Conventional fraud is all too familiar, including misappropriation of assets (better known as employee theft) and financial statement fraud (Enron, WorldCom and Stanford Financial Group).

However, a type of fraud climbing out from under-the-radar status is non-financial fraudulent statements – false or misleading information produced by an organization to the public or regulatory body.

2. Coupé Works to Protect City’s Most Vulnerable - Thursday, May 02, 2013

As supervising attorney over both the Judge’s Action Center and the Office of Advocate for Noncustodial Parents at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, Tom Coupé works to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are being fairly and equally represented.

3. School Board Approached by Suburbs - Thursday, May 02, 2013

A new round of talks about the schools merger and municipal school districts is about to begin.

And this time, the countywide school board may be at the table.

Countywide school board attorney Valerie Speakman told school board members Tuesday, April 30, that attorneys for the leaders of Shelby County’s six suburban municipalities have sent her a letter about possible talks on issues that go beyond the consent decree governing the merger.

4. School Board Delays Supt. Search, Approves Merger Outsourcing Contracts - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Countywide school board members voted Tuesday, April 30, to move their search for a merger superintendent beyond the August start of the merger.

But the board voted down a resolution asking Memphis Federal Court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays to consider delaying the merger itself.

5. Tribute Symposium Honors Six Local Women - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis paid tribute to six local women at a sold-out luncheon of more than 1,600 attendees on Friday, April 26.

The Legends Awards honor women whose work embodies the mission of the foundation – to support women and children throughout Shelby County.

6. Schools Merger Saga Faces Busy Day - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Countywide school board members will discuss and vote Tuesday, April 30, on starting the process of closing 11 more schools, one agenda item during what promises to be a busy day in the schools consolidation saga.

7. Severance Pay Ups Ante in Auto Inspections Stand-Off - Monday, April 22, 2013

Some on the Memphis City Council weren’t certain Tuesday, April 16, about going ahead with a severance package for the city employees who now work at city-run auto inspection stations.

The council entered the budget season for the new fiscal year that begins July 1 just minutes earlier with Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s budget address.

8. Access to Justice Committee Hosts Free Legal Clinic - Saturday, April 06, 2013

The Access to Justice Committee will hold a free legal clinic April 13 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library from 10 a.m. to noon.

Volunteer attorneys will provide free legal assistance on a range of subjects to clinic participants. The Saturday Legal Clinic is a collaborative effort of the Memphis Bar Association, Memphis Area Legal Services Inc., the Community Legal Center and other nonprofit organizations.

9. Pro Bono Hotline Makes Access Inroads - Friday, April 05, 2013

In the first three months of 2013, nearly 800 Tennesseans have called a toll free hotline for pro bono legal assistance, which is only about 100 fewer inquiries than the state’s online pro bono website averaged over the same period.

10. Access to Justice Commission Hosts Free Legal Clinic - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

The Access to Justice Commission will hold a free legal clinic April 13 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library from 10 a.m. to noon.

Volunteer attorneys will provide free legal assistance on a range of subjects to clinic participants. The Saturday Legal Clinic is a collaborative effort of the Memphis Bar Association, Memphis Area Legal Services Inc., the Community Legal Center and other nonprofit organizations.

11. Court Cuts Fees for Lawyers for TennCare Patients - Thursday, March 21, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A federal appeals court has struck down a significant portion of the $2.57 million in legal fees awarded to attorneys who have represented TennCare patients in a years-long fight with the state of Tennessee.

12. Bradley, Burch Porter Recognized for Pro Bono Work in Community - Thursday, March 21, 2013

Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC and probate attorney Beth Bradley have been honored for giving back to the community.

13. Burch Porter Law Firm Honored for Pro Bono Work - Saturday, March 16, 2013

The Memphis law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC has been recognized for its commitment to providing free legal services.

14. Purifoy’s Police Aspirations Evolve Into Legal Career - Thursday, March 14, 2013

Shayla Purifoy majored in urban studies – a mixture of history, political science and sociology – at Rhodes College. Her senior seminar was on community policing.

“It was so much fun, it was so exciting,” she said about her time spent shadowing police officers on the job. “They were helping people and they really were impacting that area, which was the Madison Heights area.”

15. McIver Celebrates 15 Years at MALS - Thursday, March 14, 2013

Harrison McIver has entered his 15th year as executive director of Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. with a daunting challenge that’s as constant as it is acute.

16. US Citing Security to Censor More Public Records - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration answered more requests from the public to see government records under the Freedom of Information Act last year but more often than ever cited legal exceptions to censor or withhold the material, according to a new analysis by The Associated Press. It frequently cited the need to protect national security and internal deliberations.

17. Burch Porter Law Firm Honored for Pro Bono Work - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Memphis law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC has been recognized for its commitment to providing free legal services.

18. Real Estate Law, Community Work Keep Purdom Busy - Thursday, March 07, 2013

Clay Purdom, director and shareholder with Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC, says he comes from a “numbers family.”

His father and sister are both physicists, and his grandfather was one of the first certified public accountants when the formal licensing process first began.

19. ‘All is Not Lost’ - Thursday, March 07, 2013

Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. has been nationally recognized for its work providing health care services for the homeless population of the Mid-South, helping people like Grace Hilton-Young transform their lives.

20. Understanding HIPAA Privacy Regulations - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

The “final” privacy regulations (Final Rule) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) apply to certain medical data held by health care providers, insurance companies and health plans.

21. Legal Path to Special Master Unclear - Thursday, February 28, 2013

If U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays appoints a special master to oversee the merger of Shelby County’s two public school systems, there are legal questions about how much authority the master would have and precisely what he or she would do to advance the merger’s pace.

22. Keller Named President of Nonprofit Meritan - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Melanie A. Keller has been named president of Meritan Inc. Keller, who joined the nonprofit social services agency in 2006, previously served as its executive vice president. In her new role, she is responsible for oversight of more than 500 employees and contractors as well as the agency’s $21 million annual budget. Keller also manages its quality improvement and strategic planning efforts.

23. Thomson Reuters to Cut 2,500 Jobs - Thursday, February 14, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – News and financial information company Thomson Reuters on Wednesday said it is cutting 2,500 jobs, or about 4 percent of its workforce, this year as it tries to reduce costs and turn around its largest division.

24. Tennessee Judicial System Awaits Changes - Thursday, February 14, 2013

Tennessee’s judicial system is in the midst of a makeover. This week, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey announced the launch of the state’s first judicial redistricting process in nearly 30 years. It follows the state’s recent legislative redistricting process that occurred a little more than a year ago and was led by the General Assembly’s Republican majority.

25. Phillips Joins Spirco as Manager, Vice President - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Mike Phillips has joined Spirco Manufacturing as general manager and vice president of operations. In his new role, Phillips will oversee all divisions of the metal-building manufacturer and direct its organizational needs.

26. County Commission Debates Schools Merger - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners marked the two-year anniversary Monday, Feb. 11, of the federal lawsuit over schools consolidation and municipal school districts with a running debate across several items about the upcoming schools merger.

27. Caraway Certified as Million Dollar Advocate - Saturday, February 09, 2013

Kirk Caraway, an attorney with Allen, Summers, Simpson, Lillie & Gresham PLLC, has been certified as a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

28. Caraway Certified as Million Dollar Advocate - Thursday, February 07, 2013

Kirk Caraway, an attorney with Allen, Summers, Simpson, Lillie & Gresham PLLC, has been certified as a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

29. Memphis Law Firm Now Part of Regional Practice - Thursday, February 07, 2013

Rebecca Adelman’s new law firm launched Jan. 1 after a group of attorneys left one firm to start a new practice with her.

30. Vaco Memphis Adds Two Divisions - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Vaco has added two new divisions to its Memphis office, growth partners of the consulting and placement firm say is an organic extension of its service offerings.

Vaco – a Nashville-based staffing firm that provides candidates for positions in finance, accounting, technology and logistics – has recently launched a new division, Vaco Operations, which will be focused on recruiting human resources, sales, marketing and executive assistants.

31. Mayor, Banks Revive Program Targeting City’s Unbanked - Monday, February 04, 2013

It started with a letter. More than two dozen of them, actually. Bankers from around Memphis got a missive from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. in 2010 that solicited help from bankers like Joe DiNicolantonio, West Tennessee area president for Regions Bank.

32. Lender Processing Paying $121 Million to Resolve Claims - Friday, February 01, 2013

One of the biggest U.S. mortgage processing companies has agreed to pay $121 million to resolve states' claims that it wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.

33. Bailey Finds Ideal Job With Community Legal Center - Thursday, January 31, 2013

At the beginning of January, Johnna Bailey began work as immigration attorney for the Community Legal Center, a resource for the working poor.

“It’s defined as those who are just above the poverty line, meaning that legal aid would not serve them, but it’s still too expensive for them to hire a private attorney,” Bailey said.

34. Court Reform Must Also Have Proper Funding - Saturday, January 26, 2013

It is not the luck of the draw that the two major funding challenges for Shelby County government in the coming budget season involve the development of our young people.

In the fiscal year that begins July 1, the county budget becomes the sole source of local government funding for the consolidated school system and in that same budget must be found the additional dollars for a restructuring of Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court.

35. Due Process - Saturday, January 26, 2013

One at a time. That is the most noticeable change so far at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court as a result of a landmark settlement in November with the U.S. Justice Department. The children before the court come before the court magistrates one at a time. No more groups of juvenile defendants waiting for their case to come up as other cases are being heard.

36. Construction Nears for Crews Ventures Lab - Friday, January 18, 2013

Construction is about to get under way on the University of Memphis’ Crews Ventures Lab, a business startup facilitator and incubator that will expand the possibilities available to the school’s entrepreneurially minded students.

37. Citizens Panel: Children's Services Failed Timely Response - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A citizens group that makes recommendations to Tennessee Department of Children's Services says the state office did not respond for more than a year to some it its suggestions.

38. Diversified Trust Hires Associate Counsel - Thursday, January 10, 2013

In the financial services world, the compliance work overseen by legal counsel has grown in prominence and importance.

Banks and investment firms have been dealt a slew of new regulations – so much so that some small banks in Memphis and beyond say they’re now at the limit of the compliance costs they’re able to pay for. For other firms, expanding the company infrastructure to include new compliance and legal capabilities is a natural byproduct of business growth and staff additions.

39. Tennessee Fights Transparency for Child Welfare Agency - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Tennessee Department of Children's Service has been reporting to a federal court for more than a decade on how it is handling foster care, yet it faces no such scrutiny of its handling of children suffering from abuse or neglect.

40. Google Emerges From Federal Probe Relatively Unscathed - Monday, January 07, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Google has settled a U.S. government probe into its business practices without making any major concessions on how the company runs its Internet search engine, the world's most influential gateway to digital information and commerce.

41. Turning the Page - Saturday, December 29, 2012

It’s that time of year again. It’s that time when journalists across the fruited plain collectively try and make God laugh – with our prognostications, of course, about the year ahead and of what might be.

42. Groups: $12 Million Mystery Donation was Crime - Friday, December 21, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Two election watchdog organizations on Thursday urged the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission to investigate more than $12 million in campaign contributions that were mysteriously funneled through two little-known companies in Tennessee to a prominent tea party group. The origin of the money, the largest anonymous political donations in a campaign year filled with them, remains a secret.

43. Consider a Revocable Living Trust - Thursday, December 20, 2012

Ray’s Take The main advantage touted for having a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) is to avoid probate, but its strengths go far beyond that.

An RLT is a legal document created by an individual to hold all or part of his or her assets. Typically the owner of these assets is also the Trustee, retaining complete control over how these assets are handled and along with the having ability to make changes to the Trust as needed. Trust directives can even extend beyond the grave.

44. Software Industry Braces for New Phone Apps Rules - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A cellphone game for kids about U.S. geography, "Stack the States," gets rave reviews from parents. Its creator, Dan Russell-Pinson, considered making the 99-cent app better by adding a feature to allow children to play online against one another. But with the Federal Trade Commission issuing more stringent online child privacy rules, he's not even pursuing the idea.

45. Memphis Bar Association Announces New Positions - Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Memphis Bar Association has its new officers for 2013.

Linda Warren Seely, director of private attorney involvement with Memphis Area Legal Services Inc., is the 2013 president. Kirk Caraway, an attorney with Allen, Summers, Simpson, Lillie & Gresham PLLC, is the new vice president. Tommy Parker, an attorney with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC is the new secretary/treasurer.

46. Wage Theft Ordinance Causes Concern - Monday, December 17, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners take what is expected to be their next-to-last vote Monday, Dec. 17, on a “wage theft” ordinance that will probably be amended as it faces organized resistance from the local restaurant and hospitality industries.

47. Serving Warriors - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

In November 2006, then-U.S. Army Spc. Susan Downes was serving as a military police officer in Afghanistan’s Logar Province when her Humvee drove over an improvised explosive device.

“The truck jerked and that’s really all I remember,” said the Tazewell, Tenn., veteran. “The next thing I knew, doctors in Germany were waking me up from a medically induced coma to tell me I had lost both my legs.”

48. Crews Ventures Lab Close to 2013 Launch - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The University of Memphis’ Crews Ventures Lab program, a business start-up facilitator and incubator, is well on its way toward launching in 2013.

Already the program, which is still in the development stage, nearly has reached its $2 million fundraising goal. It’s also opening a dedicated space in August, which will provide a place for University of Memphis-based technology startups to be built and launched.

49. Memphis Bar Association Announces New Positions - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Memphis Bar Association has its new officers for 2013.

Linda Warren Seely, director of private attorney involvement with Memphis Area Legal Services Inc., is the 2013 president. Kirk Caraway, an attorney with Allen, Summers, Simpson, Lillie & Gresham PLLC, is the new vice president. Tommy Parker, an attorney with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC is the new secretary/treasurer.

50. Shadowy Tennessee Donor Behind Record Campaign Contributions - Monday, December 10, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A lawyer in Tennessee who is mysteriously linked to millions of dollars in campaign contributions steered to congressional candidates doubled his investments in the weeks before Election Day and quietly funneled $6.8 million more to a prominent Tea Party group, according to new financial statements filed with the government.

51. RedRover Co. Receives Pro Bono Service Award - Saturday, December 08, 2012

Memphis sales and marketing firm RedRover Co. was one of 10 Pro Bono award recipients at a recent recognition event in Downtown Memphis as part of Celebrate Pro Bono Month in October.

52. RedRover Co. Receives Pro Bono Service Award - Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Memphis sales and marketing firm RedRover Co. was one of 10 Pro Bono award recipients at a recent recognition event in Downtown Memphis as part of Celebrate Pro Bono Month in October.

53. Council Ordinance Addresses Blight - Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Memphis City Council members take a final vote Tuesday, Dec. 4, on an ordinance that requires property owners to keep their names and mailing addresses on record with the city.

The proposal, up for third and final reading, is designed to make it easier for the city to determine the ownership of vacant or abandoned property and notify the owners of code violations and serve them with legal notice should the city take them to court for the violations.

54. Supreme Court: Who Counts as a Supervisor? - Tuesday, November 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – When does your coworker also count as your supervisor? The Supreme Court may make a final decision on whether to draw a legal line between work colleagues and work managers, at least when it comes to harassment and retaliation claims.

55. Scharff Elected to Legal Roles at Buckman, Bulab Holdings - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Jonathan Scharff has been elected vice president, legal and general counsel for Buckman and corporate secretary for Bulab Holdings Inc., Buckman’s parent company. Scharff has more than 22 years’ experience in the legal industry, including positions at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale PC in St. Louis and Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC in Memphis. In his new position, he will oversee legal needs in U.S. and global operating companies and work with associates in preventing and managing legal risks.

56. Blaylock Honored as Fellow in Memphis Bar Foundation - Thursday, November 15, 2012

David Blaylock grew up in Smalltown, America. Oxford, Miss., to be exact, on the historic square in his father’s shop, Blaylock Drug Store, the current home of Square Books.

57. Ben F. Jones Law Chapter Chooses Officers - Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Ben F. Jones chapter of the National Bar Association has tapped new officers and board members for 2013. And the group’s president-elect talks about the group’s work in a way that heralds a continuing service to the Memphis community.

58. Events - Friday, November 09, 2012

Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division will host the 14th annual Business of Service Conference Friday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the MLGW training center, 4949 Raleigh LaGrange Road. The conference provides training and networking for grassroots community leaders. Cost is $5. Register at mlgw.com/serviceleaders or 528-4820.

59. Consider a Family Limited Partnership - Thursday, November 08, 2012

Ray’s Take A Family Limited Partnership (FLP) can not only be a good idea for reducing estate taxes, it can also bring a number of other advantages.

60. Portrait Unveiling Scheduled for Longtime Judge - Thursday, November 08, 2012

George Brown, who graduated from Booker T. Washington in 1956, grew up in a Memphis that still was years away from stamping out the last vestiges of segregation.

61. Memphis Area Legal Services Relies on City’s Legal Community - Monday, November 05, 2012

The description of Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. as a law firm works in some ways.

But unlike conventional law firms, the attorneys work with clients across several institutional boundaries that might not ordinarily be part of the services offered by a conventional law firm.

62. Legal Aid Society Launches New Tennessee Initiative - Monday, November 05, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Legal Aid Society has launched a new initiative to help Tennessee homeowners dealing with foreclosure and mortgage rescue scams.

The expanded project is funded through an agreement with the state attorney general's office.

63. Being First Integral to Success for May, Alpha Reporting - Monday, November 05, 2012

Kathy May was on her way to becoming a dental hygienist when she got diverted while driving to an early morning class.

“There was an advertisement that came on the radio that said, ‘Set your own hours. Be your own boss and determine your own salary – be a court reporter,’” May said of a career that began with taking classes from Mid-South Court Reporting School in 1974.

64. Legal Community Seeks Access, Diversity - Monday, November 05, 2012

Diversity and access to justice are some of the watchwords often heard around Memphis legal circles these days.

Diversity, because of the continued concern that both men and women get equal shots at advancing up the ranks from law school all the way to the corner office. Access to justice, because of everything from the recession’s grinding toll to the ever-present scars of poverty in Memphis that all combine to make legal problems harder than ever to pay for.

65. Seely Sees Career at Memphis Area Legal Services as ‘Mission Work’ - Thursday, November 01, 2012

October was National Pro Bono Month in the legal profession, a time when attorneys are urged to use their knowledge for the greater good and help those in need.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has written that “a lawyer should aspire to render at least 50 hours of pro bono publico legal services per year.”

66. Bar Foundation Keeps Steering Money to Causes - Thursday, November 01, 2012

Since 2010, the Memphis Bar Foundation has provided $124,000 in grants to two dozen Memphis-area local causes.

It’s a total that’s noteworthy on a few fronts. One reason is in two of the last three years, the foundation – the charitable arm of the Memphis Bar Association – gave away the largest amount of grants in the foundation’s history.

67. Hospital Liens Escalate in Third Quarter - Monday, October 22, 2012

Circuit Court filings for the third quarter of 2012 were up from a year ago while Chancery and Probate Court filings were down.

The filings for the three civil courts, as followed by The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com, also included a spike in hospital liens filed in Circuit Court.

68. Nightmare Election Scenarios Worry Both Parties - Friday, October 19, 2012

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Here in a county that knows a thing or two about Election Day meltdowns, both parties are fretting over what might go seriously wrong before, during or just after the Nov. 6 presidential election.

69. Diverse Career Brings Spickler Back to Public Defender’s Office - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Upon graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2000, Josh Spickler took a fortuitous first step into his legal career with the Shelby County’s Office of Public Defender under A C Wharton Jr.

70. Morgan Stanley Facing Discrimination Lawsuit - Tuesday, October 16, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Morgan Stanley is being accused of discriminating against black homeowners and violating federal civil rights laws by providing strong incentives to a subprime lender to originate mortgages that were likely to go unrepaid.

71. McNabb Turns Past of Adjectives to Legal World of Nouns, Verbs - Thursday, October 11, 2012

If not for a burst of pragmatism, Leland McNabb of McNabb Bragorgos & Burgess PLLC, may have become a successful poet instead of a successful litigator.

72. Appeals Court Overturns $82 Million Medicare Fraud Judgment - Monday, October 08, 2012

A federal appeals court on Friday overturned an $82.6 million judgment against three companies, saying businesses did not know they were violating Medicare's rules concerning the submission of bills for payment.

73. Holder Marks Meredith Anniversary in Oxford - Monday, October 01, 2012

Civil rights cases pursued by the U.S. Justice Department are defined differently than they were 50 years ago when department attorneys were literally by James Meredith’s side during the integration of the University of Mississippi.

74. Downtown Memphis Commission Celebrates Progress - Monday, October 01, 2012

There was bicycle-powered smoothie preparation, an aerial circus-style art show, Beale Street Flippers, live music outside, a disc jockey inside, and food and drinks from Downtown restaurants and suppliers.

75. Schools Case Continues in Federal Court - Thursday, September 20, 2012

When U.S. District Court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays resumes his hearing on municipal school districts, Thursday, Sept. 20, he will already have a desk full of reports, documents and depositions to consider.

76. AP IMPACT: Aggressive Start for Consumer Bureau - Thursday, September 13, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The new federal agency charged with enforcing consumer finance laws is emerging as an ambitious sheriff, taking on companies for deceptive fees and marketing and unmoved by protests that its tactics go too far.

77. Weinreich Switches Gears at College of Optometry - Thursday, September 13, 2012

An attorney by profession, Christine Weinreich recently switched gears, taking on the role of director of corporate and foundation relations for the Southern College of Optometry, an independent, nonprofit academic institution at 1245 Madison Ave.

78. Board Looks to ‘Inconvenient Circumstances’ - Thursday, September 13, 2012

As Bartlett aldermen approved additional legal expenses Tuesday, Sept. 11, in the Memphis federal court fight over municipal school districts, countywide school board members elected in the Aug. 2 elections and two new board members appointed Monday by the Shelby County Commission took their oaths of office.

79. Wilson Auto Group Affiliate Buys Byhalia Road Acreage - Tuesday, September 11, 2012

4.9 acres at Tenn. 385
And Byhalia Road

Sale Amount: $1.4 million (Bumpus Properties); $625,000 (Boshwit Bros.)

Sale Date: Aug. 21, 2012

Buyer: Wilson Real Estate LLC

80. Luttrell: Merger Process Must Move Faster - Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell says the countywide school board isn’t moving fast enough on the transition to the August 2013 merger of Shelby County’s two public school system.

81. Luttrell to Reassess Local Air Quality - Friday, September 07, 2012

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell is about to examine county government’s entire approach to air quality issues after the Memphis City Council voted last month to cut all city funding for vehicle inspections at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.

82. Pro Bono Requirement Added For Law Students - Thursday, August 30, 2012

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law has been making some changes to the school’s curriculum that better reflect, and help prepare students for, the changing nature of the legal profession.

83. Robinson’s Memphis Roots At Center of Career - Thursday, August 23, 2012

It could be said a passion for the Bluff City runs deep in fourth-generation Memphian Daniel T. Robinson Jr., who practices corporate law as an attorney with Evans Petree PC, a 105-year-old Memphis law firm.

84. Funding Cut Underscores Gov. Divide - Thursday, August 23, 2012

Consider this the latest dust-up on the city-county government divide. Some Memphis City Council members who voted this week to end city funding for vehicle inspections at the end of June 2013 see the decision as one in a series of challenges to the long-held definition of what city government does and what county government does.

85. Council Approves Cut of City Funding For Vehicle Inspections - Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Memphis City Council members voted Tuesday, Aug. 21, to end city funding for vehicle inspections at the end of June 2013.

The 10-2 council vote followed months of discussion among council members about Shelby County government or the state of Tennessee assuming responsibility for the car and truck inspections.

86. Kelsey, McManus Seek Opinion On South Cordova - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Two state legislators from Shelby County have requested a legal opinion from Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper on the recent annexation of South Cordova by the city of Memphis.

87. Law Career Lets Gee Fulfill Mission of Helping People - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Peter Gee Jr. was recently named a partner with the Memphis office of Morgan & Morgan, one of the Southeast’s largest consumer protection and injury law firms.

The firm, which branched off from The Cochran Firm, has multiple offices throughout the Southeast, and its attorneys handle auto accident, personal injury and medical malpractice cases, as well as claims against drug and medical device manufacturers.

88. MALS History Stretches Far Back - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Context for a capital drive launched by Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. to pull the organization back from the financial brink can be found in MALS’ history, including its formation in the wake of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

89. Literacy Mid-South Seeks New Volunteers - Monday, August 13, 2012

Literacy Mid-South is in dire need of volunteers to accommodate the influx of adult students who’ve responded to the organization’s outreach efforts.

The mission of the nonprofit, based at 902 S. Cooper St., is to maximize the impact of child and adult literacy and learning through advocacy, research, family literacy workshops and resource development.

90. Business Focus - Monday, August 13, 2012

Memphis’ small-business community got a shot in the arm earlier this month.

Tennessee’s three-day sales tax holiday ran from Aug. 3 through Aug. 5, and it drew shoppers to retailers that carry certain clothing items, school supplies and computers.

91. Finding Inspiration In an Ad - Friday, August 10, 2012

ADVERTISING. YOU GOTTA LOVE IT. From time to time, I’ve been invited to lecture on advertising, copywriting and the creative process in college classrooms – as opposed to the uninvited lectures I’ve given in all kinds of rooms. I tell students that advertising is a terrible business made up of itty-bitty margins, great big egos, volcanic eruptions and Richter 8 earthquakes – and those are just the staff meetings. I tell them it’s a constant emotional roller coaster of soaring ups and crushing downs, of inspired thought and amazing idiocy – and that’s all before lunch.

92. Glankler Brown’s Humphreys Carrying on Family Name - Thursday, August 09, 2012

R. Hunter Humphreys Jr. considers himself a rare breed of law student – one that didn’t want to pursue a legal career in litigation.

Now an associate at Glankler Brown PLLC, Humphreys specializes in secured lending, commercial and residential real estate and general business transactions. He occasionally makes an appearance in Probate Court, but his practice does not typically require much courtroom activity.

93. MALS Capital Drive Under Way - Thursday, August 09, 2012

Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. exists to provide crucial legal help and representation to needy Memphians.

94. Gov't Report: Tax Cheats Getting Paid by Medicaid - Friday, August 03, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Thousands of Medicaid health care service providers still got paid by the government even though they owed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal taxes, congressional investigators say. A legal technicality is making it harder for the IRS to collect.

95. Providing Hope, Healing - Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Last week we spotlighted the efforts of the Soulsville Foundation, which funds and operates The Soulsville Charter School, the Stax Music Academy, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. This week let us turn our attention to an organization focused on providing one location that effectively combines civil, criminal, health and social services for victims of domestic violence: the Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County.

96. Baker Donelson Lawyers Support Startup Programs - Thursday, July 26, 2012

The budding Memphis-area business accelerator programs Seed Hatchery and ZeroTo510 are continuing to pick up steam as they work to attract new investment and entrepreneurs with a knack for the hustle.

97. Startup Weekend Helps Bring Ideas to Life - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

In LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman’s recent book “The Startup of You,” he recalls a billboard in Silicon Valley that asks passers-by – many of them presumably being startup founders – a simply question: What makes you so special?

98. Breaking Barriers - Friday, July 20, 2012

It seems simple. Match the homeless with homes.

The problem becomes more complex once one starts trying to carry out what quickly becomes a not so simple process.

For the last year, the city’s Community Alliance for the Homeless has been forming the framework for that – a system that will begin with those who most urgently need to get off the streets and work through making that stability long term and then to heading off homelessness before it begins.

99. Former Principal Charged in Exam Scandal - Thursday, July 12, 2012

For 15 years Clarence Mumford, a one-time assistant principal in the Memphis City Schools system and later a teacher in Tunica County schools, allegedly helped unqualified teachers pass the PRAXIS teacher exams required to teach in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi by getting others to take the test in their names.

100. More Tenn. Lawyers Doing Pro Bono Work - Thursday, July 12, 2012

More attorneys in Tennessee are performing free, or pro bono, work for clients. That’s according to new data from the state Board of Professional Responsibility, which show that more than 46 percent of Tennessee attorneys reported performing pro bono work for deserving clients.