Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has asked federal emergency management officials to help assess whether counties affected by recent winter storms can receive funds to assist with power restoration, Fox 17 News reports. The move comes after U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, asked Lee to seek emergency assistance. The request asks FEMA to work with the state emergency department to conduct a preliminary damage assessment after freezing rain, sleet and snow impacted West and Middle Tennessee counties earlier this month. More than 30,000 homes and businesses remained without electrical service in Memphis this week, according to Memphis Light, Gas & Water.

The Arts & Business Council's Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts is joining the law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in providing free legal services for Black-owned small businesses and nonprofits at a clinic on Feb. 17. Issues to be covered include questions about business formation, corporate governance, contract review and navigating local ordinances and state regulations. Eligible businesses may receive up to one hour of assistance. Clients may sign up online. To volunteer, email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

State Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin, announced his reelection bid this week, the Williamson Home Page reports. He currently represents District 65 in the House of Representatives. In announcing his campaign, Whitson said, “It is time to move past the politics of the pandemic and focus on upgrading our infrastructure, backing those who serve, maintaining and protecting our community, and promoting economic opportunity for both citizens and businesses.” He touts his work supporting Columbia State Community College’s satellite campus in Franklin and Fairview High School’s mechatronics program. A member of the Save the Franklin Battlefield nonprofit, Whitson also highlights his work helping preserve Civil War-era artifacts in the area.

Nashville businessman Quincy McKnight withdrew from the race for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District yesterday, announcing his intention to instead run for Nashville mayor in 2023. McKnight, CEO of payment processing company Covenant Pay, said he decided he "can best serve the people of Nashville” as mayor, the Tennessean reports. His departure still leaves four candidates in the Republican primary: businessman Baxter Lee, former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, music video producer Robby Starbuck, and attorney and retired brigadier general Kurt Winstead. On the Democratic side, first-term Mayor John Cooper has not yet announced whether he will run for reelection. Local nonprofit leader Hal Cato says he is considering a run.

A new study from two law professors identifies 25 law schools whose students “overperformed” on the bar exam. Among the group are two law schools in Tennessee: Belmont University College of Law, which comes in at number six, and Vanderbilt University Law School, which comes in at number 19, the ABA Journal reports. The study looks at bar results to identify schools that dramatically outperformed their predicted bar exam passage rates. The study also looks at why these schools are seeing success in this area despite “not spending extravagantly more resources.” Read the full study “The Secret Sauce: Examining Law Schools that Overperform on the Bar Exam” by University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law professor CJ Ryan and University of Iowa College of Law professor Derek T. Muller.

The Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission (ATJC) is seeking feedback on how to best serve communities across the state and opportunities to improve its initiatives. This survey will help inform the ATJC's strategic planning process, which is conducted every two years and is used to focus efforts, programs, and resources. The ATJC will be creating its strategic plan at the end of February and welcomes survey responses from members of the legal and judicial system and the community, as well as ATJ Commission members, members of its Advisory Committees and other key stakeholders.

The TBA's Disability Law Section will host a one-hour webcast, Disability Law: Past Relevant Work Issues, on March 24 at 2:30 p.m. CST. Moderated by section executive council member Chris George of George & George, the program will focus on classifying past relevant work properly for both DDS and Vocational Experts. Often proper job classification is the dispositive issue in a case if the claimant is above age 50, so getting accurate descriptions of past relevant work is essential. Since this is a roundtable style program, attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the hour. Register before 1:30 p.m. CST on March 24 to receive the Zoom email invitation.

The Knoxville Bar Association and its Bankruptcy Section, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight, will hold a Pro Bono Debt Relief Clinic on Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon EST. The event will take place at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Judge Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and other solutions for clients before volunteer lawyers meet with them to discuss their options. Sign up to volunteer.

While Memphis’ National Civil Rights Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music are noteworthy institutions, the Commercial Appeal suggests five lesser-known landmarks you can visit in honor of Black History Month. Included on the list is the Mason Temple, the 8,000-seat church in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech on April 3, 1968 – the day before his assassination. Next, visit the historical marker on Union that commemorates the longtime home of AM radio station WDIA, which in 1949 became the first radio station in the U.S. aimed entirely at Black audiences. Also on the list is Zion Christian Cemetery, a 15-acre site that is the oldest cemetery in Memphis devoted to African Americans in the region, and reportedly contains close to 30,000 graves. Read the full list from the Commercial Appeal.

Legal fees for the Davidson County Election Commission’s (DCEC) defense of an anti-property tax ballot measure have surpassed $700,000 and are still rising, the Nashville Post reports. The Tennessee Court of Appeals last week heard arguments from the DCEC and Metro on the merits of the proposal, which seeks to roll back the county’s 2020 property tax increase and limit the city’s ability to raise taxes in the future. The DCEC had to hire outside counsel, but because DCEC Chair Jim Delanis and the GOP members declared the DCEC’s interest at odds with Metro’s, outside counsel was retained. Republican commissioners last summer chose to defend the ballot in court instead of seeking a declaratory judgement first. As a result, the DCEC is responsible for defending the proposition, not 4 Good Government, which wrote the measure and gathered signatures to place it on the ballot.