A recent story from the Associated Press looks at the uncertainty facing doctors, and patients with life threatening pregnancies, now that the state’s abortion ban has taken effect. The story follows Knoxville criminal defense attorney Chloe Akers, from her first reading of the state's new criminal statute in June, to quitting her law firm to founding the non-profit Stand Together Tennessee. Through the new group, Akers hopes to explain the intricacies of the law to doctors and the lawyers who might defend them. Akers has launched a Go Fund Me account to raise money for the new venture.

In one of her final rulings before retiring, Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the Tennessee Code Annotated is exempt from Tennessee public records law and that it cannot be copyrighted. She cited a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a similar case in Georgia as her rationale, the Nashville Post reports. Public.Resource.Org and Nashville law professor David Hudson had sued LexisNexis in Davidson County Chancery Court in July, asking the court to force the company to offer the complete and current electronic version of the TCA for free. Public.Resource President Carl Malamud said the organization would appeal the decision.

The state of Tennessee is no longer seeking a contractor to hold cryptocurrencies on its behalf, the Nashville Post reports. Earlier this year, the Department of Treasury was looking for a vendor to “be prepared in the event that unclaimed virtual currency is remitted to the state’s unclaimed property program.” After reevaluating its needs and the services requested, the department canceled that request and issued a new one that does not include custody of virtual currency among the services sought for the Unclaimed Property Division. The state directly holds unclaimed cash but uses a vendor to hold securities. The program seeks to reunite owners with funds.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board recently approved its FY 2023 budget outside of a public board meeting and without any public hearings “for fear there would not be a quorum to legally approve the budget,” the Times Free Press reports. With only five of the nine seats on the board filled, the federal utility needs every director to obtain a quorum for major actions. Two additional members will roll off the board at the end of the year, leaving the board even smaller unless their successors are named before then. The U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate and Nuclear Safety was to hold a hearing today to consider three new nominees: William J. Renick, a county judge executive in Kentucky; Adam "Wade" White, a former mayor in Mississippi; and Joe Ritch, a Huntsville, Alabama, attorney who was on the TVA board previously from 2012 to 2016. It previously held hearings on four Biden nominees.

The staffing shortage at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) has gotten so critical a judge has warned lawmakers some of what’s happening to kids in the department’s care is “illegal,” WKRN reports. Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin, a member of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, recently spoke to lawmakers, encouraging them to increase funding for the agency. Irwin told lawmakers that in Knox County there are divisions of DCS operating with half their positions open while other counties are operating with even fewer employees.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, half a million Americans have seasonal affective disorder, a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall as the days get shorter, worsening in winter and ending in spring. Three-quarters of the sufferers are women, and the depression usually starts in early adulthood. Resources for lawyers include the website Lawyers with Depression, a piece from the website specifically on seasonal affective disorder and insights from Dan Lukasik, the judicial wellness coordinator for the New York State Office of Court Administration, in the ABA Journal.

The Daily Wire is seeking an associate general counsel with at least eight years experience in technology law, data privacy, risk management and insurance, and corporate law for its Nashville office. The position will support the general counsel on all legal matters, focusing primarily on negotiating technology and product contracts, vendor management, data privacy compliance, management of the company’s insurance and risk management programs, drafting various corporate documents, and compliance with corporate law. Get the full job description and instructions for applying on the TBA’s JobLink platform.

Welcome South is a coalition of nonprofit legal service providers working across Tennessee to provide representation to individuals with immigration issues. The groups utilize an online platform for referrals, communication and support for pro bono counsel. Learn more about volunteering here. Despite some of the far deadlines, the pro bono attorney would be expected to start work on these cases soon. More details will be given on acceptance of the case. To volunteer, email Alix Rogers or Savannah Quintero. Current opportunities include:

1. Minor in Maryville needs a predicate order for SIJS. Child lives with her father and has no memories of her mother. Deadline: 2025 (minor's 18th birthday)
2. Minor needs an SIJS predicate order in Sevier County. Minor has not seen or heard from her mother since she was five years old. She has no memories of her mother and lives with her dad. Deadline: 2026 (minor's 18th birthday)
3. Minor in Chattanooga has a predicate order and an approved I-360 (SIJS application); however, the guardian died and grandmother needs to be appointed as successor guardian. Deadline: 2028 (minor's 18th birthday)
4. Seeking an attorney to handle only the guardianship/SIJS predicate order portion of a case involving a 13-year-old in Bradley County. The guardian is the maternal aunt. The grounds for the petition are neglect and abandonment by the father, who moved out of the family home when minor was 11 years old. The father drank excessively, did not support the child or her mother before or after moving out. He has since passed away. The aunt and client do not want the mother to be named as one of the abandoning parents. The client is in middle school. Deadline: Minor's 18th birthday
5. Urgent asylum/withholding of removal case for a minor and his mother. Both have individual hearings scheduled in Memphis for Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. CDT remotely via WebEx. This is a legacy 2017 case.

Check out these pro bono opportunities organized by the TBA Young Lawyers Division or one of our local affiliate young lawyer groups. The YLD is also partnering this year with Welcome South to promote immigration-related pro bono opportunities. Come be part of the Pro Bono Posse!

Debt Relief Clinic — Sept. 10
9 a.m. to Noon EDT
The Knoxville Bar Association and its Bankruptcy Section, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight, will hold a Pro Bono Debt Relief Clinic on Sept. 10. The event will take place at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Judge Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and other solutions for clients before volunteer lawyers meet with them to discuss their options. Sign up here to volunteer.

Veterans Legal Advice Clinic — Sept. 14
Noon to 2 p.m. EDT
The Knoxville Bar Association Barristers established a monthly legal advice clinic for veterans beginning in September 2016 and since that time, hundreds of veterans have received assistance in a wide variety of legal issues, including family law, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, criminal defense, consumer protection, contract disputes, child support and personal injury. The clinic is held each month on the second Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. EDT at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Attorney and law student volunteers are needed. Sign up here or email ctorney@laet.org to volunteer.

LAET Loudon County POA Clinic — Oct. 1
9 a.m. – Noon EDT
Volunteer attorneys are needed to supervise law students as they help draft and execute powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and living wills. The event will take place at the Church of the Resurrection, 917 Pond Rd., Loudon 37774. Sign up by emailing ctorney@laet.org.

LAET Virtual Statewide Debt Relief Clinic — Oct. 8
10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
Volunteers will provide advice only on debt related issue ranging from bankruptcy to collections. Sign up by emailing ctorney@laet.org.

New Attorney Mixer – The Memphis Bar YLD will hold a new attorney mixer at the law firm of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz on Sept. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. CDT. The firm is located at 488 Mendenhall Rd., Memphis 38117. Come enjoy refreshments and welcome new lawyers to the local legal community. RSVP here.

2022 Golf Tournament — Have a killer swing? Enjoy a little competition? Want to benefit others? Then save the date for Oct. 14! The MBA YLD Golf Tournament will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis. The tournament will start at 1 p.m. CDT with a shotgun start. Entry fee is $100 for individuals and $375 for teams.