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Legislation that would increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is winding its way through Congress. LSC has requested $1.26 billion to address the increased demand for civil legal services due to the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on low-income communities and the enormity of the justice gap in the United States; however, the House and Senate are looking at smaller increases. The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations approved legislation in June that would provide $675 million — up from $489 in 2022. In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee is considering a smaller increase.

Bloomberg Law reports that the American Bar Association's (ABA) House of Delegates has "passed a non-binding resolution discouraging changes to state rules barring the sharing of legal fees with non-lawyers. But it also encouraged state bar groups to explore innovations designed to increase access to justice by making legal services more affordable." Arizona and Utah have loosened restrictions on firm ownership and North Carolina, California and Michigan are considering similar measures. Sam Skolnik reports that "[t]he changes are often touted as access to justice measures, but they could also allow law firms to seek outside investors and permit the Big Four accountancies and other for-profit businesses like litigation funders to compete to provide legal services in the U.S."

The TBA Estate Planning Section is back with its popular Tee-Off CLE at Nashville’s Topgolf! The Aug. 31 program will feature three hours of programming, breakfast, lunch and two hours of golf. Speakers include Newman Bankston with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis in Knoxville; Lebanon attorney James Barry Jr.; Jennifer Exum with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga; and Aaron Flinn with Waller Lansden in Nashville; and Ashley Stearns with Trail, Coleman & Stearns in Murfreesboro. Make plans now to join colleagues for this unique program. Thanks to sponsors Pendleton Square Trust Company and American Cancer Society for their support.

The University of Memphis seeks a Law Fellow for a two-year appointment to work in the Office of Legal Counsel. The candidate successful will have a law degree from an ABA accredited school, and admission to the Tennessee bar or awaiting bar exam results/admission to the Tennessee bar at the start of the fellowship term. The fellow must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee within six months of the start date.

The American Bar Association's (ABA) House of Delegates voted Monday to withdraw a proposed diversity and inclusion resolution, Standard 206. The resolution was revised three times between spring 2021 and February 2022, and an ABA spokesperson told Law.com that "[t]he resolution, aimed at bolstering the ABA’s existing diversity and inclusion standard, was withdrawn to await further consideration and discussion with other entities." Christine Charnosky reports, "The most recent amendments to Standard 206 would have required individual law schools to ensure the effective educational use of diversity by providing (1) full access to the study of law and membership in the profession to all persons with a particular focus on underrepresented groups related to race and ethnicity, (2) a faculty and staff that includes members of underrepresented groups with the same focus related to race and ethnicity, and (3) an inclusive and equitable environment for a larger list of groups, according to the executive summary." A PDF of the full article is available.

Professor and Director of Vanderbilt Law School’s Criminal Justice Program Chris Slobogin is one of the speakers in the just released line up for TEDx Nashville, Aug. 27-28. Slobogin is one of the top five most frequently cited criminal law and procedure authors in recent years, and has authored more than 200 articles, books and chapters on criminal law and procedure topics as well as mental health law and evidence. See the complete list of speakers and get ticket information.

The roof of the new Sumner County Courthouse in Gallatin caught fire Sunday night. The local fire department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) are investigating. The cause is still unknown, though Sumner County Mayor Andy Holt speculated that the fire was caused by a lightning strike during Sunday night's storms. It is estimated that 30% of the roof will need to be replaced, likely delaying the 2023 opening of the building. Nashville's NPR station WPLN and Nashville's Fox affiliate have more information.

The Shelby County Commission voted 13-0 Monday to approve $3.45 million in operating and capital spending for a new bail courtroom. Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich and Shelby County District Attorney-elect Steve Mulroy were both in attendance to advocate for a fully-staffed courtroom to hear bail requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Daily Memphian reports that Weirich favors the new courtroom if it is fully staffed with a chance for prosecutors and the victims of crime to also be present for bail determinations currently not made in such a formal setting by judicial commissioners. "Victims have the right to be present," she told the Memphian. "That is the driving force behind my recommendation that we needed additional staff and resources." Some bail bond companies are questioning the commission's authority to set up such a courtroom.

The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Alumni Chapter at the University of Memphis will host its Pillars of Excellence Law Alumni Chapter Awards on Aug. 20 at FedExForum. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 7 p.m., and an after-party at 9 p.m. CDT. The 2022 Pillars of Excellence honorees are Lee J. Chase III of Glankler Brown PLLC; David J. Harris of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC; the Hon. Janice M. Holder, retired chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court; Allie J. Prescott III, senior vice president at Waddell & Associates; and the Hon. Diane K. Vescovo, retired chief magistrate judge for the Western District of Tennessee. The Law Alumni Chapter will also bestow the honor of 2022 Friend of the Law School to Bill Nixon, retired architect at Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects. Make reservations or get more information online or by emailing alumniassociation@memphis.edu.