The Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) and Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein have created the “Trial Lawyers’ Community Relief Fund” through The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to assist tornado victims. TTLA President Matt Hardin, who grew up in hard-hit Putnam County, said Tennesseans “always pull together and help our neighbors in difficult times.” Mark Chalos, TTLA vice president and managing partner of Lieff Cabraser’s Nashville office said, “As trial lawyers, we have dedicated our careers to helping our neighbors in times of need. This fund will enable us to get relief quickly to those Tennesseans who need it the most.” Contributions to the fund can be made online or mailed to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN 37244. Please note the name of the fund in the memo line. Read more in a press release from the groups.

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims reported today that its Nashville office is now open and because of the closure last week will be handling settlement approvals from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. each day this week. No need to call or schedule. Just show up! The office in Cookeville is also open but has no Internet or phone service. All previously-scheduled settlement approvals and telephone hearings will proceed. For questions, contact Patsy Bumbalough, 615-848-6743, in the Murfreesboro office.

Attorneys who are interested in helping handle disaster-related legal questions are asked to register at www.tba.org/tornado_volunteers. To help lawyers prepare to volunteer, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands has created this online resource. Disaster victims also can find resources on the site and may seek legal assistance at any of the Legal Aid Society's 14 legal clinics planned throughout the month in Davidson and Putnam counties.

President Donald Trump has approved federal assistance for victims of Tuesday's tornado in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties, the Tennessean reports. Individuals can now register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, which can provide initial funding for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Rental payments also are available for those whose homes are unlivable. In addition, FEMA offers low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance, and up to 75% of costs to replace personal property not covered by insurance. Funds are also available to meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation, unemployment and other disaster-related costs. In addition to individual assistance, small businesses and non-profit organizations can take advantage of loans. For more information call 800-621-3362.

Putnam County attorneys will offer free advice on legal issues for those affected by the recent tornado tomorrow from 8 a.m. to noon at two locations in Cookeville: Double Springs Church of Christ, 4665 Norton Dr. and The Biz Foundry, 114 N. Cedar Ave. Possible areas of assistance include insurance contract and policy review, identification and document replacement, housing terms and income protection. For more information contact Kevin Christopher with Rockridge Venture Law.

Schrader Lane Church of Christ will host a legal clinic tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to offer free legal advice to those affected by the storms in Middle Tennessee and help those who have insurance and housing questions. The church is located at 1234 Schrader Lane, Nashville, 37208. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Susan T. Jones.

Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, and Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, are working to introduce a bill that would provide tax relief for residents affected by Tuesday morning’s deadly tornados, the Tennessean reports. The legislation would allow displaced residents and homeowners with severe damage to their residence to get a tax refund for items such as major appliances and furniture. The bill would not be limited to residents in Cookeville or Sparta, but would be available for all Tennesseans impacted by the storm. Bailey said he is working with state officials on how to verify who would be eligible. Similar measures were made after the 2010 Nashville flood and the 2016 Gatlinburg fires.

Volunteers are needed to provide legal information, advice and representation to those affected by the recent Middle Tennessee tornado. Attorneys interested in volunteering to assist those affected by Monday’s tornado should complete this form: Volunteer for Tennessee Disaster Legal Response.

Pro bono opportunities include in-person legal clinics, answering questions posted to TN Free Legal Answers and taking individual cases. In addition to legal clinics and community education events, it is anticipated that there will be a great need to refer individual cases for representation. LAS recently launched its Pro Bono Matters website, which allows attorneys to look through a list of brief case descriptions and get more information or volunteer for individual cases. WPLN has a list of upcoming clinics and more.

Among the groups partnering to respond to the disaster are the Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville and Napier-Looby Bar Associations, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS), Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands (LAS), Tennessee Fair Housing Counsel, American Bar Association and others.

In the wake of devastating damage from tornadoes that moved through Middle Tennessee early Tuesday morning, the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office is warning consumers to be aware of scams and other opportunists who take advantage of crisis situations. The office has released a brochure that details consumer disaster recovery tips. It also reports that consumers can check the legitimacy of any charity soliciting donations using the "Search for Registered Professional Solicitors" tool on its website.

The Tennessee legal community is already responding to the devastation brought about by the tornadoes that swept through Middle Tennessee early Tuesday morning. This involves both plans to provide free legal assistance to those affected by the storms, as well as support for attorneys whose practices were damaged or disrupted. The Tennessee Bar Association is working with the Nashville Bar Association, Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the ABA and other local and specialty bar associations to provide these resources. Watch for more information in coming days on what is being done and how you can help.