The Commercial Appeal is reporting that three TACOnganas food truck employees taken into custody Monday were arrested as part of an investigation into potential labor trafficking. A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reads as follows: “ICE HSI Memphis [arrested] three Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the U.S. as part of a work site enforcement operation. This operation was based on information received related to potential labor trafficking. Two of the three men arrested had prior criminal convictions for immigration related violations." The paper reports that the Department of Labor has been investigating the company since November 2022. TACOnganas released a statement on Monday that it "complies with federal and local immigration laws."

Knoxville lawyer Herbert S. Sanger Jr. died Feb. 9 at the age of 88. A graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law, Sanger spent the bulk of his career working for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), where he started as a staff attorney and rose through the ranks to become deputy general counsel, associate general counsel and finally general counsel in 1975. He served as board chair of the TVA Retirement System from 1975 to 1986. In 1986, Sanger transitioned to private practice, joining the law firm of Wagner, Myers & Sanger. He also served as an assistant professor of administrative law at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Sanger retired after 57 years of practicing law. Services were held today in Fountain City. Memorial donations may be made to the Beckly Area Foundation’s Oak Hill High School Alumni Association under the Shelton and Rita Sanger Fund, 1210 S Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has transferred the law license of Blount County lawyer Horace Maynard Brown III to disability inactive status after finding that he “is currently incapacitated from continuing the practice of law.” Brown will remain on inactive status until further order of the court. He may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the court for reinstatement by showing the disability has been removed.

The TBA will launch an upgraded legal research tool for members on March 4 following the merger of longstanding TBA member benefit partner Fastcase with global legal intelligence platform vLex. The enhanced tool will continue to offer free and unlimited access to all materials currently available through Fastcase, but also include new benefits such as advanced citator features, integration with Microsoft Word and Google Chrome, a more user-friendly interface, customizable news feed and featured libraries. Following the transition, customer support will be handled by vLex and will be available by phone, email and chat. Fastcase users will not lose access to their work during the transition and no action will be required to enjoy the benefits of this upgrade after March 4. To help educate members about these improvements, the TBA will hold two webinars at which vLex Fastcase staff will demonstrate new features and highlight how to maximize the tool’s potential for legal practice. Sign up for one of these free webinars and learn more on the TBA website.

The Washington County Bar Association (WCBA) announced its 2025 officers on Friday. They are: President Jerome Cochran, President-elect Brady Smith, Vice President Hunter Shepard; Secretary Thomas J. Smith; and Treasurer Jesse J. Campbell. In addition, three board members were elected. They are: Nora Koffman, Sarah Larkin and Solange McDaniel.

The most recent installment of TBA's Indigent Representation Primer is now available. The post provides an overview of national organizations and agencies that provide support and advocacy for lawyers working in the criminal justice system, with a focus on resources for those who represent low-income or vulnerable clients facing criminal charges. These organizations provide education and training, research, best practices, advocacy and other resources to help these professionals effectively advocate for their clients. Read past primer posts.

The TBA will present a live webcast focusing on professional transitions in the new year on Feb. 21. Whether you are seeking a new position, stepping into a leadership role or considering new practice areas, “New Year, New Career” will feature tips on a successful transitions from experienced legal professionals. Participants include Chattanooga lawyer Ariel Anthony with Unum Law Department, Nashville lawyer Jaz Boon with Bridgestone Americas Inc., LMU Duncan School of Law Professor Mohamed Faizer and Nashville lawyer Kathleen Stranch with Stranch, Jennings & Garvey. One hour of dual CLE credit is available. The webcast is being presented by the TBA Diversity Committee.

TBA member and Tennessee licensed-attorney Thomas West is suing the state of Tennessee over the professional privilege tax. West, who resides in Kansas, argues that the tax should be declared unconstitutional facially, or at least a violation of the Interstate Commerce Clause when applied to attorneys living outside the state. The tax, a flat $400, applies the same to attorneys regardless of where they live. But, he argues, attorneys outside the state will not have nearly as much Tennessee business and therefore the authorization to practice law in the state is not as valuable. He cites Amer. Trucking Assns. v. Scheiner, 483 U.S. 266, 296 (1987), in which the U.S. Supreme Court found that “… imposition of the flat taxes for a privilege that is several times more valuable to a local business than to its out-of-state competitors is unquestionably discriminatory, and thus offends the Commerce Clause … If each State imposed flat taxes for the privilege of making commercial entrances into its territory, there is no conceivable doubt that commerce among the States would be deterred.” West filed his suit with a three-judge panel constituted to hear challenges to state laws. That panel ruled on Feb. 4 that the tax is constitutional. Read the decision. He now has appealed to the Tennessee Court of Appeals and filed a motion with the Tennessee Supreme Court, asking it to assume jurisdiction.

Events scheduled to be held in Memphis this month in honor of Black History Month include the following: a presentation on the impact of HBCUs at the National Civil Rights Museum; a concert by the Stax Music Academy; offerings from the Memphis Public Libraries; art exhibits by a number of Black artists; a series of events beginning this month to honor Tom Lee, who pulled 32 survivors of a capsized ship out of the Mississippi River; a presentation about Black individuals buried at Elmwood Cemetery; events at the University of Memphis; an oratorical competition for area youth sponsored by the Memphis Parks Department; and a host of other activities for kids.

The family of Matthew Vogel is suing over his death at the South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton. Vogel, who had been sent back to jail for violating parole on a drug charge, had one day left in his sentence, the Tennessean reports. The family alleges that Vogel was inappropriately placed in a cell with Travis Bess, who had been convicted on two counts of first-degree murder in 2022 and of killing another man behind bars in 2014. Vogel was classified as a minimum security risk while Bess was classified to "close" security, two steps above "minimum" and one below "maximum" security. The wrongful death suit alleges that facility operator CoreCivic lacked justification to reduce the score and did so to "expend fewer resources due to chronic understaffing."