The Knoxville City Council approved a $27.6 million expansion of its police surveillance contract last week, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The agreement extends the Knoxville Police Department’s partnership with Axon Enterprises for the next decade. Axon currently provides the department with body cameras and taser equipment. The new proposal includes expanding the agreement to incorporate a records management system, services to support the department's new Real Time Information Center and additional citywide cameras. It also will include adoption of Axon’s Fusus software, which, according to the company, integrates various data sources, allowing officers to stream video monitoring, respond to incidents more efficiently, and share real-time updates with other first responders. The city council approved the contract by a 7-2 vote, a month after Nashville rejected a similar proposal.

Tennessee lawmakers are set to reconvene in Nashville tomorrow for the 114th General Assembly. Nashville Public Radio looks at some of the key issues expected to be considered during the session, including Gov. Bill Lee's proposal to expand a school voucher program, policies against hate speech, proposed bills to eliminate the grocery tax, and measures related to contraceptives, IVF and abortion. As previously reported, Lee may call a special session to address both the voucher program and disaster relief for northeast Tennessee. The Tennessean has a profile of the 12 new members taking office.

Belmont Law is looking for volunteers for a wills clinic at the Belmont Ministry Center, 2005 12th Ave. S, Nashville 37204, on Jan. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. CST. At this clinic, volunteers will be helping clients fill out simple wills and powers of attorney alongside Belmont law students. Contact Ginny Blake if you would like to volunteer.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with a group of state co-plaintiffs, has expanded an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage Inc. to six more of the nation’s largest landlords. According to the Nashville Business Journal, the expanded case accuses all of the companies of harming renters. The complaint alleges the landlords "actively participated in a scheme" to set rents based on each other’s competitively sensitive information through shared pricing algorithms. At least two of the landlords named in the complaint deny the allegations and plan to defend against the claims. Tennessee had joined the original federal antitrust lawsuit against RealPage in August.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will hold an Essential Documents for Essential Workers (EDEW) clinic on March 3 for Sumner County police officers from 9 a.m. to noon CST at the Sumner County Sheriff's Office, located at 117 W. Smith St., Gallatin 37066. Contact Grace Burnett to volunteer or for more information.

KPMG, a global network of independent firms offering audit, tax and advisory services, is seeking to launch a new legal services business in the United States, leveraging the relaxed law firm ownership rules in Arizona, according to Reuters. KPMG Law US, a subsidiary of KPMG US, has applied to the Arizona Supreme Court to operate as an alternative business structure under a state program that allows non-lawyers to co-own law firms. The Arizona location would offer compliance, contract-related services and other outsourced legal work. A committee will review the application at a meeting tomorrow. If approved, the application then will go to the court for final approval. In 2020, Arizona became the first state to lift restrictions on non-lawyers owning an economic interest in law firms, allowing co-ownership with court approval. Since 2021, the Arizona court has approved more than 100 alternative legal business structures.

Free Legal Answers, the American Bar Association's (ABA) virtual legal clinic program, has surpassed 400,000 total questions answered since its inception in 2016. In 2024, the program provided over 16,500 hours of pro bono service, assisting with family law, housing, consumer rights, employment and civil rights questions. The program, which has over 15,000 registered volunteers and is available in 42 states and territories, allows eligible users to post questions and receive answers to civil legal issues. Baker Donelson created and continues to maintain the portal in collaboration with the ABA. Originally launched in 2009 as Online Tennessee Justice to serve low-income individuals, the initiative has expanded into a nationwide program under the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. See the most recent program report for more information. 

Those interested in serving on the TBA Board of Governors or House of Delegates, or as a TBA delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates, should apply by the end of the day this Wednesday, Jan. 15. Open positions include TBA's vice president (must be from middle Tennessee this year); district governors in two districts and grand division governors on the TBA Board; certain members of the TBA House of Delegates; and two Tennessee representatives to the ABA House of Delegates, one of whom must be a young lawyer. The 2025 Election Notice has more information on the open positions, including the qualifications for each and the process for applying. Questions? Visit the TBA’s election guidelines webpage.

The Memphis Bar Association's (MBA) Second Saturday Legal Advice Clinic originally scheduled for tomorrow has been canceled due to inclement weather. The clinic will next be held on the second Saturday in February. To sponsor a future clinic, contact Mary Ann Upchurch at maupchurch@memphisbar.org. Questions about the clinic should be directed to Memphis Area Legal Services Pro Bono Managing Attorney Heather Staggs at hstaggs@malsi.org.

This week's installment of TBA's Indigent Representation Primer is now available. The new post provides more information about the role, responsibilities and resources for guardians ad litem (GALs), including the obligation to advocate for the best interests of a child, ensuring their needs are fully considered in legal decisions. In many instances, family law cases can be complex and emotionally charged; a GAL ensures that decisions are made based on the child’s needs, rather than the adult participants’ desires. Often the cases the GAL is involved with include not only legal problems, but also social, economic or health issues that may be relevant. In Tennessee, Supreme Court Rule 40 sets forth guidelines and responsibilities of GALs in juvenile court neglect, abuse and dependency proceedings, including special considerations when a child's best interests are in conflict with their expressed wishes. Read all past primer posts.