| January 2008 Memphis social event planned The YLD will hold a networking social event in Memphis on Saturday, March 1. Join other West Tennessee young lawyers for a 5:30 p.m. reception at Silky O'Sullivan's Oyster Bar on Beale Street, then walk over to the FedEx Forum to watch the Memphis Grizzlies take on the Utah Jazz at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person, which buys a beer at Silky O'Sullivan's and a lower level ticket at the game. The event will be limited to the first 40 people who respond. Young lawyers in Memphis, Jackson, Dyersburg or anywhere else in Western Tennessee are invited to attend. For additional information or to RSVP, contact the YLD's Memphis Membership Captain Asa Baker at (901) 527-0214 or asa.baker@leitnerfirm.com. Deadline for TBA elections Are you interested in running for a leadership position with the Tennessee Bar Association? Members will elect new officers, governors and delegates in May for the 2008-2009 bar year, but those seeking office must file nomination petitions on or before Feb. 15. Open positions include Vice President (must be from East Tennessee this year); District 2, 5 and 8 Governors who sit on the TBA Board of Governors; East, Middle and West Grand Division Governors who sit on the TBA Board of Governors; and three seats representing TBA in the American Bar Association House of Delegates. To qualify for any of these offices, a candidate must file a nominating petition with the executive director of the TBA. The petition must contain the names of 25 members of the association in good standing and be received at the TBA headquarters on or before Feb. 15. For contested elections, ballots will be distributed by April 1 with votes due back by May 1. For more information download TBA's election handbook, which includes a copy of the nominating petition. Leadership Conference report The Tennessee Bar Association hosted its annual Leadership Conference in Nashville Jan. 18-20. State and local bar leaders met throughout the weekend, and gathered on Saturday morning to learn about the Tennessee Plan, how to identify signs of emotional distress in colleagues and how to connect senior bar members with young lawyers. The annual Public Service Luncheon was held Saturday afternoon with young lawyer Peggy Smith of Waverly receiving the Law Student Volunteer of the Year Award. Conference participants also enjoyed dinner at Jack's Bar-B-Que in downtown Nashville and a show at the Ryman Auditorium, during which Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The weekend offered a great opportunity to interact with lawyers across the state and experience first hand the rewards of bar work.
YLD award winners named Also during the meeting, YLD President Jason Long presented "Star of the Quarter" awards to the CLE Committee chair and captains for their hard work in producing the successful Trial Practice CLE in December, and for organizing the upcoming "New Lawyer Experience" CLE, a day-long seminar to be conducted in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville on Feb. 15. Award winners were Committee Chair Candice Reed of Brentwood; CLE City Captains Carol Anne Long of Knoxville, Matt Potempa of Nashville and Emily Taube of Memphis; New Lawyer Experience Captain Liz Parrott of Nashville; and Chattanooga lawyer Craig Smith, who planned and coordinated the Trial Practice CLE in Chattanooga. Also recognized was Kimberly Pride of Knoxville, the Online CLE Captain, for her work in recruiting writers and producers of online CLE programming, and equipping them with the tools necessary to do so. Thank you to all of these folks who make fun and successful CLE programming possible. Earn CLE, peer recognition The YLD is soliciting contributions from members who wish to earn CLE credits by producing online CLE courses this bar year. The division has set a goal of creating five new online programs and is looking for lawyers willing to author one or more of these courses. This is a great opportunity to earn CLE credit, have your work published, impress your partner and add to your resume. We'll even provide you with a guide to writing online CLE to help you through the process. Please contact Kimberly Pride, the YLD's online CLE coordinator, at kpride@ritlaw.com for more details. Mock trial volunteers needed The mock trial season is in full swing with teams around the state preparing for the big day. District competitions will occur throughout the month of February with the state competition scheduled for Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 in Nashville. This year, teams are debating a civil case stemming from a car accident involving a teenager allegedly text messaging and speeding while driving. When the teen's car skids off the road and hits a telephone pole, the front seat passenger sustains significant injuries. Conflicting testimony sheds doubt on whether it was the driver or the passenger who was "texting" at the time of the accident. The state competition still needs volunteers to serve as scorers and bailiffs. Those who volunteer for rounds on both days will receive a complimentary hotel room and appreciation dinner on Friday night. This is a great opportunity to get involved, meet sitting judges (who preside over the trial rounds) and impact the lives of young people. For more information contact Mock Trial Committee Chair Colleen Sweeney at csweeney@sedlaw.com or (615) 620-1721. Law Day contest underway The 2008 Law Day Art and Essay Contest is now underway! Contest rules and instructions for participating have been sent to all elementary, middle and high schools in the state. Children in grades K-8 are invited to participate in the art competition while high school students are encouraged to put their thoughts on paper in the essay contest. Sponsored by the TBA Young Lawyers Division each year, the contest allows students to creatively express their ideas about living in a society that is governed by the rule of law. This year's theme "The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity," emphasizes the law's daily effect on Americans. All entries are due to local competition coordinators by April 14 and winners will be announced in May. For a list of competition districts or information about getting involved in Law Day activities contact Public Service Chair Jenny Rogers at jcoro@bellsouth.net. Read more about law day on the ABA's web site. The New Lawyer Experience: Bridging the Gap Between Preparation and Practice is a day-long CLE designed to give new lawyers the tools they need to succeed in the practice of law, and it is coming to a city near you on Feb. 15. Based on the highly successful Bridge-the-Gap program of years past, the seminar has been redesigned and updated for a new generation of young lawyers. The course offers an introduction to a range of practice areas and practice tips, features a panel of seasoned associates willing to answer practical questions about the workplace, and includes a lunch and keynote address by a distinguished local attorney. Not to be missed is the local judges panel, which will address what judges want associates to know. In the afternoon, participants will select a litigation or transactional breakout session to dig deeper on issues in their areas of practice. The CLE will conclude with a networking mixer so new lawyers can meet and mingle with colleagues and more experienced members of the bar. If you are new to the practice of law in Tennessee, you need to be here! Call (800) 899-6993 or go online to register. The program provides 7 hours of CLE credit (5 General, 0.5 Ethics and 1.5 Dual) and is being offered in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville. Click on the appropriate city link for a complete agenda and registration details. The following judges are confirmed as speakers. Don't miss the chance to meet them! Knoxville - Charles Cerny Jr., Knox County General Sessions Court; Daryl Fansler, Knox County Chancery Court; Kenneth Irvine Jr., Knox County Criminal Court; Sharon Lee, Tennessee Court of Appeals; and Wheeler Rosenbalm, Knox County Circuit Court. Memphis - Phyllis Gardner, Shelby County General Sessions Civil Court; Arnold Goldin, Shelby County Chancery Court; Jon Phipps McCalla, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; Kay Robilio, Shelby County Circuit Court; Paula Skahan, Shelby County Criminal Court; and W. Mark Ward, Shelby County Criminal Court. Nashville - Steve Dozier, Davidson County Criminal Court; Juliet Griffin, U.S. Magistrate; and Ellen Hobbs Lyle, Davidson County Chancery Court. |
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Vol. 6, No. 8 IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE EDITOR You are receiving E-DICT as a member benefit of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. E-DICT features information about upcoming YLD events and ways to get involved, while at the same time showing that we do not take ourselves too seriously. E-DICT is sent monthly to all TBA young lawyer members, law student members, affiliate representatives and TBA YLD Fellows. If you have comments or suggestions regarding the newsletter, please contact the editor at hjones@latlaw.com. Hillary Jones Knoxville SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION FORWARD THIS E-MAIL!! Feel free to forward E-DICT to anyone who might be interested in TBA YLD news. MAKE TBA YLD ONLINE YOUR HOME PAGE DISCONTINUE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? TO STOP receiving E-DICT, send your request to sshrader@tnbar.org Please note: unsubscribing will cancel all electronic communications from the TBA. |
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