Pressure is building on Gov. Bill Lee to release a report on government efficiency that was conducted by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company last year, according to the Tennessean. The report, which was publicly funded, has been kept mostly secret. The state Department of Human Resources has cited "deliberative process privilege" as an excuse not to release the report or answer questions about it. The paper reports that exemption is not found in state law. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said he only received a copy this week while House Speaker Cameron Sexton said he has not seen it yet. The study is reported to recommend reducing the number of management positions within state government.

The Blount County Juvenile Court hopes to receive more than $50,000 in grant money to better serve victims of crimes, the Daily Times reports. The court has applied for an “access to services” grant through the Victims of Crime Acts (VOCA) Tennessee Safe Courts program. Money gained through the grant would be used to upgrade current spaces to make them safer and more accessible for crime victims. “There’s no safe space ... it’s just hallway” and a perpetrator could be sitting in the same area as the victim says Blount County Juvenile Judge Kenlyn Foster.

Tennessee has “soft-launched” a new phase of COVID vaccination, beginning to offer doses to anyone 55 and up and anyone in “critical infrastructure” jobs, WPLN reports. Critical jobs include social services, commercial agriculture and food production, public transportation, public infrastructure and utilities. Then in April, the state plans to offer vaccinations to all adults over the age of 16. A formal announcement is planned for Monday. Yesterday, Shelby County asked the state if it could open vaccinations to “anyone who wants a shot.” Today, the state Department of Health said counties that want to move forward more quickly can do so as long as they have enough doses, the Tennessean reports.

The Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition begins tonight with one round and continues tomorrow with two more preliminary rounds, an award ceremony and the state championship round in the evening. Ten teams have qualified for the competition after three Grand Division Competitions were held last month. This year, all competitions are being held virtually. Close to 600 students and more than 200 volunteers have been involved in the competition season thus far, including Tennessee sitting judges, attorneys, law students and paralegals. This year’s case involves two competing chicken restaurant owners and claims that one deliberately put a screw in a sandwich he served to the other. Stayed tuned for information on the winning teams on Monday.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold four phone clinics this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics are Monday from 4 to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All times central. LAS is looking for attorneys to help answer questions. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.

Join your colleagues on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT for a “crash course” on depositions and e-discovery. This year’s topics include deposition prep and strategy, the do's and don'ts of depositions and written discovery, and a panel discussion about e-discovery law and technology. The program is being produced by Memphis lawyer Aurelia McBride with Glankler Brown.

Entries for the TBA Administrative Law Section's second annual writing competition for law students are due April 5. Students enrolled in a Tennessee law school during the 2020-2021 school year are eligible. The section's executive council hopes this competition will promote an interest in and understanding of administrative law in Tennessee through the publication of scholarly articles on administrative law topics, and strengthen the relationship among administrative law professors, law students and administrative law practitioners in Tennessee. The competition recognizes the best legal writing by a law student on a topic of Tennessee or federal administrative law. The winning submission will be published in the Administrative Law Section newsletter and the winner will be awarded $800. You can find more information and the rules for the writing competition here, and read about how writing competitions can enhance writing skills in a recent Tennessee Bar Journal article.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby will be featured in an upcoming event from the Memphis Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society on March 25 at noon CDT. The program, The Tennessee Constitution: Its History and Key Distinctives, will take place virtually. Those who wish to register may do so by contacting Greg Grisham or by signing up online. A link to the webcast will be sent following registration.   

Austin Peay State University is seeking volunteer attorneys to help with a virtual legal clinic for the student body on March 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. CDT. The clinic is a free opportunity for students to discuss their civil legal problems with volunteer attorneys. The clinic will be conducted via Zoom and is not limited to local attorneys. Register here to volunteer for the event.

Law on Call, the first law firm to be owned entirely by nonlawyers in the U.S., opened its doors recently in Utah, the ABA Journal reports. The firm’s opening is a result of sweeping changes to legal services regulation in Utah that were approved by the Utah Supreme Court in August. The two-year pilot project allows law firms with nonlawyer owners and nontraditional legal service providers to operate in a “regulatory sandbox” in the state. Law on Call clients pay $9 per month to get unlimited phone access to lawyers who can offer advice in the areas of business law, end-of-life planning, contracts, employment, housing and real estate. If legal work is needed, the discounted rates start at $100 per hour.