TBA members received two versions of TBA Today on Thursday. The first version sent at 5:41 p.m. CST had the incorrect deadline for voting in TBA's 2026-2027 election. The second version sent at 5:59 p.m. contained the correct time. Ballots are due tonight by 11:59 p.m. CST. TBA members were sent an email on Jan. 30 with a ballot for the two candidates running for TBA vice president. The email was sent from Intelliscan Inc. Members also were sent an email with profiles of the two candidates running for vice president. That email was sent from elections@tnbar.org. The candidate profiles also are available on the TBA website.

A Metro Council resolution filed this week calls for the removal of Nashville Electric Service (NES) CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin after Winter Storm Fern left nearly 250,000 customers without power, the Nashville Post reports. The nonbinding measure, sponsored by Councilmembers Emily Benedict and Courtney Johnston, urges the NES Power Board to terminate Broyles-Aplin. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said during a news conference last week that he does not have unilateral authority to remove members of the NES board or the CEO, noting that responsibility rests with the Metro Council. O’Connell said the council will hold hearings and seek assistance from the Metro auditor, with initial findings expected within six months. The council is scheduled to consider the resolution Feb. 17.

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the status of a small amphibian found in Tennessee, WPLN reports. The conservation group alleges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to determine whether the yellow-spotted woodland salamander should be listed as an endangered species. The salamander lives in shale and sandstone rock faces, areas often targeted for mountaintop removal mining, which has destroyed more than 500 mountains and 1.4 million acres of Appalachian forest over the past 40 years. Regional Director Will Harlan said the species, identified in 2018, could be wiped out by mining and road construction in the coming years if action is not taken.

Gov. Bill Lee, joined by business leaders and legislative partners, has announced the formation of a committee to build support for a constitutional amendment that would ban a state property tax. According to the Daily Memphian, Amendment 2 would prohibit the General Assembly from enacting a future statewide property tax and will appear on the November ballot. Tennessee has not levied a statewide property tax since 1949, and currently only local governments impose such taxes. If approved, the measure would make Tennessee the first state in the nation to repeal the authority to enact a state property tax. Amending the Tennessee Constitution requires passage in two consecutive General Assemblies and approval by voters in a gubernatorial election year.

Lawyers for Metro Nashville and for the state presented arguments Thursday in two cases before the Tennessee Supreme Court concerning a potential reduction in the size of the Metro Council and a possible state restructuring of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority. According to the Nashville Banner, the cases reflect ongoing tensions between the state legislature and the metropolitan government. One law would cut the 40-member Metro Council in half, while the other would shift appointment power over the airport authority board from the Nashville mayor to a group including the governor and legislative leaders. Attorneys for Metro argued the measures violate the Tennessee Constitution’s Home Rule Amendment by targeting Nashville specifically, while the state contended the laws address matters of statewide concern and apply broadly under legislative authority. Rulings are expected in several months.

The TBA will host a webcast replay of “Raising the Bar: The Unconventional JD — Exploring Alternative Legal Career Paths” on Feb. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. CST, featuring a panel of attorneys who have built careers beyond the traditional law firm model. Panelists include Meera Ballal, founder of Women’s Healthcare Initiative in Nashville; Julie Bennett, executive vice president, chief legal and governance officer and corporate secretary for Ballad Health in Johnson City; and Sara Beth Myers, deputy general counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Nashville. The program will explore career paths in nonprofit leadership, advocacy and policy, in-house counsel roles, government representation, board service, and entrepreneurship, while offering guidance on navigating a legal market that increasingly values flexible and diverse skill sets. To register visit the TBA website. 

After Winter Storm Fern left more than 300,000 Tennesseans without power and caused widespread damage, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration on Feb. 6 — but only for public assistance, not yet for individuals. FEMA is still reviewing whether uninsured or underinsured residents will qualify for federal aid, and there is no timeline for a decision. The storm killed 29 people, caused prolonged outages in Nashville and led to significant infrastructure repairs, prompting state officials to urge residents to document damages and file insurance claims. So far, 15 counties have been approved for full public assistance and eight more for emergency protective measures. The Tennessee Lookout has the story.

The Napier-Looby Bar Foundation will host its 18th Annual Barristers Banquet and Awards Program on Feb. 26 at the Cal Turner Center, 1011 21st Ave. N. in Nashville. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. CST, followed by the banquet and awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. View the invitation or visit www.napierloobyfoundation.org to purchase tickets.

Positioning itself as "Tinder for Attorneys," ReferU.AI recently announced the official launch of its AI-driven attorney "matchmaking" platform nationwide. ReferU.AI pairs its AI with billions of court dockets, filings, opinions, transcribed oral arguments, and attorney and judicial analytics to match consumers with attorneys who have demonstrable experience representing cases similar to what they are interested in pursuing. Read more in a press release.

Beginning in August, the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) will no longer be offered online in an effort to boost test security. Reuters reports that the move away from remote testing, which the council first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, comes amid escalating concerns over cheating. "We currently use a wide range of security measures before, during, and after testing to deter and detect potential misconduct," according to the announcement from the Law School Admission Council. The council went on to say that, "Moving to in-person testing will provide another important deterrent to anyone who tries to undermine the integrity of the test." Online testing will be offered to examinees with "limited" medical conditions and certain geographical hardships.