The Tennessee Supreme Court permanently disbarred Knox County attorney Douglas A. Trant from the practice of law on March 26. Trant was retained by clients in two separate matters to potentially pursue specific legal objectives that were dependent on the outcome of initial research to establish whether they had viable causes of action. In both cases, Trant accepted a fee to conduct initial research, performed only minimal legal research, and discovered that neither client had a meritorious claim or viable cause of action. However, he falsely stated to each client that their cases had merit and accepted more substantial fees to initiate litigation. He took no further action. He never filed a complaint or initiated litigation, ceased all communication, failed to refund the unearned fees, failed to return client files, and abandoned his clients and their cases. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16 and 8.4.

On March 26, the Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended Hawkins County lawyer Gerald Todd Eidson from the practice of law for two years with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation so long as Eidson engages a practice monitor. The court took the action after determining that Eidson failed to provide competent representation to a client, failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness during his representation of the client, and failed to inform the Juvenile Court of an earlier misrepresentation regarding the incarceration status of the client, which resulted in prejudice to the administration of justice. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3 and 8.4(d).

Following the Lee administration's release of its amended budget, which includes funding for the new plan for indigent representation in Tennessee, the General Assembly now will move forward with House and Senate consideration. The amended budget, introduced as HB1409/SB1431, has been referred to the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee. In the House, the subcommittee must first consider the bill before sending it to the full Finance, Ways and Means Committee and then on to the floor. In the Senate, the committee must consider the bill before forwarding it the floor. Amendments at each step of the process may be introduced. The legislature’s one constitutionally required charge is to pass a balanced budget, which is one of the last things it will do before adjourning for the year. Learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee.

Make plans now to join colleagues from across the state at the TBA’s 2025 Annual Convention, set for June 11-14, in the Nashville suburb of Franklin. The Franklin Marriott Cool Springs will serve as the host hotel. Perennial favorites such as the Bench Bar program and lunch, Lawyers Lunch, and joint event with the Tennessee Judicial Conference return to the agenda. For the second year, the Public Service Breakfast will take place during the convention to honor legal aid, private practice and law student pro bono work. CLE programming will include sessions on famous Tennessee trials, the role lawyers played in the Gov. Ray Blanton pardon scandal, an indigent defense and legislative update, AI, wellness, and the future of DEI. For the first time, the TBA also will present a session on the future of legal tech with vendor panelists. Again this year, the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women (TLAW) and Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) will hold meetings and events in conjunction with the convention. Don’t miss this annual gathering of Tennessee lawyers! Access registration, hotel reservation information and more on the event website.

Shelby County lawyer Samuel John Muldavin has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. In representing two clients in defense of a detainer action, the court found that Muldavin failed to communicate adequately with clients, had no prior experience handling residential landlord tenant matters and did not complete any research of applicable law or otherwise take any action to prepare for trial. He also agreed to the scheduling of trial for calculation of money damages, fees and costs, despite the inadequacy of service of process. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.2(a), 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(b) and 3.3(a)(1).

Following the Lee administration's release of its amended budget, which includes funding for the new plan for indigent representation in Tennessee, the TBA will continue to work closely with the Tennessee Supreme Court and the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on the new plan, including tracking its progress through the legislative process. The TBA is grateful for the support and advocacy of the legal community on this issue, and encourages lawyers to stay up to date on the work of TBA's Government Affairs team and share their own experiences with the indigent representation system. Learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee.

The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released an interim final rule on Friday, narrowing the scope of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Under the new rule, U.S. companies are no longer required to submit Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reports, with the exception of foreign companies operating in the U.S. and their foreign beneficial owners. According to The National Law Review, this change significantly reduces the compliance burden, with FinCEN estimating a 99.8% reduction in the number of companies required to report. The rule follows a series of legal challenges to the CTA, including a suspension of enforcement earlier this month. FinCEN is soliciting comments from the public on the interim rule, noting it will assess requested exemptions as appropriate. A final rule is expected this year.

The TBA will host "Serving Service Members, Veterans and Their Families: The Evolving Legal Framework" virtually on April 22 from 11 a.m. to noon CDT. The course will offer an introduction to the state and federal laws governing benefits for service members, veterans and their families in Tennessee. It also will cover ongoing legal issues before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, and the courts regarding federal statutes and regulations related to veterans' claims. For more information and to register, visit TBA's website.

The Corporate Counsel Section will host its annual Corporate Counsel Forum virtually on Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. The event will cover essential topics for in-house attorneys, including the risks of AI use in contract negotiations, complexities of attorney-client privilege for in-house counsel, an employment law update and a Supreme Court update. Corporate Counsel Section members will receive a discount for the program. Not a section member? Join the section to receive additional savings. For more information and to register, visit TBA's website.

The Tennessee Bar Association is still accepting nominations for its 2025 Claudia Jack Award and Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award. The Claudia Jack Award honors an outstanding public defender or court-appointed private practitioner who has served the legal community and their clients in an exemplary fashion. It is named after the late Claudia Jack, a public defender and long-time champion of the poor and underprivileged. The Drowota Award is given to a judge or judicial branch official of a federal, state or local court in Tennessee who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion and dedication to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice as exemplified by the career of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Frank F. Drowota III. The deadline for both nominations is April 4.