Attorney General Herbert Slatery today announced he has joined a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general asking Congress to pass the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act. Under that bill, families of first responders who have died or been totally disabled as a result of COVID-19 would receive the same federal benefits extended to first responders, or their survivors, otherwise killed or injured in the line of duty. Federal law currently allows survivors to access only certain benefits if they provide evidence that proves their family member contracted COVID-19 while on duty. The legislation would establish a temporary presumption that first responders contracted the virus while on duty if diagnosed within 45 days of their last shift. This legislation passed through the U.S. Senate and is currently being considered by the House of Representatives. Read the letter Slatery and 51 attorneys general sent today to Congress.

The Music City Legal Hackers group is hosting a virtual meetup next week to discuss document automation and how it can be used to serve clients in the pandemic and beyond. Thomas Officer, co-founder and design lead at Community.Lawyer, will lead the Zoom presentation on how other legal professionals are using homemade legal automations to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, with one example being a guided interview that helps tenants send letters to their landlord. The meetup will take place on May 27 at 5:30 p.m. with a 40-minute presentation followed by open Q&A and discussion. Get registered online or email Cat Moon with any questions. Participants will receive Zoom login instructions on the day of the event. Music City Legal Hackers is sponsored by Vanderbilt Law’s Program on Law and Innovation.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Memphis-based Just City are among several legal organizations bringing a federal class action lawsuit against the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, seeking the release of inmates most vulnerable to COVID-19, the Commercial Appeal reports. The lawsuit defines those most vulnerable as detainees over the age of 55 or those with previous medical conditions. This action comes after an announcement last month that nearly 200 inmates and staff tested positive at Memphis’ 201 Poplar Ave. facility. Shelby County officials have decreased the jail population by hundreds in recent months and District Attorney General Amy Weirich has worked to fast-track cases and says her office is dismissing many charges.

May is Mental Health Month and one aspect of our health that may not get enough attention is our brains. But making smart lifestyle choices now will support brain health for years to come. In her book, Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster, Linda Graham writes there are eight ways to nurture healthy brain functioning: engaging in vigorous exercise, getting enough sleep (and making it deep sleep), eating a MIND diet (read her article for details), building cognitive reserve through learning, being curious and creative, laughing out loud, hanging out with other healthy brains, and turning off technology. Read more about each of these in Graham's article on Mindful.org.

Nashville metro government is requiring employees and visitors to wear a mask before entering government buildings, Nashville Public Radio reports. A new executive order from Mayor John Cooper requires anyone “inside any building or indoor space that is owned, managed, or leased” by Metro to wear a face covering. The order exempts employees who work alone in an office, as well as children under the age of two, older kids who cannot safely wear a mask and adults whose health or safety would be jeopardized if they wore a face covering. The city says it will have masks on hand to distribute to visitors who do not have their own face coverings as long as supplies last.

The state of Michigan has joined the small but growing list of jurisdictions that plan to administer the July bar exam online amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Law.com reports. The Michigan Supreme Court ordered that the attorney licensing exam, which normally takes place in person over two days, will be reduced to one day and given remotely on July 28. It will consist only of Michigan essay questions, eliminating the Multistate Bar Exam. Michigan joins Indiana and Massachusetts in making the move to an online exam. California, Massachusetts and Nevada reportedly are considering similar decisions, while Utah has created a pathway for some recent graduates to skip the exam altogether.

The Public Action Law Society at the University of Memphis School of Law will hold its annual awards banquet as a virtual event on May 28 at 7 p.m. CDT. The banquet will celebrate all 2019-2020 Pro Bono Award recipients. View the invitation for login information.

The TBA's 2020 Annual LGBT Forum will be a virtual event on June 26 — the five year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision recognizing marriage rights for all Americans. The team that assisted with and argued the case of Obergefell v. Hodges will unite to reexamine and remember this important case, providing insights into the preparation and proceedings that ultimately led to the court's historic decision. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT (with a one-hour break for lunch) and offer four hours of CLE credit. Login information will be provided after registration.

TBA members are invited to join Bradley Sagraves and R. Christopher Trump of Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis on Friday for an update on the Paycheck Protection Program and a review of the latest application and instructions issued by the Small Business Administration. The program will start at 1 p.m. CDT. No CLE is available for the roundtable, but the TBA has a one-hour CLE webcast available on the Paycheck Protection Program and the other business and tax provisions of the CARES Act. The roundtable is free but registration is required.

Jordan Scott Bray, formerly of Elizabethton, died May 13 in Virginia. He was 34. Bray earned his law degree from the Liberty University School of Law in 2013. A member of the Tennessee bar, he was working as magistrate in Virginia's 21st Judicial District at the time of his passing. Visitation was held today. Funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. EDT at Trinity Memorial Centers Funeral Home, 1221 Stewball Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660. A private burial will follow with immediate family only.