TBA's BarBuzz podcast is back with a new episode featuring TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. Lanquist, who is serving as the 144th president of the association, sat down with Executive Director Sheree Wright to discuss his goals for his year as president, the importance of indigent representation, the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the legal field and more. Tune in to hear Lanquist’s insights and perspectives on the legal profession. BarBuzz is a monthly show that recaps legal happenings from across Tennessee, upcoming events at the bar, attorney shout outs and more. It is available on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find past episodes at the BarBuzz archive.

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, has joined State Comptroller Jason Mumpower in calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office, according to the Tennessean. Those calls come after the state attorney general declined to pursue the matter. The comptroller's office on Sept. 25 released an investigative report, which found that Funk’s office secretly recorded criminal defense attorneys, office employees and visitors. Metro Nashville Chief Public Defender Martesha Johnson Moore's office also has weighed in on the issue, releasing a statement that it is "deeply troubled" by the report's findings and requesting that Funk's office disclose closed and pending cases in which the surveillance occurred as well as the identities of the prosecutors involved.

Following the devastating flooding last week from Hurricane Helene, Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti issued a warning to scammers and price gougers: "While most Tennesseans are showing the best of the Volunteer spirit to our neighbors devastated by Helene, a few bad actors always slime out of the woodwork to take advantage of those in need." The AG’s Division of Consumer Affairs reminds Tennesseans to be cautious and wary of disaster relief scams that may pop up around price gouging, construction and repair, and charity, and shared tips for reducing the chances of being scammed. Read a press release from the AG's office.

Shelby County General Sessions Judge Deborah Means Henderson was honored with the Leon Ruben Award for Excellence at the fall Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference (TGSJC) last week according to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). During the award presentation, outgoing conference president Judge James Y. Ross described the Memphis-based judge as a national and statewide leader in mediation, saying that she had been an "incredible leader" and a "mentor to many" of the TGSJC's judges. The Leon Ruben Award for Excellence is given annually to a judge or judges who distinguish themselves through outstanding service to the community, the conference and the judiciary. The award is named for Judge Ruben, who served as a judge for 37 years in Nashville. Read a press release from the AOC and see photos from the event.

This past month members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) have been visiting law schools across the state. Today, YLD Board members Lorne Hiller, Jennifer Safstrom and Darius Walker Jr. joined together for a final stop at Vanderbilt University Law School. Students were encouraged to apply to the award-winning Diversity Leadership Institute, as well as to reach out to lawyers and begin networking with members of the TBA while still in law school. See a photo from the event.

Nashville’s Community Review Board continues to negotiate a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Metro Nashville Police Department nearly a year after its reconstitution. The MOU would govern how the board and police work together, outlining procedures for the board’s review of the department’s internal investigations. According to the Nashville Banner, the lack of a finalized agreement has led to frustration among board members and delays in case reviews due to missing body camera footage. Mayor Freddie O’Connell told the board in April that his office would get involved if progress toward an MOU stalled.

The Shelby County Juvenile Court reopened its downtown building Friday after completing environmental remediation, the Daily Memphian reports. The building had been closed since April for asbestos, lead and mold remediation. Staff relocated to various sites throughout the county during the closure. The building will reopen in phases over a week. “We are grateful to the Shelby County Health Department for ensuring the safety of our employees and the public,” said Stephanie Hill, chief administrative officer of the court.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order last week aimed at limiting access to machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed guns, as well as improving active-shooter drills in schools. Memphis Mayor Paul Young attended the event, writing on Instagram, "This bold action will help save lives and protect our neighborhoods from the devastating effects of gun violence." The order establishes an interagency Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force to conduct a risk assessment of the threats posed by machine gun conversion devices and 3D-printed guns, and report back within 90 days on ways to ways to stop the proliferation of such devices. The order also directs the executive branch to research how active-shooter drills may cause trauma to students and educators, with the goal of helping schools conduct drills that maximize effectiveness and limit harm. That information is to be published within 110 days. The Daily Memphian has more.

Tennessee's unemployment rates declined in nearly half of its counties in August, with Sevier County recording the lowest rate at 2.5%, according to a report from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Moore County and Williamson County followed with rates of 2.6% and 2.7%. Houston County had the highest rate at 5.7%. The statewide unemployment rate remained below 5% in all but three counties. A breakdown of the August data is now available.

Morgan & Morgan, a Florida-based injury law firm with offices in Memphis, Nashville and Murfreesboro, has sued Morgan Law Group, another Florida law firm, for allegedly violating a settlement agreement regarding keyword advertising. The lawsuit claims Morgan Law paid Google to appear at the top of search results for “Morgan & Morgan,” which Morgan & Morgan argues violates a 2020 settlement. Morgan & Morgan previously sued Morgan Law in 2017 over alleged deceptive advertising practices. The lawsuit alleges that the settlement agreement prohibits Morgan Law from using a variety of advertising words and keywords on Google and other search engines. Morgan & Morgan is seeking unspecified damages, Reuters reports.