LexisNexis has released a new platform for case research and document drafting called Lexis+ AI. Like ChatGPT, the AI responds in a matter of seconds to prompts and can draft summaries, legal documents and communications. The platform also provides citations, including relevant caselaw, authorities and guidance, and allows users to copy and save generated text entries into separate folders. The ABA Journal reports that Thomson Reuters, parent company of Westlaw, pledges to invest $100 million per year in new technology and will integrate generative AI into its products later this year.

Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville, has undergone surgery following a heart attack, according the House Republican Caucus. Gant, who is still recovering from injuries to his arms and hip sustained in a car wreck in October, had a stent placed in a blocked artery. Updates on his condition are available via his Facebook page.

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has resulted in the indictment of Monica Bridges, who served as the full-time coordinator of the Gibson County Recovery Court from October 2019 until her resignation in September 2022. The investigation began after citizens reported questionable time-reporting practices and other concerns about the court’s operations. The court allows non-violent offenders with substance abuse issues to obtain treatment while under close legal and clinical supervision. Investigators determined that Bridges received at least $25,425.25 in improper wages and payroll benefits. This includes at least $20,760.22 in unearned compensation for 1,156.24 hours she did not work; $1,665.04 in prorated matching benefits and payments for Medicare and Social Security costs incurred by the county; and $2,999.99 in supplemental pay that she did not earn.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working to clear a backlog of 230,000 court case dispositions that have not yet been linked to criminal records in the state’s background check system, which is used for prospective gun buyers, officials said. The gap means some individuals could potentially have a criminal conviction that would disqualify them from buying a gun, but the case may not show up in a background check. According to the Tennessean, while many states solely use the federal background check system, Tennessee is one of 13 states that conduct their own background checks using state and federal records.

Chancellor John C. Rambo of Jonesborough will be honored next month at the TBA Annual Convention with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award from the Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee American Inns of Court. The award is named in honor of the late Judge Reeves, who was also the first recipient of the award in 2020. Chancellor of the First Judicial District, Rambo practiced law in Northeast Tennessee for 19 years before assuming the chancery court bench in 2013. Attorneys who have practiced in his court note that Rambo is dedicated to the highest standards of the rule of law and of the legal profession in Tennessee. His nominator, Mark W. McFall, says that “Chancellor Rambo possesses the ideal judicial temperament, patience with lawyers and litigants, and a true desire to mete out equity and justice in his rulings and opinions.”

The TBA International Law Section will host the second half of its annual forum live in Nashville on June 2 at 1212 Germantown from 1:30-3:45 p.m. CDT. Participants can earn two general CLE hours. The first session will feature attorney Larry Harrington discussing international business practices in South America, while the second session will focus on foreign direct investment with Jim Hollingshad, senior advisor for economic and business affairs with the Consulate-General of Japan. A networking reception will immediately follow the forum from 3:45-5 p.m., which is open to all International Law Section members in addition to forum registrants. Register here.

The 27th Annual Labor & Employment Forum is tomorrow in Nashville. Bonus? It's not downtown, so if you're not a Swiftie, you can avoid the traffic! This is a terrific opportunity to learn from some of the top professionals and judges in the labor and employment arena who will provide practical insight on emerging trends and critical issues. This year’s program features topics such as the new NLRB, FLSA case law update, a judicial panel of both state and federal judges, the ins and outs of effective mediations, and an ethics presentation on interviewing witnesses within the workplace.

The Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) has created the Larry Daughtrey Courage in Journalism Award to be given periodically to a journalist who has covered civil justice issues of public interest to Tennesseans. The award is named after reporter and journalist Larry Daughtrey, whose career began during the civil rights movement and spanned nearly 50 years. Judges will be looking for someone who has ethically shined light on issues that might otherwise have been forgotten, presented complex issues to the public in a fair and understandable way, and displayed courage in their journalism. The deadline to receive nominations is May 15.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will begin fiscal year 2023-2024 with 10 more attorneys who will comprise a new “strategic litigation unit.” As part of a $56.2 billion budget, the legislature approved the new positions at a cost of $2.25 million, giving Skrmetti a $52.95 million payroll for 363 positions with an average salary of $146,600. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Skrmetti’s Chief of Staff Brandon Smith says the new attorney unit will focus on “proactive litigation defending the separation of powers and the constitutional rights of Tennesseans, the defense of state laws presenting significant federalism issues, and pursue transparency and accountability for certain corporate activities that undermine the democratic process and harm consumers.”

In addition to not disclosing years of luxury travel and a real estate deal, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas also failed to disclose that billionaire Harlan Crow paid for Thomas’ grandnephew’s boarding school tuition. According to a ProPublica investigation, Thomas did not report the tuition payments from Crow on his annual financial disclosures. Several years earlier, Thomas had disclosed a gift of $5,000 for his grandnephew’s education from another friend.