit. A preliminary ruling is expected by month's end.

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani (GRSM) recently announced the opening of a Memphis office, expanding its Tennessee footprint from its current Nashville and Knoxville locations. “Opening our Memphis office represents another important milestone in GRSM’s continued strategic growth across Tennessee and the Southeast,” said Heather Gwinn, managing partner of the Memphis office. “With more than 40 attorneys serving clients from this location, we are well-positioned to deliver the responsive, local counsel our clients expect while leveraging the resources and collaborative strength of our national platform.” The new office is located at 1331 Union Ave., 7th Floor, Suite 1023, Memphis 38104.

The TBA will host the “Using AI to Accelerate Your Writing” webcast replay on July 24 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT, focusing on how attorneys can use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency in legal writing without sacrificing accuracy or professional judgment. Presenter Ryan Standil of Write To Excite will discuss effective prompting techniques and demonstrate how AI can help lawyers identify weaknesses in drafts, including faulty logic, ambiguity, inconsistency and tone issues. The program also will address the limitations of AI in legal communication, including verbosity, overreach and lack of human nuance, while offering strategies for using AI tools more effectively in practice. More information and a link to register are available on the TBA website.

The Vanderbilt Law Admissions Team has launched a podcast to help prospective law students better navigate the application process. "Behind the Decision," featuring Dean of Admissions Cristina Gapasin Tortal and Associate Director Erin Preston, offers an insider perspective on how applications are evaluated and what prospective candidates should and should not do to stand out. Each episode tackles specific admissions-related questions that the team regularly addresses each application cycle. The first episode, "Should You Go to Law School?," explores what admissions personnel look for when evaluating an applicant’s readiness for law school. Read more in a press release from the school.

Bring your lunch and join colleagues for the second Sandwiches & Sidebars, a quarterly networking meet-up hosted by the TBA Mentoring Committee. This casual gathering is a great opportunity to meet new people, expand professional networks, exchange ideas and connect with fellow members of the legal community in a relaxed setting. The next event will take place Nov. 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. CST at the TBA office located at 3010 Poston Ave., Nashville 37203. Free parking is available. TBA Members should drop in as their schedule allows — stay for a few minutes or the full two hours. From experienced to mid-career attorneys to young lawyers to law students, all members of the TBA are encouraged to attend. This event is supported by the Young Lawyers Division. Hope to see you there!

U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Collier of the Eastern District of Tennessee and his law clerks Carrie Brown Stefaniak, Meghan Melkote and Alex Tritell recently published a column in Chattanoogan.com on judicial discretion and federal sentencing. The article looks at congressional guidance in imposing criminal sentencing, which encourages consideration of (1) the nature and circumstances of the crime, (2) the history and characteristics of the defendant, and (3) the need for the sentence to reflect the seriousness of the crime, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense, deter criminal conduct, protect the public, and provide the defendant with appropriate treatment.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on July 28 at 9 a.m. CDT about key legislative changes enacted in 2026 regarding Tennessee state tax issues and other laws related to motor vehicle titling and registration. 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 for the July session.

Join Memphis tax attorney and financial educator Brooke Benjamin Kelley on Sept. 24 for "Beyond the Billable Hour: Building Financial Freedom Throughout Your Legal Career." This one-hour webcast will air from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. While law school teaches how to analyze risk, very few lawyers are taught how to analyze financial risk. Yet, the financial decisions made every day can have a lasting impact on careers, family and overall well-being. According to PwC's 2026 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 57% of employees identified finances as their greatest life stressor, ranking above work, health and relationships. For a profession already known for high levels of stress and burnout, financial wellness is more than a personal issue — it is an important part of building a sustainable and fulfilling legal career. Whether managing student loans, thinking about buying a home, planning for retirement, or simply trying to make more confident financial decisions, this session is for you. Learn more and register on the TBA website.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law recently held its 2026 Orr Symposium. This year’s theme, “Closing the Rural Justice Gap: Innovation and Regulatory Reform,” examined the causes of legal deserts and explored practical solutions. According to Knox TN Today, speakers focused on how the legal profession can rethink legal service delivery to ensure that people in underserved communities are not left behind. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary Wagner spoke about the court’s recent call for public comment on regulatory reforms, saying it was designed to “have a conversation” about unmet legal need across Tennessee. Other panels explored alternative licensing, the role of non-lawyer legal professionals and what other states are doing to help fill the justice gap. Learn more about the symposium or watch a recording of the program.

The law school also unveiled the Legal Desert Incubator Program, which will provide graduates who commit to spending five years in a legal desert with training, mentoring, business support and financial incentives. And it announced that Briana Rosenbaum, associate dean for access and community engagement and associate professor of law, has been appointed to the Law School Admission Council’s new Rural Access to Justice Workgroup. That group will investigate innovative approaches to expanding the pipeline of future rural attorneys.

Want to learn more about these issues? Join the TBA on July 29 for a discussion with lawyers and judges. Learn more and register here.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has named Matthew McClanahan as general counsel, the Nashville Post reports. McClanahan will assume the role on Aug. 3 and provide legal counsel to the department and oversee other legal matters. He previously worked as a managing partner at his law firm McClanahan & Winston in Crossville, where he focused on government relations, civil litigation, agricultural and environmental issues and business matters. He also formerly served as executive director of the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts. "Matthew's legal experience and understanding of Tennessee agriculture make him an outstanding addition to our leadership team," Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Andy Holt said in a press release. McClanahan earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee and his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Tennessee Tech University.