Tennessee Right to Life is supporting a measure that would add two narrow exceptions to the state’s abortion law, WPLN reports. The group announced support for the change after working with legislators and doctors to craft new language that would allow doctors to terminate ectopic pregnancies and provide treatment for miscarriages. The exclusions are narrower than what was included in a bill that stalled last month.

The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has extended the deadline for submitting nominations for the Sue Ann Head Award for Excellence in Workers’ Compensation. Nominations are now due March 22. Nominees should have contributed significantly to the success, overall fairness and efficiency of the workers' compensation system in one or more of the following areas: as an employer or employer’s representative, employee representative, service provider, claims professional, medical provider or legal professional. Read more or make a nomination on the bureau’s website.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has introduced a chatbot service for its 4,000 lawyers, joining the ranks of professional services firms using artificial intelligence to boost productivity, Bloomberg Law reports. The project will be delivered through a 12-month partnership with AI startup Harvey. The firm said it is also looking to extend the service to its tax practice. “Harvey’s AI solution marks a huge shift in the way that tax and legal services will be delivered and consumed across the industry,” said Carol Stubbings, global tax and legal leader at PwC UK.

The U.S. government on Monday sued Rite Aid Corp., accusing the pharmacy chain of missing "red flags" as it illegally filled hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids. In a complaint filed in an Ohio federal court, the Department of Justice said Rite Aid repeatedly filled prescriptions from May 2014 to June 2019 that were medically unnecessary, for off-label use, or not issued in the usual course of professional practice. Pharmacists also are accused of ignoring “obvious” signs of misuse. Yahoo News has the story from Reuters.

Metro Nashville Chief of Police John Drake said the department is considering creating a new review unit to examine critical incidents involving police. A spokesperson for the police department told The Tennessean that the review unit would be part of the department's Professional Standards Division, which is led by Kathy Morante, a former Davidson County assistant district attorney and Tennessee deputy attorney general. The new review unit would not replace the current Force Review Board, which reviews critical incidents and makes recommendations on officer involved shootings. The new unit would focus on policy, training and supervision issues when an incident occurs.

Sign up now to make your voice heard at the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Bar Association is hosting a TBA Day on the Hill on March 22, followed by the annual Big Shrimp legislative reception that night. You’ll have a chance to meet with individual legislators to talk about issues of importance to the profession, such as the professional privilege tax and funding for indigent representation. Activities begin with a luncheon, followed by meetings with legislators in the afternoon, and the annual Big Shrimp legislative reception that night. Sign up now to take part.

The Knoxville Latino Bar Association launched this week with a gala event honoring Knox County Criminal Court Judge Hector Sanchez, who became the state’s first Hispanic trial court judge when he was sworn into office last fall, Knox News10 reports. "There's obviously a sense of camaraderie and unity when you bring a bunch of folk from similar cultures together and identity as one, so it's very important," Sanchez said. The newly-formed group also hopes to support minority lawyers as they start their careers, and throughout their professional lives.

The Tennessee Bar Association this year will again honor the good works of Tennessee journalists through the Fourth Estate Award: Honoring Courageous Reporting on Justice and the Law. This year's prize includes a $250 honorarium for the winner. The TBA strongly supports our freedom of expression under the First Amendment, as exercised by lawyers on behalf of their clients and by journalists on behalf of the public, and it particularly wants to recognize and encourage journalists who promote public understanding of the rule of law and our system of justice through vigorous exercise of their First Amendment rights. Prior winners include the WSMV News 4 I-Team, Steven Hale of the Nashville Scene, the Bristol Herald Courier, Marc Perrusquia’s work for the Daily Memphian and the Institute for Public Service Reporting, and the Kingsport Times News. The deadline for entry is April 10. Read more about this year's award process.

The Washington County Bar Association has elected new officers for the 2023 year. They are: President Hunter Shepard, President-elect Tom Smith, Vice President Brandon Casey, Secretary Christa Morton and Treasurer Jesse J. Campbell. Shepard works at Herrin, McPeak & Associates in Jonesborough. All others are from Johnson City. In addition, the following board members have been elected: Grace Studer, Elizabeth Jones, Nora Koffman, Solange McDaniel and Morgan Taylor.

U.S. law firm office leasing volume dropped off during the fourth quarter of 2022, potentially signaling the start of a leasing slowdown in the legal industry, according to a new report from commercial brokerage Savills. Following a pandemic-era decline, the leasing market had enjoyed several quarters of steady volume. But the latest data shows that growth has stalled with firms leasing just 1.1 million square feet in the fourth quarter compared to 1.7 million in the third quarter and 1.6 million in the second quarter. Read more about the trend from Reuters.