State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, Memphis City Council member Pearl Walker and Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy are calling for a pilot program that would use real-time GPS monitoring to track repeat criminal offenders. The Daily Memphian reports that the group says that such a program could provide another option to jail or bail. “We know that we do not have time to waste,” Hardaway said at a press conference yesterday. “Every minute, someone’s life is at risk. This will take repeat offenders and put them where we can guide them.” The pilot would be an extension of a law that took effect July 1 and authorizes a magistrate to mandate a defendant wear a GPS monitor for certain domestic assault charges. Hardaway also said he plans to offer legislation to expand the law to other charges when the legislature convenes next year.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a measure to prohibit the creation of digital re-creations of a person’s voice or likeness without that individual’s consent. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee’s senior senator, is one of two Republicans and two Democrats behind the NO FAKES Act. If enacted, the bill would allow individuals to pursue damages if their voice, face or body were re-created by AI. Both individuals and companies would be held accountable for creating, hosting or sharing unauthorized digital replicas. The proposal has garnered early support from entertainment organizations and OpenAI. The federal effort follows passage of the ELVIS Act in Tennessee this year. The Tennessean has more on the story.

The TBA’s Reporters Workshop — a two-day event designed to educate journalists about the Tennessee legal system and issues related to media law — has received a Community & Educational Outreach Award from the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) and LexisNexis. TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright was on hand to accept the award at a luncheon in Chicago as part of the NABE’s 2024 Annual Meeting. The program brings selected journalists to Nashville each April for sessions centered on investigative journalism, Tennessee's Open Meetings and open records laws, reporter's privilege, defamation, and covering courts and state and local governments. Produced jointly by the TBA and the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, the program also is made possible by the generous support of the Tennessee Press Association and several Tennessee law firms. See a photo from the awards luncheon.

A one-hour webcast on Sept. 11 will help lawyers improve their arbitration skills. The “Top 10 Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Mistakes Lawyers Make in Arbitrations” will highlight the mistakes most often made when trying a dispute in arbitration — which is much different than trying a case in court. Many commercial contracts now require that disputes be resolved via binding arbitration instead of in court, so understanding this process is critical to get the best results for clients. The webcast will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. It follows a webcast on mediation being offered from 10-11 a.m. that day. David Taylor with Bradley speaks at both programs.

Looking to enhance your practice management skills? The TBA’s “Summer Success Series” has you covered. The series will offer four one-hour webcasts focused on law practice technology and management throughout the month of August. The series starts on Aug. 13 with Technology and Business Planning for a Law Firm, followed by Communication Breakdown on Aug. 15, Move Your Clients Up or Out on Aug. 20, and How to Create a Written Cybersecurity Plan for Your Organization on Aug. 22. Read the course descriptions, peruse the faculty bios and register at the links above or see the full line up here.

Still need to complete some or all of your CLE requirements for 2024? Now is a good time to escape the heat with summer packages designed with your convenience. Choose from five online options that can be viewed on-demand from the air-conditioned comfort of own home or office. Choose packages based on the number of credit hours offered, topic or practice area. Offerings include: Summer Essentials Complete Package (15 hours, including 12 dual), General Solo and Small Practice Bundle (15.5 hours, including 11 dual), The Rookie's Guide to Law (4 general hours), Ultimate Ethics Package (8 dual hours) and Women in the Profession Wellness Package (3 dual hours). Looking for something else? Check out all packages.

If you are looking for ethics hours this summer, the TBA has five webcasts scheduled to run throughout the month of August. Check out Taylor Swift is a Genius, Even About Legal Ethics on Aug. 13; Airplane Etiquette and Attorney Ethics on Aug. 14; Learn By Doing: An Hour of Legal Writing Exercises on Aug. 16; Ethics Update from the Board of Professional Responsibility on Aug. 22; and Ethics Homeshow: AI, Ethics Rules and More on Aug. 23. Check out these and other programs from the TBA to beat the heat (and CLE deadlines) this month.

Whether you are catching up on CLE or just starting to meet your 2024 requirements, the TBA has a range of programs and packages developed just for you. Choose from five one-hour ethics webcasts, five topical or hours-based packages offering anywhere from three to 15 hours, or a special Summer Success Webcast Series focused on practice management skills. Watch for details about each of these over the next few days in TBA Today or get started perusing options in the TBA’s CLE course catalog.

A one-hour webcast on Sept. 11 will help lawyers who have been learning their mediation skills through trial and error. The “Top 10 Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Mistakes Lawyers Make in Mediations” will highlight the mistakes most often made with the goal of developing better mediation preparation and advocacy skills and achieving better results for clients. The webcast will run from 10-11 a.m. CDT. One hour of CLE and CME credit is available.

A closely watched necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) baby formula trial has culminated in a $495 million judgment against Abbott Laboratories. The suit was the first NEC case brought against Abbott and only the second trial alleging that cow’s milk-based baby formula given to premature infants can cause the life-threatening illness. The suit alleged that despite “scientific consensus” that cow’s milk products can lead to NEC in premature infants, Abbott made no changes to its products, packaging or guidelines, and that the company breached its duty through misrepresentations in its advertising and promotional materials. The suit, brought in Missouri, was handled by Nashville-based Stranch, Jennings & Garvey PLLC and TorHoerman Law, with offices in Illinois and Missouri. Read more in a release from the firm.