The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) recently published a second proposed rule updating the definition of “waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”). This alert briefly describes the proposed changes, why it happened, and next steps.

Despite receiving the endorsement of the Big Ten Conference (“Big Ten”) and the Southeastern Conference (“SEC”) in early August of this year, the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (S. 4668), a bill introduced with bipartisan support that would establish a national framework for college athletics, did not get a floor vote in the U.S. Senate before its annual August recess. Meanwhile, the complicated ecosystem surrounding college sports continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, with consequential battles to define the new normal for universities, student-athletes, and other constituencies being fought in statehouses and courtrooms rather than on the playing fields. Attorneys Brian Cromer and Daniel Boswell take a look at the Act in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.

When a construction project goes sideways, a mechanic’s lien can be one of the most powerful tools available to secure payment. Tennessee law provides contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and other project participants with lien rights, but those rights must be carefully preserved. Tennessee’s statutes establish detailed requirements governing perfection, enforcement, and release of mechanic’s liens. Unfortunately, many lien claims fail not because the claim is invalid, but because procedural requirements were not followed. Construction attorney Ann Murphy takes a look at those requirements in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.