Since William Shults and Michael Caskey last addressed the COVID-19 pandemic in the March issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal and in a subsequent webinar, much has changed and continues to change with the ongoing pandemic. It is unlikely that the virus will simply disappear overnight — and there will be lingering ramifications of the virus in the legal field for years to come. This new-content, Tennessee Bar Journal article offers established authorities and sources that should prove useful in navigating constitutional and contractual issues that might arise during this pandemic.

The current high gift and estate tax exemptions will not be around forever — they are set to go from $10 million to $5 million in 2026 if nothing changes, and possibly sooner. So the "middle wealthy" will need ways to protect their assets with that in mind. In the current issue, Tennessee Bar Journal columnist Dan Holbrook outlines the ways to advise your client. Read "To Halve or Halve Not: The Federal Estate Tax Exemption Drops in Half in 2026 (and Maybe in 2021)."

A two-year review of the Tennessee Child Support guidelines recently led to many revisions and amendments in the guidelines. The changes alter several specific provisions for modifying a party's child support obligation. Marlene Eskind Moses, with Ben Russ, details in her column what the significant changes are, including those involved the criminal justice system. Read "2020 Child Support Calculation Amendments" in the current issue of the Journal.

Recent research shows that there are 1.6 million Tennesseans living in poverty and about 60% of them will face at least one civil legal issue per year. Most of these individuals will not receive adequate legal help. In many instances, individuals do not recognize that they have a legal issue or they don’t know where to go for help. Celebrate Pro Bono Month, now in its 12th year, is an opportunity to focus attention on the significant need for pro bono services, raise public awareness about available resources and connect lawyers with pro bono opportunities. October is also a time to celebrate the outstanding work of those in the legal community delivering life-changing help to individuals in need all year. Learn more and see an updated list here. 

The TBA’s 20th annual Health Law Primer and 32nd annual Health Law Forum are next week. The primer will take place next Wednesday and the forum will be on Thursday and Friday. Both programs will provide a heightened virtual experience with live and on-demand sessions. The forum also includes roundtable discussions for practitioners to dig deeper into the issues presented.

Attorneys know all too well how vital it is to protect their clients' sensitive digital data. Thankfully, protecting sensitive data is actually simpler than you think — in most cases, it requires nothing more than getting that information out of your office. Our article will teach you the steps you can take to protect your firm from cyber threats and limit your liability. READ MORE