A toll-free legal assistance hotline is now available to support survivors of recent tornadoes in Middle Tennessee. Low-income individuals facing legal issues as a result of the tornadoes may call 1-844-HELP4TN (1-844-435-7486). Callers should identify that they are seeking tornado-related legal assistance, state their county of residence, and provide a phone number where they can be reached by an attorney. Survivors also can ask legal questions through the Tennessee Free Legal Answers online service, and get information about their rights, available resources, and a list of upcoming legal clinics at www.HELP4TN.org. The toll-free hotline is a partnership between the Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Nashville Bar Association, Napier-Looby Bar Association, Upper Cumberland Young Lawyers Association, 15th Judicial District Bar Association, Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands and Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts. Read more in this press release.

Volunteers are needed to provide legal information, advice, and representation to those affected by the recent storms. Attorneys interested in volunteering should complete this online form.

The Rutherford-Cannon County Bar Association will host a free legal clinic Thursday in Murfreesboro. The event will take place at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 South Spring St. 37130, from 4 to 6 p.m. The clinic is open to all. Contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131 for more information.

The 24th Annual Labor & Employment Law Forum — set for May 1 in Nashville — will provide case law updates, an ethics component, and sessions on employee privacy and wage and hour laws. The program also will feature a panel of arbitrators providing insights into best practices for handling employment cases in arbitration, and a panel of appellate court judges talking about presentation practices for handling employment cases at the appellate level.

The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) today announced the top 10 consumer complaint categories for 2019. DCA received a total of 4,250 complaints in 2019, compared to 3,750 complaints in 2018. The top 10 categories are as follows: internet sales; home improvements, repairs and warranties; products and sales; timeshare and vacation clubs; motor vehicle sales and advertising; personal and professional services; health services and products; landlord/tenant; debtor/creditor; and insurance. Read the full press release from the Attorney General’s office.  

Michigan attorney and former National Bar Association president Reginald M. Turner has won the election for president-elect nominee of the American Bar Association. He will be installed as ABA president at the ABA Annual Meeting in August 2021. Turner has served as president of the State Bar of Michigan, state delegate for Michigan in the ABA House of Delegates, chair of the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession and more. Turner is a partner at Clark Hill PLC and is a litigator, government affairs advocate and strategic advisor.

By Order of the Tennessee Supreme Court entered today, the law license of Janice Yvonne Brown was transferred to disability inactive status pursuant to Section 27.3 of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9. Brown cannot practice law while on disability inactive status. She may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court upon showing of clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and she is fit to resume the practice of law.

An investiture ceremony and reception for U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Wyrick will take place on April 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the James H. Quillen U.S. Courthouse, 220 West Depot Street, Greeneville. Wyrick, a former TBA president, was named federal magistrate judge in September and serves the court’s Northeastern Division. RSVP to the event by April 3 by calling 865-329-4780.

Robert C. “Bob” Goodrich Jr., 63, died last week after a long battle with cancer. Goodrich was a 1983 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and, after graduation, joined Farris, Warfield & Kanaday in Nashville as an associate. For 33 years, he practiced in the areas of commercial litigation and insolvency related issues and, in 2016, was inducted into the American College of Bankruptcy Lawyers. Goodrich was a dedicated volunteer, serving as chairperson of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and working with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Visitation will be Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 3511 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, and will be followed by a memorial service. Donations in his memory may be made to Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, P.O. Box 120552, Nashville, TN 37212, or to the Ed Farley Interfaith Lecture Series at Second Presbyterian Church.

The TBA’s 2020 Animal Law Forum will provide updates on trends and advancements in animal law, while attendees enjoy fun activities at the Nashville Zoo. The zoo’s president and chief executive officer will be on hand to discuss conservation efforts, laws affecting procurement and care for zoo animals and more. The program will take place on April 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Nashville Zoo, 3777 Nolensville Pike. Zoo admission, breakfast and lunch are included with the program.

A new episode of the TBA’s BarBuzz podcast is now streaming. This month, BarBuzz welcomes special guest co-host Ross Smith of Farrar & Bates in Nashville to review upcoming events, news and attorney shout outs from the Tennessee legal community. BarBuzz is part of the TBA Podcast Network and can be found on the TBA’s website or anywhere you listen to podcasts by searching the show's title or “Tennessee Bar Association.”