Gov. Bill Lee has called for a Jan. 19 special legislative session to help prioritize bills that would guide schools through the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the next academic year, the Tennessean reports. The special session, scheduled just after the 112th General Assembly convenes on Jan. 12, will allow lawmakers to focus on select bills and expedite the normal process of passing them. Lee told lawmakers today that teacher pay increases could be considered during this session, as well as equipping educators with the necessary resources and support. Lawmakers will also take up a literacy bill and a new program from the Department of Education called “Reading 360,” which will use one-time federal relief funds to teach phonics.

Lawyers and judges are near the top of the new list from the Centers for Disease Control on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine first, LawSites by Robert Ambrogi reports. The recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices outline three tiers of phase one vaccine prioritization. The first tier is long-term care residents and health care workers, followed by group 1b, which includes those 75 years and older and frontline essential workers. Next is group 1c, made up of persons 65 and older, those with high-risk medical conditions and “other essential workers,” defined as “Workers supporting the operations of the judicial system, including judges, lawyers, and others providing legal assistance.” The timing of the transition to phase 1c will depend on vaccine supplies and production.

The Davidson County District Attorney’s office is without phone service due to the explosion in Nashville last week. A complete list of all court services that have been disrupted by the explosion can be found on the TBA’s website.

As part of the Year End CLE Blast, the TBA is offering more than 20 packages from section forums that have taken place over the past year. From business and construction law to environmental and immigration law, 1-Click packages offer a convenient way to catch up on any practice-area specific forums you missed when they aired live. Check them out here. And remember, TBA members save money on all CLE courses.

President Donald Trump yesterday signed a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, avoiding a partial government shutdown, NPR reports. The package includes direct payments to qualifying Americans, worth up to $600 per adult and child; a boost in weekly unemployment benefits; and funds for small-business aid and vaccine distribution. Trump’s signature comes after he unexpectedly called the bill a “disgrace” and asked lawmakers to increase the direct payments to Americans to $2,000 per qualifying individual and $4,000 for couples. He also asked that “wasteful items” be removed from the bill. Trump said in a statement last night that lawmakers will pursue some of his suggested changes.

Looking for CLE around a specific topic or just need a certain number of credit hours? TBA has you covered with new packages designed specifically for your needs. Topic-based packages include courses on legal basics, legal essentials, attorney wellness and section forums. Hour-based packages are also available for those who need 15, 12, 10, eight, six or four hours of credit. See all the options here. Questions? Contact the TBA staff for help. And thanks to Blast presenting sponsor Clio and event partner Geico for supporting this month-long event.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has rescheduled its next free tax webinar for Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. CST due to AT&T connectivity issues caused by the Nashville explosion last week. The webinar is the latest in a series of programs being offered to the public. It will focus on franchise and excise exemptions for insurance companies and third party securitization as well as consolidated net worth applications. Register here for the new January program date and see the list of other upcoming webinars.

Memphis attorney John Thomason died Dec. 24 at 91. Thomason earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1952 and, after graduating, served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps until 1955. In 1967, he helped found Crawford, Thomason and Hendrix, which became Lewis Thomason in 2014. During his years in practice, he tried hundreds of jury trials in both state and federal jurisdictions.  He was selected for membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Association of Defense Counsel, and Best Lawyers in America, and served as chairman of the General Practice Section of the American Bar Association. In 2002, after fifty years in the bar, he retired from the practice of law. He was a prolific writer and went on to author three books.

Former Collierville and Germantown city attorney Tom Cates died Dec. 23 at 79. Cates earned his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School and practiced law for 48 years before retiring from Burch, Porter & Johnson in 2013.  He became attorney for Germantown in 1991 and for Collierville in 1995, holding both positions until his retirement. During his time as Germantown attorney, Cates helped the city negotiate the development of Wolf River Boulevard and was a key legal adviser in the formation of municipal school districts in Shelby County suburbs. “He was a unique individual,” said Nathan Bicks, who followed Cates as Collierville’s attorney. “He was a lawyer who could handle a multi-million-dollar transaction, but also handle a jury trial in federal court, and he could do it well.” The Daily Memphian has more on Cates’ legacy.

A $500,000 endowment from the family of late Memphis attorney James S. “Jim” Gilliland Sr. has been given to the Legal Clinic at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys Law School, the Daily Memphian reports. Gilliland was a partner at Glankler Brown for 30 years before passing away in February at 86. The law school’s 30-year-old clinic, which allows law students to provide free legal services to underserved populations, will be renamed to the James S. Gilliland Legal Clinic. Although Gilliland was not an alum of the law school, University of Memphis President M. David Rudd said the endowment will extend “Jim’s wonderful legacy of justice and community-building while inspiring and supporting generations of law students to use their degrees in service of the public.”