There's still time to catch the December Tennessee Bar Journal -- in this issue, columns include banking law, estate planning and one man’s long-term business relationship with Santa. Nashville lawyer Kathryn Reed Edge writes in her column Bank On It, about preventing insider fraud and abuse; Knoxville lawyer Eddy Smith's column, Where There's a Will, is "Report for Duty: Protecting Against Fiduciary Liability"; and in his column, Memphis lawyer Bill Haltom reveals the secrets of Santa's changing role over the years.

In the new Tennessee Bar Journal, President Jason Long discusses our divided country after the recent election, urging lawyers to be “united now more than ever in our commitment to the profession and its bedrock principles.” He writes that “we can provide that opportunity in a controlled and structured environment, operating within the framework of our democratic institutions. If there is an opportunity for consensus building and unity in today’s political climate, the legal profession can and should facilitate that.” Also in this issue, learn if you are protecting your clients’ electronic information enough, in the cover article by Trey Forgety. Brian Dobbs writes to help you understand the law of construction in Tennessee. Read the December issue.

"We are allowed to stand on the shoulders of others who gave their time, effort and often their lives to ensure our democracy and the Rule of Law," writes Tennessee Bar Association President Jason Long about veterans. On this Veterans Day, Long urges lawyers to give back to those who have served our country but are unable to access help. "From obtaining needed benefits, to housing, to health care, to a whole host of other issues, veterans need guidance and sometimes patience in navigating what can be a complex administrative and legal system to get the services they need and to which they are entitled. This is where lawyers can begin to repay." He encourages lawyers to help with legal clinics, especially those specifically for veterans, to say thank you by using "skills and talents as lawyers to assist those who have done the heavy lifting for us." Legal organizations in Knox County have partnered on a standing Veterans Legal Advice Clinic. The next clinic is set for Nov. 30 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Knox County Public Defender’s Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37912. Volunteers are always needed. Read Long's column in the Tennessee Bar Journal.

The Tennessee Bar Journal this month includes regular columns by Russell Fowler, Wade Davies and Bill Haltom. In "History’s Verdict," Fowler writes about Will Thomas, a lawyer who was embraced by and relentlessly defended the Cherokees in the 1800s. Davies, who is wrapping up his term on the Board of Professional Responsibility, details in his column "Crime & Punishment" some of the ways lawyers get into hot water -- and the relatively easy steps to take to stay out of trouble. In "But Seriously, Folks!" Haltom looks at the series of events that unfolded after University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds tweeted just three words: “Run them down.” Nick McCall reviews the book Almighty: Courage, Resistance and Existential Peril in the Nuclear Age. Read the November issue.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently changed its thinking on the Community Caretaking Rule -- Emily Harvey and David Hudson explain in the new issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Scott Weiss writes about the ins and outs of community associations: are they the new protectors of civil rights? TBA President Jason Long reflects on and thanks veterans for their sacrifices. He encourages lawyers to help with legal clinics, especially those specifically for veterans. Read these stories and more in the November issue.

Pick up your copy of the current Tennessee Bar Journal for some weekend reading and you'll find a variety of subjects by our crackerjack columnists. Edward Phillips and Brandon Morrow write about subjective beliefs in two recent age discrimination cases and Monica Franklin looks at the new “granny pods” that are now legal in Tennessee. Nick McCall reviews Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis and humor columnist Bill Haltom considers setting up his office at the Wal-Firm. Read the entire October issue here.

Even when income changes dramatically at retirement, alimony in futuro does not change without asking the court for a modification. This may be a shock to your clients, but Memphis lawyer Miles Mason Sr. explains it in this new Tennessee Bar Journal. October is “Celebrate Pro Bono Month” and Chattanooga lawyer Russell Fowler looks at President James A. Garfield’s good example as a lawyer doing pro bono. The Journal also highlights civil rights icon Fred D. Gray upon the opening of an institute named in his honor. TBA President Jason Long examines the core values and principles that define us as lawyers and the profession. Read the October issue.

Murfreesboro lawyer Josh McCreary examines last wills and testaments, writing that "in the wake of the 2015 Court of Appeals opinion in In Re: Estate of Morris, the Tennessee legislature has stepped in and amended Tenn. Code Ann. §32-1-104 to lessen the formalities of Wills executed before July 1, 2016." Read in the September Tennessee Bar Journal what this will mean for estate practice. Columnist John Day writes about the two times in the past five years that the statute of limitations applicable to personal injury claims filed on behalf of persons with mental impairments has been changed. Columnists Marlene Eskind Moses and Manuel Benjamin Russ look into finding and defining income available for child support and alimony, and humor columnist Bill Haltom writes about his dubious experiences with junior high sports, particularly Dodge Ball.

A recent study shows more damning news on how lawyers are handling the pressures of the profession – more than a third of lawyers qualified as “problem drinkers” and about a quarter reported experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. These are higher rates than documented in earlier studies and more than in other professions. This issue of the Journal looks at ways some lawyers have beat that trend through mindfulness and meditation – and how you can, too. Plus, our book review of The Anxious Lawyer gives insight into the topic. Also in this issue, TBA President Jason Long writes about the necessary and important steps to embracing diversity. Read the September issue.

Nashville lawyer Ben Raybin researched recent clemency statistics in Tennessee and found some interesting trends. Read his article, “How Executive Clemency Works (and How It Doesn’t)” in the August Tennessee Bar Journal. Also in this issue, Hendersonville lawyer Clint Kelly details the rise of medical battery and informed consent and Tennessee Bar Association President Jason Long explains how meeting up with fellow lawyers helps with overall civil discourse and civility in the profession. Read the August TBJ.