The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) is seeking session proposals for this year's Equal Justice University (EJU), set for Aug. 28-30 at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. Topics of interest include employment law, family law, health and benefits, housing and consumer, special education and juvenile justice, as well as professionalism. See all topics and submit proposals online by April 17.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection recently met to consider claims from clients alleging financial loss due to the illegal actions of their lawyers. The fund approved one claim against Montgomery County attorney Kevin William Teets in the amount of $4,500. It also directed Teets to reimburse the fund for the expense. The Fund for Client Protection was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reimburse individuals for losses caused by dishonest conduct by attorneys. The fund is operated by a board, which meets quarterly to consider claims. In September 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court amended Rule 25 to require the fund to notify the Tennessee Bar Association of claims paid. News releases also are posted online.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked the federal judiciary to grant minors greater privacy in criminal cases by requiring prosecutors and defense lawyers to refer to them in public court filings by pseudonyms rather than by their initials, Reuters reports. The change, according to the department, is designed to better protect the identities of children who are victims and witnesses of crimes, particularly in sexual exploitation cases. A DOJ official said that in recent years, some people accused of exploiting children track court filings and take other measures to uncover the identity of child victims, who they then contact and harass further. The request has been referred to the Judicial Conference's rulemaking bodies.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Task Force for American Democracy will hold the second in a series of listening tour events this Friday in Detroit. The session will feature ABA leaders, local officials and legal scholars. The event, titled “Taking the Next Step: Ensuring Trusted Elections and Civics for Michiganders,” will address vital election integrity issues and the need to support poll workers. The event will be livestreamed from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EDT from Wayne State University Law School. A recording also will be made available after the event. Register at abademocracytaskforce@gmail.com.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined with other state attorneys general to support the federal “Laken Riley Act,” which would require the detention of undocumented individuals arrested for larceny, burglary, theft or shoplifting; defend Montana’s law banning TikTok in the state unless the app separates from its parent Chinese company; and express concerns over proposed legislation in Maine that, according to Skrmetti, would “interfere with other states enforcing their state laws restricting childhood gender transition if those laws differed from Maine law.” Read more about these issues at the links above.

It's not too late to join colleagues online for the TBA's final installment of the Law Tech Lunch & Learn Series this Friday. The program, featuring Memphis lawyers, will focus on how AI impacts attorneys. The first session will include attorneys Greg Siskind and Zack Glaser, who will provide an introduction to AI and how it can be incorporated into the practice of law. The second session will feature Siskind and Lucian Pera discussing ethical considerations around AI. The live webcast will begin at noon CDT and offer registrants the opportunity to earn two dual CLE hours.

TBA members can get their legal technology and law practice management questions answered at tbapmc@affinityconsulting.com. This email address is specifically for TBA members and will be answered by Affinity consultants for expert advice on best practices, technology, management and process. For more resources for managing and protecting a law firm visit the TBA's Law Firm in a Box.

When the time comes to retire or move on, attorneys have responsibilities both to their clients and to their state’s oversight authority to make sure that clients are not left “in the lurch.” How should you go about winding down or merging a practice? Get started with resources from the TBA's Law Firm in a Box. The materials in the “Winding Down A Firm” section will start you down the right path and make certain that vital considerations are not overlooked.

Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys and legal support staff have obligations to protect client data. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help meet those ethical requirements. The Protecting a Firm section includes information on creating secure backups of client and business information, protecting sensitive client data and fending off ransomware and other cyber attacks.

From document management to cybersecurity to managing your money, the day-to-day task of keeping a law firm operating at its maximum potential can be daunting and exhausting. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help. Take advantage of checklists, white papers and more to keep your operations humming. The Managing a Firm section includes information about cybersecurity, disaster preparedness, document automation, financial management, technology and more.