Legal aid organizations are outpacing the broader legal profession in adopting artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new survey by Everlaw in partnership with the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Paladin and LawSites. Based on responses from 112 legal aid professionals, the survey informed the report, “The AI Advantage: How Technology Can Help Bridge the Justice Gap.” The report found that 74% of legal aid organizations are already using AI — about double the adoption rate across the broader legal profession — highlighting how mission-driven work and limited resources are accelerating innovation. Learn more about the survey in this episode of Talk Justice as Cat Moon — with Vanderbilt’s AI Law Lab — explores the trend with experts at the forefront of legal technology.

The U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Braden Boucek as the new U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee late last week by a vote of 53-43. The nomination was included as part of a package of 97 executive nominees, according to a press release from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Boucek previously worked with the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF). In a statement released by that group, Boucek said, “I am thrilled to be starting this new chapter as U.S. Attorney and I cannot thank President Trump enough for the nomination.” He also thanked the SLF team, saying, “I truly believe that I wouldn’t be in this position if not for my time there.” Boucek joined SLF in 2021 as senior vice president of litigation, where he handled constitutional cases and helped shape policy initiatives designed to advance individual liberty and limited government. He was nominated to the federal post in July. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated workers’ compensation benefits in Edwards v. Peoplease LLC et al. The plaintiff in the case, Jo Carol Edwards, drove a truck for Peoplease. In 2020, one of the tires on the truck blew out, and the vehicle went down an embankment and crashed into a bridge. Edwards was injured and applied for workers’ compensation benefits. After multiple appeals, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board denied benefits, saying that Edwards failed to counter her physician's determination that the accident did not qualify for compensation under Tennessee law. According to a news release, the Tennessee Supreme Court disagreed, saying Edwards was entitled to benefits because her work accident aggravated a preexisting condition and that aggravation necessitated knee replacement surgery. It also clarified the circumstances under that “aggravation” injuries are compensable under workers’ compensation law. Read the opinion.

Metro Nashville joined a national lawsuit earlier this month challenging federal funding cuts to homelessness programs. According to the Nashville Post, the city joined four other local governments and numerous nonprofits in an 85-page complaint alleging the Trump administration changed funding under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care program without congressional approval, public comment or an official transition plan. The complaint notes that the funding is critical to Nashville’s homelessness initiatives and thus cuts will significantly scale back local efforts. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a news release that the new rules will “undo proven, lifesaving programs Nashville has used for years to move people from homelessness to successfully housed.” On Friday, a federal court in Rhode Island temporarily blocked the cuts, which O'Connell praised.

Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, has announced his reelection campaign for the District 26 seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Chattanoogan.com reports. District 26 includes communities such as Hixson, Stuart Heights, Rivermont, Big Ridge, Sale Creek, Shady Grove, Dallas, Possum Creek, Lupton City, Riverview, Bakewell, Lakesite, Middle Valley, Harrison, Soddy Daisy, North Shore and downtown Chattanooga. Martin, a former school board and county commission member, said he remains committed to advocating conservative policies and community-driven solutions that prioritize Tennessee families, public safety and educational excellence.

The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in Brian Coblentz et al. v. Tractor Supply Company that workers’ compensation law does not bar an employee of a product vendor from suing a retail store for injuries sustained on the job. Brian Coblentz, employed by Stanley National, was injured when part of a display rack fell on his head while he was stocking merchandise. He received workers’ compensation benefits from Stanley National before filing a tort lawsuit against Tractor Supply, alleging the store was negligent and its display rack was in an “unreasonably dangerous and unsafe condition.” Tractor Supply argued it was Coblentz’s “statutory employer” and therefore immune from the suit, but the court held that the companies’ relationship was a product vendor-purchaser arrangement, not a contractor-subcontractor relationship, and that any work Coblentz performed was incidental to the sale of merchandise, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for its January docket in Knoxville on Jan. 8, 2026. Oral arguments will be heard at the Tennessee Supreme Court building and livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page. Beginning at 9 a.m. EST, the court will hear two cases: Tri-State Insurance Company of Minnesota a/s/o Campus Chalet Inc. v. East Tennessee Sprinkler Company Inc., which involves the application of Tennessee’s four-year statute of repose for construction-related property damage claims, and Preston Garner et al. v. Southern Baptist Convention et al., which raises questions about defamation, church autonomy and the Tennessee Public Participation Act.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from the Trump administration to immediately halt a free speech lawsuit filed by immigration judges over restrictions on their public speaking engagements. According to the Associated Press, an order from the high court on Friday denied the request to dismiss the suit but left open the possibility for the government to seek relief later as the case proceeds. The judges sued over a policy implemented during the Biden administration that barred them from making statements about immigration, saying the restrictions violated their First Amendment rights and interfered with their ability to lecture at universities or speak to community groups. The justices did not rule on the free speech claims of the suit, instead focusing on the proper venue for resolving complaints by government employees. “At this stage, the Government has not demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm without a stay,” the order states.

The TBA Pro Bono Portal provides a centralized source for lawyers and law students to find pro bono opportunities across Tennessee, like the following need from West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS). In this case, WTLS is seeking an attorney to help a client create a conservatorship for their adult disabled son and daughter. Get more information about the requirements associated with this opportunity or browse other pro bono needs.

The TBA will host a webcast replay of “How to Manage Your Workload — Time, Task, Email & Distraction Management for Lawyers” from noon to 1 p.m. CST on Dec. 26, featuring Paul Unger of Affinity Consulting. The one-hour program will focus on practical strategies to help lawyers manage distractions, reduce email overload and improve productivity. Unger will use proven time-management principles and tools such as Microsoft Outlook to help lawyers create a more focused, efficient workflow heading into 2026. Visit the TBA website for more information and to register.