TBA staff and leadership are continuing to develop and update educational and advocacy resources on issues relevant to the practice of law in our state and we want your help! We know TBA members have incredible knowledge and insight about the policy issues we are focused on, including resources for indigent representation. Through our Grassroots Advocacy Initiative, we are building a network of lawyers who are informed and engaged. There are a few ways to connect with the TBA's Government Affairs team if you are interested in learning more and getting involved with our advocacy work, especially as related to indigent representation. Sign up for TBA Grassroots Advocacy Updates, which will highlight related policy content across all of TBA's communication platforms. For attorneys with experience working with clients who are indigent or vulnerable, there is a longer survey that includes questions about court appointed representation as well as options for getting involved with TBA’s efforts in this area. We want to hear directly from you on these issues. More information is available on our main Indigent Representation Resource Page.

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) last week announced it has expanded its Judicial Outreach Liaison (JOL) program to include two new judges, Judge Beau Pemberton of Dresden and Judge James Ross of Waynesboro. According to a press release from the THSO, Tennessee is first in the nation to expand the JOL program model beyond one judge. JOLs support the criminal justice system by preventing impaired driving, assigning appropriate consequences for traffic offenses, and providing training and guidance to judges and traffic safety professionals. “I’m excited to build our JOL team to help more local communities and those often underserved or disconnected,” said Judge Donald Parish, who retired after 41 years practicing law and is Tennessee’s state JOL in Huntingdon. Pemberton and Ross will serve as regional JOLs in support of Parrish.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on Thursday announced that two multi-settlement agreements with pharmaceutical companies Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex have entered the final stages and just need signatures from the participating states. According to a release from Skrmetti's office, the two companies have agreed to pay a total of $49.1 million to settle allegations of long-running conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs. Tennesseans who purchased generic prescriptions from either company between 2010 and 2018 may be eligible for compensation.

A word on gratitude.

Make plans now to join colleagues on Nov. 7 from noon to 1 p.m CST for a unique webcast with University of Tennessee College of Law Professor Ben Barton. In "Contextualizing the Polarization and Public Perception of the Judiciary," Barton will present long-term data to show how public confidence in the American judiciary has fluctuated over time, with the goal of helping lawyers better understand the historical context of and address current challenges facing the judiciary. Click here for more information and to register.

In this issue's Legal Life section, TBA shares news of communications awards, YLD Board appointments and elections, a new episode of the BarBuzz podcast, the first ever conference on artificial intelligence and the law, 2024-2025 committee chairs, and more!

Small businesses play an essential role in the U.S. economy. Colton Adams, Leah Bennion and Eric Lyons explain that as businesses adapt to the requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act, it is critical to understand its implications and take proactive steps to ensure compliance, particularly for businesses with complex organizational structures that need to decipher the intricacies of beneficial ownership.

In Crime & Punishment, Wade Davies looks at the massive amount of disinformation online these days and argues that is something we must consider if we want to make sure we do the best job for our clients at trial and more broadly try to protect the jury trial.

Are you interested in serving on TBA's Board of Governors, House of Delegates or as TBA's delegates to the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates? The 2025 Election Notice has more information on what positions are open and the qualifications for each. Questions? Visit the TBA’s website at www.tba.org/election_guidelines.

Tennessee Bar Journal Editor Julia Canada Wilburn sat down with recently retired Justice Roger Page to talk about his journey to the Tennessee Supreme Court, which included three years as a pharmacist prior to law school on his way to the bench.