TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on May 4, 2021

The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued a special order clarifying that Rule 8, RPC 1.8(e) does not exclude the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) and its four partners from giving financial aid to clients. The rule maintains that lawyers cannot provide financial assistance to clients in connection with pending or completed litigation. TALS, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Memphis Area Legal Aid Services and West Tennessee Legal Services last week wrote to the high court, asking it to consider an exception that would allow the organizations to administer aid through a grant funded by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. The grant money will be used to expand TALS’ 2Gen legal assistance program that focuses on helping families avoid homelessness by paying their rent, housing debts, resettlement costs and more. The Supreme Court granted the request today, writing that TALS and its partners will not be in violation of the rule when using donations to provide humanitarian aid to those in need. TALS anticipates having up to $13.8 million dollars available to assist up to 1,160 families.