Reporters from across the state gathered in Nashville today to learn about open meetings law, investigative journalism and more during the sixth annual Reporters Workshop program, produced jointly by the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters and the Tennessee Press Association Foundation. Participants were selected from applicants interested in developing a deeper understanding of media law issues that may affect their everyday work.

Today's programming included a panel of veteran investigative reporters — Phil Williams from NewsChannel 5, Meribah Knight from WPLN News and Stephen Elliott from the Nashville Banner — moderated by Amy Mohan of Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison. Other speakers were Jennifer Safstrom with Vanderbilt's First Amendment Clinic, who presented on reporter's privilege; a panel moderated by Todd Hambidge from Holland & Knight on public records that included Lisa Davidson and Ashley Rinehart from the Metro Nashville Police Department and Jay Miller from the Administrative Office of the Courts; and Deborah Fisher from Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, who discussed the open records law.

Programming will continue on Saturday with a session featuring an overview of defamation with Safstrom and Ryan Riedmueller from the Vanderbilt First Amendment Clinic and a panel on covering state and local government with Alex Apple from Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell's Office, Steve Cavendish from the Nashville Banner, Holly McCall from the Tennessee Lookout, and Erik Schelzig with State Affairs (Tennessee Journal). That panel will be moderated by Clint Brewer from Imperium Public Strategies. The day will wrap up with a panel moderated by Robb Harvey of Holland & Knight on covering the courts with Judges Valerie Smith and Ana Escobar and Chancellor Anne Martin. See photos from the event. Thanks to this year's sponsors Holland & Knight, Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Womble Bond Dickinson.

Nashville attorney Malcolm Leonard McCune died April 16 at age 78 after a long illness. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School, graduating in 1973 as an associate editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He later earned a masters of business administration from Belmont University. McCune focused his career on complex products liability litigation, practicing with the firms of Maddin, Miller & McCune; Blackburn & McCune; and most recently, McCune, Zenner and Happell. McCune was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates, served as vice president of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, and was a member of the Defense Research Institute. He also coached high school mock court teams. Services will be held May 2 at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 660 Thompson Lane, Nashville, TN 37204.

Memphis-Shelby County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to sue over a state takeover of the district, the Daily Memphian reports. On Wednesday, the House and Senate passed the measure, sending it to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. The plan would give a nine-member, state-appointed board authority over the district through at least 2030, potentially reshaping how Memphis’ approximately 100,000 students are educated, how schools are governed and how roughly $1.7 billion in annual local, state and federal education funding is allocated. The school board argues the measure is unconstitutional and grants “unprecedented authority” over the system. It also directed general counsel Justin Bailey to retain outside counsel. Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, who sponsored the legislation and spoke prior to its passage, said that the measure is not targeted at any particular district.

A record percentage of U.S. law school students landed legal jobs soon after graduating in 2025, according to new American Bar Association (ABA) data, despite reduced hiring for government and public interest jobs, Reuters reports. The percentage of 2025 law degree graduates who landed ‌jobs requiring bar admission within 10 months of leaving campus ticked up one percent from 2024, which also was a record year, to 83%. In total, 31,743 of the 2025 graduates from the 195 ABA-approved or provisionally approved law schools were employed in such roles as of March 16 of this year. The data also ranks employment success by law school with Vanderbilt University Law School coming in at third place behind Cornell Law School and Duke University School of Law. ABA officials noted that reporting changes this year include certain law school-funded positions in the totals, affecting year-over-year comparisons.

The Red Bank City Commission has appointed attorney Bryan Hoss to serve as city judge until a special election on Aug. 6 to fill the remainder of Judge Johnny Houston’s term following his medical disability, Chattanoogan.com reports. Hoss, who had been serving in an interim capacity, said he has picked up qualifying papers and plans to run in the election. Hoss has more than 20 years of legal experience, including work in criminal defense, civil litigation and appellate advocacy. He is a graduate of the McCallie School and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved a recommendation Tuesday to name the courthouse at the Kingsport/Sullivan County Justice Center in honor of the late Judge John S. McLellan III, who died Feb. 11 at the age of 80. A graduate of the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law, McLellan practiced for 24 years as a general practitioner and served as the Sullivan County attorney, city attorney for Mt. Carmel and judge of the Kingsport City Juvenile Court. In 1994, Gov. Ned Ray McWherter appointed him to the 2nd Judicial District Circuit Court, where he served for 30 years. McLellan served as director of the Tennessee Trial Judges Association from 1996-1997 and joined the Court of the Judiciary in 1999. In 2004, his fellow judges elected him president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference. The TimesNews reports that the $14.4 million justice center expansion is expected to modernize court and police facilities and improve safety and accessibility for staff and the public.

The death of a Shelby County Jail inmate last year was caused by a drug overdose, according to an official autopsy report. According to the Daily Memphian, Marcel Hutton was found unresponsive around 7 p.m. CST Dec. 21 and was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Hutton was one of 13 inmates who died at the jail in 2025. He was in custody on a second-degree murder charge related to a 2024 shooting in his Millington home. According to reports, his cellmate said Hutton had been smoking K2 liquid, a form of synthetic marijuana, prior to his death. It remains unclear how drugs and other contraband entered the jail, though guards have been charged with smuggling items inside in the past.

Smyrna attorney Ingrid Klose died April 21 at age 73. Klose earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law and began practicing in 1995. She focused her practice on general civil matters, including estate planning, veterans benefits and limited immigration cases. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Smyrna First Presbyterian Church, 540 Sam Ridley Pkwy. W., Smyrna, TN 37167 or the Smyrna Rotary Club Foundation, P.O. Box 353 Smyrna, TN 37167. Information about a celebration of life at Smyrna Presbyterian Church will be announced when available.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court are accepting nominations for the 2026 Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award until May 8. The annual award is presented to a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the rule of law and the highest standards of the legal profession in Tennessee. This year's award will be presented to a lawyer or judge residing in the Eastern Grand Division. Nominees must be alive when nominations are submitted but they need not be an active member of an American Inn of Court or the TBA. The award will be presented at the TBA's Annual Convention, which will be held in Knoxville June 10-13. See past recipients of the award.

Early bird registration for the TBA’s 2026 Annual Convention ends April 30, and hotel reservations are due by May 8 at 5 p.m. EDT. The convention, set for June 10-13 in downtown Knoxville, will offer annual favorites such as the Public Service Breakfast, Lawyers Luncheon, compelling CLE and swearing in of TBA’s new president, as well as the Wednesday night welcome reception and a Thursday evening reception at Knoxville’s minor league ballpark. This year’s gathering also will include TBA’s first-ever Tech Showcase and lunch and learn opportunities with tech vendors on June 11. Day passes for Thursday are available for those who unable to attend the full convention.