TBA Law Office Technology & Management Section Chair Zack Glaser will provide a primer on practical AI for law firms at next week’s TBA Estate Planning & Probate Forum. The session will introduce the concept of agentic AI and how lawyers can use it strategically in drafting client communication and firm operations. Glaser also will address implementation, change management, ethics and AI safety so these tools can be adopted with confidence. Learn more about the March 6 forum and register using this link.

The University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) seeks applications for a legal consultant to provide advice and technical assistance in municipal law and municipal codes. The candidate will offer direct client assistance, develop and maintain timely technical reports, and teach training courses on MTAS initiatives. The position is based in the MTAS Knoxville, Johnson City or Chattanooga offices, but also qualifies for the University of Tennessee alternate work arrangement program. Learn more about this opening and others on TBA’s Career Center.

From document management to cybersecurity to managing your money, the day-to-day task of keeping a law firm operating at its maximum potential can be daunting and exhausting. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help. Take advantage of checklists, white papers and more to keep your operations humming. The Managing a Firm section includes information about cybersecurity, disaster preparedness, document automation, financial management, technology and more.

As part of its ongoing effort to gather feedback from Tennessee attorneys on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order seeking public comment on seven areas of potential regulatory changes to the legal profession, the TBA’s Legal Access and Regulatory Reform Task Force is hosting a series of virtual town halls. Thursday's event will start at noon CDT and will focus on whether the court should consider modifying requirements for admission to the Tennessee Bar for those licensed in other states to promote interstate practice and mobility. There is no cost to attend but registration is required to receive the meeting link. Attorneys also are encouraged to review the TBA’s Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page before attending.

The TBA Law Technology Section directory is a great place to find colleagues with a similar focus. The directory provides a list of section members with contact information and a list of any other sections or TBA groups to which they belong. This resource provides a great way to connect with like-minded lawyers and cross-reference attorneys well versed in other practice areas as well. View the section directory here.

Do you find yourself wishing you had other lawyers willing to discuss tricky issues? Maybe you are new to a particular area of practice and want to seek advice from more seasoned colleagues. A TBA benefit for section members may just be the resource you need. Each of TBA’s 33 sections offers a unique discussion forum just for members. Section Talk is a great way to connect with colleagues, become a more engaged and effective practitioner, and share wisdom with others seeking guidance. Sign up today and get talking! Follow these step-by-step instructions to get started.

Join members of the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee for a live interactive roundtable on how best to manage work-life balance as a legal professional. This 45-minute Zoom event on March 25 at 12:30 p.m. CDT will feature attorneys discussing their day-to-day practice and provide effective tools for personal well-being. While geared toward law students and young lawyers, this free event is open to all TBA members, but registration is required. Questions and feedback are encouraged. Submit questions in advance to jword@tnbar.org.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division's Mock Trial Committee is seeking attorneys to serve as volunteers for Round 4 at the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place on Saturday, March 21, in Nashville from 12:30-2:30 p.m. CDT.  Teams will argue the criminal case of State of Tennessee v. Alex Callahan. The problem, rules and other competition information can be found on the TBA website. Those interested in helping at the state competition should indicate availability using this form.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is continuing its program to address the critical shortage of attorneys in rural Tennessee counties, while providing law students an opportunity for meaningful and enriching clerkship experiences. The Rural Judicial Fellowship (RJF) will give six rising 2L, 3L or 4L law students attending Tennessee law schools the opportunity to spend six weeks of the summer as a judicial law clerk in a legal community in rural Tennessee. The program will provide a $1,000 stipend and the opportunity to work directly with judges, gaining practical legal experience and fostering connections in underserved areas. Fellows also will be invited to attend the TBA's Annual Convention in June. View a flyer and access the application for more information. The deadline to apply is Feb. 27.

RITZ, Circuit Judge. A jury convicted Erik Maund, Adam Carey, and Bryon Brockway of various offenses related to a murder-for-hire. During jury deliberations, however, the district court inadvertently gave the jury several unadmitted exhibits and failed to provide some of the admitted exhibits. The district court only realized its error months after the verdict. Upon receiving notice of the error, defendants each moved for a new trial. After a hearing to determine the jury’s exposure to the unadmitted exhibits, the district court found its error to be structural and granted a new trial. The government appealed, arguing that the error was not structural, the harmless-error standard applies instead, and the error was harmless. We agree and reverse.