Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expedite resources under his Major Disaster Declaration to assist Tennessee’s storm and flood victims. If the request is granted, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties will receive public assistance and individual assistance on top of the federal assistance that has already been authorized. Lee surveyed storm damage and met with local officials in affected areas of East Tennessee this week, KnoxNews reports. The TBA has resources for lawyers who need assistance and those wanting to help colleagues. Access more information about those opportunities.

Terrance McNeil, an assistant professor at Tennessee State University’s College of Education, has been appointed chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of State and Local Government Law's Public Education Committee. McNeil, who has a focus in educational leadership, will serve in the role until August 2025. With more than 20 years in K-12 and higher education, McNeil has experience in program coordination, curriculum development and grant writing, according to a press release from the group. McNeil received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in political science and a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Florida A&M University. The ABA Section of State and Local Government Law serves as a resource for lawyers involved in urban, state and local government law and policy.

A Nashville attorney is suing the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, challenging the court’s use of gag orders that restrict attorneys from speaking to the media about ongoing litigation. Daniel Horwitz, represented by the Institute for Justice, argues that the court’s Local Rule 83.04, which governs attorney statements, is unconstitutional and places an unfair burden on attorneys to prove their speech will not harm proceedings. According to the Nashville Banner, Horwitz believes the rule is particularly problematic in cases involving government contractors, such as his recent lawsuit against CoreCivic over a wrongful death case at Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility. Core Civic filed a motion to invoke the rule against Horwitz, which a federal magistrate granted and then required Horwitz to delete social media posts related to the case.

For any lawyer considering or planning on going out on their own, the TBA offers discounted access to a customized service that provides recommendations for starting a firm. The process starts with discovery calls to learn about the practice, the software previously used, along with many other details, and ends with a recommendations report. The report includes advice on computers, servers, cloud services, email, printing, scanning, phones, matter management and billing software, pdf creation software, branding process design, website development and more. Learn more about the service in the Expert Advice section of TBA’s Law Firm in a Box under the heading "New Firm Launch."

TBA’s Group Health Insurance, provided by BlueCross BlueShield, offers guaranteed issue coverage, with no health questions and no pre-existing condition exclusions. The Mt. Juliet law firm Burrow Lee made the switch. Here is what attorney Jason Lee says about the program: “My small firm switched to the TBA’s group health insurance coverage a few years ago and this has provided us with significant savings for health insurance costs. We have been pleased with this program, which essentially kept our insurance coverage the same, but with a significant savings. I encourage other Tennessee law firms to at least look at the proposal to see if it makes financial sense. The transition was smooth, and we have not had any issues with the program. Find out more or get your quote now.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced that it would work with East Tennessee Drivers Services Centers to distribute duplicate licenses or state IDs to anyone who lost those documents in flooding following Hurricane Helene. KnoxNews reports that flood victims can go to the Unicoi Police Department, 3600 Unicoi Dr., Unicoi 37692 or Newport Grammar School, 301 College St., Newport 37821, now through Oct. 4 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT to seek replacements. According to the paper, the state expects to announce more of these "temporary driver services locations" soon.

The state of Colorado has agreed to pay more than $1.5 million in legal fees to web designer Lorie Smith after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2023 that the right to free speech allows some businesses to refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings, according to Reuters. An attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, a faith-based legal advocacy organization that pursues lawsuits related to religious liberty, said, "Our clients Lorie Smith and her design studio, 303 Creative ... achieved a landmark victory ... that helps to protect all Americans’ freedom of speech from government censorship and coercion."

The Biden administration on Monday announced it would implement changes to the asylum claims process at the U.S.-Mexico border. The plan extends the period in which average border crossings must be below an average of 1,500 before allowing new asylum claims. An interim plan put in place in June allowed for new claims if the seven-day average dropped below 1,500. The change extends that timeframe to 28 days. The Department of Homeland Security says the policy is designed to avoid "volatility" at the border. Reuters reports on the story. The ACLU sued the administration over the June policy and says it also opposes this new change.

Four Vanderbilt Law School professors are among the 20 most-cited Administrative and/or Environmental Law faculty in the U.S. for the period 2019-2023 — more than any other U.S. law school. The school reports that J.B. Ruhl, Lisa Schultz Bressman, Jim Rossi and Kevin Stack rank eighth, 10th, 13th and 19th respectively, according to the latest scholarly impact study by Gregory Sisk at the University of St. Thomas. The professors have collaborated with one another on several publications, including "The Regulatory State," a textbook on statutory interpretation and administrative lawmaking co-authored by Bressman, Stack and Rubin.

TBA's BarBuzz podcast is back with a new episode featuring TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. Lanquist, who is serving as the 144th president of the association, sat down with Executive Director Sheree Wright to discuss his goals for his year as president, the importance of indigent representation, the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the legal field and more. Tune in to hear Lanquist’s insights and perspectives on the legal profession. BarBuzz is a monthly show that recaps legal happenings from across Tennessee, upcoming events at the bar, attorney shout outs and more. It is available on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find past episodes at the BarBuzz archive.