Knoxville Bar Association will host Ethics Bowl XVIII combined with the Taylor Swift Eras Tour on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 1-4:15 p.m. at the main assembly room City County Building.

Featured Teams Representing Taylor Swift Albums (pictured above, top, from left; bottom, from left)

  • Debut: Emily Taylor & Taylor Forrester
  • Red: Loretta Cravens & Laura Metcalf
  • 1989: Hon. William Ailor & Bryce Fitzgerald
  • Lover: Hon. Tyler Caviness & Christy Caviness
  • Folklore: Kelly Street & Edward “Tripp” White III
  • The Tortured Poet Department: Robert Pryor & Angelia Nystrom

Attorneys can earn CLE credit. Register here.

TN case at supreme court

Wednesday, December 4, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a Tennessee case, United States v. Skrmetti.

Tennessee Attorney Gen. Jonathan Skrmetti is defending a 2023 Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care, like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, for transgender patients who are minors. The government intervened in the case and is a party along with three transgender teens and their parents, per Joyce Vance at Civil Discourse.

A federal judge agreed that the law violated the teens’ rights because similar medical treatment is available for minors who are gender conforming. The Court of Appeals reversed, and the plaintiffs and the government petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case. Twenty-five other Republican dominated states have similar laws, according to Vance.

Skrmetti has been vigorous in enforcing the state law, including his request for medical records from Vanderbilt University Medical Center which were given. See more about this in an interview with Phil Williams from Nashville NewsChannel 5 here.

Ed Lanquist heads TBA

Ed Lanquist

Nashville attorney Ed Lanquist is president of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA). He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1988 and today is a shareholder in Baker Donelson.

He credits the College of Law with laying a solid foundation to support his work and service.

“The education I received was as much practical as theoretical – and that practical approach really helped prepare me for my career.”

Biden Pardons His Son, Hunter

I read it first in a story by Ryan Bort in Rolling Stone. “President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has signed a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, who is guilty of federal tax and gun crimes.”

Biden said it is clear Hunter was “treated differently” that others who committed similar crimes. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong.” Full text of Biden statement.

TN Sen. Hagerty supports Kash Patel

Bill Hagerty

On Meet the Press Sunday, Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty pledged support for Kash Patel to head the FBI.

“He represents the type of change that we need to see in the FBI,” Hagerty told moderator Kristen Welker.

“This entire agency needs to be cleaned out. It’s not doing its job,” Hagerty said, claiming that FBI leadership “conspired to try to keep President Trump out of office” and then “put together this fake Russia-gate investigation.”

John Bolton, Trump’s former national security advisor, said Patel should be rejected by the U.S. Senate 100-0, in an interview on CNN.

A student of modern history will recall how former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had Democrats tied in knots. Lyndon Johnson was quoted as saying, “We’re better off having him inside the tent (spitting) out, than outside spitting in.”

John F. Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, were on a collision course with Hoover. Yet neither Johnson nor Kennedy fired him. Hoover served 48 years and died in his sleep.

Veterans legal advice clinic is December 11

Knoxville Bar Association and Legal Aid of East Tennessee are offering an in-person free Legal Advice Clinic on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty Street, Knoxville.

Veterans who are not able to attend in person can continue to use the telephone clinic option. Preregistration is required for telephone clinic and veterans are asked to call Legal Aid of East Tennessee at 865-637-0484 to preregister.