Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell has expanded its operations to Martin, Tennessee, and Fulton, Kentucky, with the acquisition of Whitledge & Biehslich. It is the firm’s first foray into Kentucky. With the acquisition, the business and litigation firm now has more than 50 attorneys in seven offices serving clients in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana and Georgia. Read the full release from the firm.

The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule this week that would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, a change that is expected to shake up ride-hailing, delivery and other industries that rely on gig workers, Reuters reports. The proposal is the latest effort by the Biden administration to reverse a Trump-era rule on the issue. In a separate article, Reuters looks at how the rule would affect workers and businesses.

In a “first-of-its-kind” ruling, the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that public housing landlords cannot bar tenants from possessing guns in their residences. The decision came in a case in which the Columbia Housing and Redevelopment Corporation in Maury County evicted tenant Kinsley Braden after discovering he had a gun inside his apartment. The circuit court had sided with the housing corporation, stating that Braden had voluntarily signed away his rights when he agreed to the lease. The appellate court rejected that approach, saying constitutional rights cannot be waived as a condition of housing. Tennessee Lookout has the story.

Some Middle Tennessee families will soon receive assistance to battle addiction and keep children out of foster care, Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. Earlier this week, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse announced a five-year, $3 million program that will provide intensive, in-home crisis intervention, and life skills education to help parents fight addiction and create better home lives for their children. Funding for the program came via a regional partnership grant through the Federal Administration for Children and Families. The program will operate in nine counties: Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall and Maury counties.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares met face to face for the first time in their current roles on the state border, WJHL reports. The men visited with local businesses on State Street in Bristol, learning more about the current state of the economy and how businesses are overcoming COVID-19 challenges. Both Republicans, Skrmetti and Miyares have been outspoken about transgender issues, specifically as they relate to laws involving minors. Skrmetti said he looks forward to working with his Virginia counterpart. “We have a lot of common interests and a lot of the work that the AG’s do both on the constitutional cases and on the consumer protection cases,” Skrmetti said.

Early applicant data from the Law School Admission Council suggests law school may not be an especially hot ticket in 2023, Reuters reports. As of this week, the number of law school applicants was down 12% compared with this time last year, and nowhere near the 2021 cycle when the number of applicants ultimately spiked 13% — an unprecedented increase.

The U.S. government has agreed to pay workers at a Bean Station slaughterhouse more than $1 million in a federal case alleging multiple civil rights violations, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. According to the proposed settlement agreement filed yesterday, the U.S. government will pay $475,000 to be split between six individual plaintiffs. An additional $550,000 will be paid into a class settlement fund for approximately 100 Hispanic workers also detained that day. The attorneys for the plaintiffs will be paid $150,000. The settlement stems from the 2018 raid by the IRS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the slaughterhouse in which all Hispanic workers were detained and allegedly cursed, shoved and punched by federal agents. The settlement still will need to go before a federal judge for a final approval hearing within the next six months. That hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The Nashville Bar Association today released results from its member poll on applicants being considered for the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court. Four hundred thirty five bar members responded to the poll that included applicants Tusca R.S. Alexis, Audrey Lee Anderson, Stanley A. Kewller and Stephanie J. Williams. Nearly 35% of members said they would “highly recommend” Williams for the position, followed by Kweller (20.5%), Anderson (3.5%) and Alexis (1%). Read full results from the NBA.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett has entered a “best interest” plea on a drunk driving charge he was given after leaving the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester earlier this year, the Tennessee Journal reports. Through the deal, known as an Alford plea, Hargett doesn’t admit guilt, but acknowledges the prosecution’s case against him would have likely resulted in a guilty verdict. He has served a 48-hour sentence, attended a victim impact course and has given up access to his state car for at least a year. Hargett said in a statement that he wants to "accept responsibility for my actions and move forward…” He has no plans to resign.

A Belmont University College of Law student died yesterday evening after a line of severe storms swept through Middle Tennessee, Nashville’s WSMV reports. Laurel Flaherty, a first-year law student, was in Williamson County’s Old Natchez Trace area when a tree fell on her Nissan Rogue. She was 22. Flaherty was a native of Pembrooke, Massachusetts, and remained in Nashville for law school after graduating from Belmont University in May. Her family describes her as the “sweetest kid ever” who just “wanted to make the world a better place.” Parts of Williamson County experienced significant damage from the storms on Wednesday, with reports of trees falling on homes and across roadways.