The TBA recently announced the members of the 2013 Leadership Law class. Young lawyers among the group are: Laura Bishop Baker, Law Offices of John Day, Brentwood; Ahsaki Baptist, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, Memphis; Marshall County General Sessions Judge Lee B. Bowles, Lewisburg; H. Garth Click, Click Law Office, Springfield; Christopher E. Coleman, Tennessee Justice Center, Nashville; Margaret F. Cooper, Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson & Mitchell, Memphis; Mary Beth Hagan, Hagan & Farrar, Murfreesboro; Daniel C. Headrick, Paine, Tarwater & Bickers, Knoxville; Meredith B. Humbert, Hunter, Smith & Davis, Kingsport; Joshua H. Jenne, Jenne, Scott & Jenne, Cleveland; Caroline E. Knight, District Attorney General’s Office, Crossville; Mark A. Ison, Sherrard & Roe, Nashville; Teresa A. Luna, Spragins, Barnett & Cobb, Jackson; R. Brad Morgan, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Kristi J. Murray, Legal Aid Society of East Tennessee, Johnson City; P. Matthew Potempa, Law Office of Matt Potempa, Nashville; Ben J. Scott, Federal Express, Memphis; Clint H. Scott, Gilbert, Russell, McWherter, Jackson; Adam C. Simpson, Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, Memphis; Terica N. Smith, West Tennessee Legal Services, Jackson; and John D. Wicker, Roberts & Wicker, Nashville.
The TBA YLD Children’s Issues Committee is accepting nominations from Tennessee CASA directors for its 2013 CASA Volunteer of the Year Award. The deadline to submit an application is Dec. 5. Please encourage your local CASA directors to nominate a hard-working volunteer for this statewide recognition! The winner, as well as the executive director of the agency where the volunteer works, will be recognized with an award and cash gift at the YLD Winter Board Meeting in Nashville in January. The Children’s Issues Committee also offers a range of services for local CASA agencies. Please contact chair Katrina Atchley Arbogast at katchley@lewisking.com for more information.
The TBA YLD released the case and rules for the 2013 High School Mock Trial Competition this week. This year's scenario features Thor Brush, an investment broker who convinces friends and local businessmen to invest in his company U.R. Rich. While promising to invest in established securities, Brush instead spends the money on a lavish lifestyle. When news of the scheme becomes public, clients realize they have lost everything. Brush is indicted and is awaiting trial, when he suddenly dies when his car careens out of control and crashes.
The TBA YLD's Wills for Heroes program is in need of either new or used donated laptops. It also is in need of technical assistance to fix a number of laptops that currently are not operational. If your firm is interested in contributing computers or donating the services of an IT professional, please contact Wills for Heroes Committee Chair Brad Carter. This is a great time of year to make a donation and receive a tax deduction! Learn more about the Wills for Heroes program, which provides free wills, powers of attorney and other end-of-life documents for first responders in the state of Tennessee.
As a recently licensed attorney, sure you can quote hearsay exceptions, hammer out memos in three hours, and generally dazzle people with your extensive substantive legal knowledge. But can you manage client and partner expectations, effectively communicate with opposing counsel, and ultimately avoid the kinds of mistakes young lawyers can make that expose them to disciplinary actions or claims from their clients? Do you know how to properly begin and end the lawyer-client relationship? Are you familiar with the myriad of resources and services available to Tennessee attorneys? If not, don’t despair because you are not alone and help is on the way!
American Bar Association YLD – The ABA YLD held its Fall Conference in historic Charleston from Oct. 18-20. In addition to programming from presenters such as Charleston's mayor and South Carolina's chief justice, the conference featured social events at the South Carolina Aquarium and several of Charleston's best restaurants. This year's public service project, American Voter, also was officially launched at the meeting. The initiative is a non-partisan effort to educate young people about the history of voting rights in the United States and the importance of exercising the right to vote. The program offers resources for lawyers and educators to present law-focused education projects in the classroom or community, as well as comprehensive state-specific information on voter registration, Election Day procedures, resources for disabled voters and more. It also calls on young lawyers to volunteer for voter registration, Election Day poll watching and community education. Visit american-voter.org for more information. In addition to this, the newest public service project, the ABA YLD recently "re-packaged" its previous projects to make them easier for affiliates to implement. All past projects now can be found here
Blount County Bar Association YLD – For more information about the Blount County YLD contact president George Maifair at george@grmbankruptcy.com or (865) 323-6719.
The following Wills for Heroes events have been scheduled across the state. Please contact the event organizer for more details or to volunteer. To get involved in the Wills for Heroes Committee or to request a clinic in your area, please contact committee chair Bradley Carter at bcarter@runyonandrunyon.com. Learn more about the Wills for Heroes program
Nashville, Nov. 10 Location:
Metro West Nashville Police Precinct
5500 Charlotte Pike
Nashville, TN 37209 Contact:
Jenney Keaty jkeaty@kcbattys.com
(615) 297-1007
The YLD Mock Trial Committee is working hard to get this year’s case ready for release on Nov. 28. The 2013 mock trial problem will be criminal in nature and feature all of the twists and turns expected from the mock trial experience. District coordinators also will be announced on Nov. 28. Teams seeking to get a head start on preparing should consider watching footage of past championship rounds. The TBA has DVDs of the 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 championship rounds for sale. Download an order form here
Also, Central High School in Memphis is looking for a local attorney to coach them in the 2013 competition. The district competition will take place in early February 2013 at the Shelby County Courthouse. Anyone interested in volunteering to help the team should contact Nicole Grida at nicole.grida@leitnerfirm.com for more information.
The YLD also this week rolled out application materials for the 2013 Summer Judicial Internship Program, which matches first- and second-year law students with Tennessee appellate and trial judges for six or 12-week internships. More than 40 law students served with trial court judges last summer and the Membership & Law School Outreach Committee -- which administers the program -- is hopeful that number will grow in 2013. Applications must be received in the TBA office by Feb. 4, 2013. Learn more about the program and get application instructions. Watch for information about the program to be distributed on all Tennessee law school campuses in early November.
As the YLD Diversity Committee begins preparations for the third annual Diversity Leadership Institute, it is asking attorneys across the state to volunteer to serve as mentors for law student participants. Each member of the DLI class will be assigned to an attorney mentor and will be required to interact with their mentor at least twice during the six-month program. The class will kick off in January at the TBA Leadership Conference in Nashville. If you are willing to serve as a mentor please contact Diversity Committee Chair Ahsaki Baptist at (901) 537-1123 or abaptist@wyattfirm.com.
The TBA YLD this week announced the application process and deadlines for the 2013 Diversity Leadership Institute -– a six-month leadership program for Tennessee law students in their second, third or fourth years of study. Now in its third year, the program is designed to:
* Develop skills to succeed as a law student and attorney;
* Empower students to contribute more to the legal community;
* Match students to mentors in a diverse variety of practice areas; and
* Build relationships among students of diverse backgrounds.
Class size is limited to a total of 20 to 25 students selected from across the state. The goal of the program is to have a diverse class, so selection is based in part on race, ethnicity, gender, age, background, geographical factors and law schools attended. Student participants must be members of the TBA and commit to attend two in-person programs. Applications for the 2013 class are now available and are due back to the TBA by Dec. 5. Watch for information about the program to be distributed on all Tennessee law school campuses in early November. Get application information and other details here
Tennessee lawyers will welcome 342 new colleagues to the practice of law over the next week at admission ceremonies across the state. On Monday, Nov. 5, new lawyers in Knoxville will appear before the state Supreme Court during a ceremony at 1 p.m. In Nashville, new lawyers will be sworn in on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at sessions set for 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Between the two sessions, new lawyers and their families are invited to attend an open house and luncheon at the Tennessee Bar Association offices. On Wednesday, Nov. 7, the court will be in Jackson to swear in new lawyers beginning at 9 a.m. Finally, on Thursday, Nov. 8, the court will travel to Memphis to swear in new lawyers at a ceremony at 10 a.m. TBA YLD representatives will be at each ceremony to welcome their new colleagues to the profession and offer information about association membership. For details about the TBA open house in Nashville contact TBA Membership Director Kelly Stosik at kstosick@tnbar.org.
This Saturday, the Rutherford-Cannon County Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Division of the Tennessee Bar Association will host Wills for Heroes, a free legal clinic that provides basic wills, living wills and health care and financial powers of attorney to first responders and their spouses/partners. The event will run from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. at the Smyrna Town Center, 526 North Walnut St. in Murfreesboro. For more information, contact event organizer Aimee Luna.
On Oct.11, the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Bradley County will host its third annual Moonlight Walk in memory of Melisha Gipson, a four-year-old Cleveland girl who died tragically in 1976 from child abuse. The case gained national exposure and resulted in increased child abuse laws in Tennessee and across the country, the Chattanoogan reports.
Lincoln Memorial University's John J. Duncan Jr. School of Law will host a series of information sessions beginning Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon. The program will cover the application process, financing your legal education, university scholarships and general information on the school's mission. Participants will meet administration, faculty, staff and current students. There will also be sessions on Oct. 13 and Nov 3. The News Sentinel has more
Minority Law Student Reception in Knoxville -- The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) Minority Opportunities Committee, the University of Tennessee College of Law and the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law will co-host a reception for minority law students on Sept. 27. Area lawyers are asked to volunteer to adopt a student as their "buddy" for the night. The event will be held at Old City Entertainment, 118 S. Central St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero also will be in attendance as a special guest. RSVP to (865) 522-6522 or on the KBA's website
Duncan Announces Scholarships -- Lincoln Memorial University's Duncan School of Law will award $5,000 scholarships to qualified applicants who are Tennessee Department of Children's Services employees, law enforcement officers, municipal employees or current or former members of the military, including the National Guard. Learn more from the News Sentinel
Belmont Unveils New Law School Home -- As its second year got underway, Belmont University College of Law unveiled the new Randall and Sadie Baskin Center with a ribbon cutting celebration attended by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Congressman Jim Cooper. The 75,000 square foot, three-story brick and limestone building sits atop a five-level underground garage. The copper-roofed dome features a skylight at the top, which represents the "eye of God" guiding human law, and the building offers four different porticos to represent the four types of law: local, state, federal and God's. Inside, the Baskin Center contains more than a dozen classrooms, a trial courtroom, an appellate courtroom, a two-story law library and more than 20 faculty offices. Read more
American Bar Association YLD -- The ABA YLD will hold its fall conference in Charleston, S.C., Oct. 18-20. Along with a range of educational programs, the conference will feature presentations by South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal and Justice Costa M. Pleicones. Social events include an evening at the South Carolina Aquarium. Get details here
The following Wills for Heroes events have been scheduled across the state. Please contact the event organizer for more details or to volunteer. To get involved in the Wills for Heroes Committee or to request a clinic in your area, please contact committee chair Bradley Carter at bcarter@runyonandrunyon.com. Learn more about the Wills for Heroes program at www.willsforheroes.org.
Nashville lawyer Marisa Combs has been named co-chair of the Transition and Succession Subcommittee of the TBA Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. The subcommittee got down to work last week, tackling issues related to winding down abandoned law practices. The group will place a special emphasis on developing preventative measures so that lawyers have the tools to properly plan for the succession of their law practices. The subcommittee's first item of business will be to examine amendments to Section 29 of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, which would provide for the appointment of a receiver attorney by the presiding judge of the district where the office is located. It also is reviewing material from several other states that have guides for helping lawyers in such transitions. The disciplinary rule changes are part of a proposed comprehensive rewrite to the rules published by the Supreme Court in August. Comments and suggestions on the issue of transitioning a law practice may be submitted to Combs at mcombs@lewisking.com.
The TBA has announced a series of public hearings across the state on two important issues facing the legal profession -- civility and conservatorship. Young lawyers are invited and encouraged to participate in both initiatives.
The median salary for first-year associates at large law firms has decreased steadily within the past three years, The ABA Journal reports. Major markets such as New York and Chicago are still offering the standard BigLaw salaries, but the prevalence of such offers is declining according to research by the Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP). The median first-year salary at firms of all sizes, however, has increased in the last year, based on a survey of 570 law firms.
American Bar Association YLD -- The ABA held its annual meeting in Chicago from Aug. 2 to 7. The ABA-YLD also met and began its assembly with an invocation by Tennessee's own Lee Bowles, General Sessions Court judge in Marshall County. Read about the resolutions argued, awards received and other updates here
Members of the new ABA-YLD leadership also took office. Chris Rogers of Dallas replaced Michael Bergman of Chicago as ABA-YLD Chair. Mario Sullivan of Chicago began serving his one-year term as YLD chair-elect. And Jennifer Daugherty of Minneapolis began serving her one-year term as YLD Assembly Speaker.
The ABA-YLD's next meeting will be the fall conference in Charleston, S.C., Oct. 18 to 20. For information about the ABA-YLD contact Matt Potempa at matt@potempafirm.com or (615) 255-5007.
Jackson Madison County Bar Association YLD -- The Jackson-Madison County YLD will host a joint reception with the Federal Bar Association at Charlie Bulldogs on Aug. 30 beginning at 4 p.m. For more information about the event or the YLD contact President Terica Smith at terica@wtls.org or (731) 426-1337.
Knoxville Bar Association Barristers -- The Barristers Hunger and Poverty Relief Committee recently concluded its School Supply Drive, which provided supplies for 35 foster children through Childhelp Foster Family Agency of East Tennessee.
Among the Barrister's upcoming events are the monthly meeting Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. at the Bistro by the Bijou and a happy hour Sept 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bearden Beer Market. On Oct. 12, the Barristers team up with the KBA for the annual golf tournament. This year's event will be held at the Avalon Landmark Golf Club. Registration, practice range privileges and box lunches will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A shotgun start will take place at 1 p.m. Following the tournament, players are invited to a BBQ dinner. Participants may sign up as individuals or teams, but each team must include at least one lawyer. The entry fee of $100 per player includes green fees, cart, range balls, box lunch, a commemorative tournament gift, two tickets for beverages during the tournament, prizes and cook-out following the tournament. All entries and payments must be received by Oct. 5. Is your law firm interested in sponsoring? Check out options. Learn more or register for the tournament here
Finally, the Barristers are recruiting volunteers for area Saturday Bar clinics. Knox County clinics will be held at Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Dates include Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 10 and Dec. 1. Blount County events will take place Sept.15, Oct. 27, Nov. 10 and Dec. 1 at New Hope Blount County Children's Advocacy Center in Maryville. All clinics run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Contact Barristers President Josh Bond at jbond@hdclaw.com for more information about any of these events.
Memphis Bar Association YLD -- The MBA YLD will host its annual golf tournament Sept. 28 at Glen Eagle Golf Course in Millington with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Registration is $65 per person with proceeds benefiting the Downtown Porter Boys and Girls Club. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers, as well as for the longest drive and closet to the pin. Sponsors of this year's tournament are Alpha Reporting Corp., BankTennessee, IPSCO - Insurance Service & Planning Co., and The Marston Group. Register online
The group also announced it will hold its annual meeting Nov. 15. Watch for more details to come. For more information about the MBA YLD contact President Abby Webb at awebb@shuttleworthwilliams.com or (901) 328-8223.
District 7 YLD Representative Aimee Luna is hosting a book drive for the Veterans Nursing Home in Murfreesboro. Anyone interested in donating books, bookshelves (preferably three foot in height) or monetary assistance should contact Luna at aluna@las.org or (615) 890-0905.
The TBA recently hired two new staff members to handle key programs run by the bar and its committees.
Leadership Law
Brittany Sims will join the TBA next week as coordinator of the Leadership Law program. She replaces long time staff member Monica Mackie who is pursuing other opportunities. Sims, a Nashville native, graduated from Hampton University in Hampton, Va., then returned to Nashville to work as a VISTA volunteer with AmeriCorp. While pursuing a graduate degree at Tennessee State University, Sims worked with the TSU Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement and then moved on to become a program coordinator there. She also serves as assistant volleyball coach at Fisk University. Her degree is in public administration, with a certificate in nonprofit management. In addition to coordinating the TBALL program, Sims also will join the team that gathers news for the daily TBAToday newsletter and TBA website. You can reach her at bsims@tnbar.org.
Access to Justice and Public Education
Elizabeth "Liz" Slagle Todaro joined the TBA staff this week to begin training as the new Access to Justice and Public Education Coordinator. She will take over later this fall when Sarah Hayman, who currently fills those roles, departs to have her first child. Todaro, a graduate of the City University of New York Law School, most recently led Nashville Debate - a comprehensive debate program for high school students. She also has served in a consulting role with the YWCA as a community educator and outreach coordinator for the agency's Domestic Violence Center, and as program director for the Family and Children's Service Crisis Center. A native of Nashville, Todaro graduated from Hume-Fogg High School. She earned her undergraduate degree from Emory University and worked in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., prior to attending law school. You can reach her at ltodaro@tnbar.org.
The Second Annual Law Firm Trivia Challenge in Nashville raised $6,300 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Hosted last Monday by YLD members Mary Beth Haltom and Jenney Keaty, the event involved more than 100 lawyers competing on 19 law firm teams. First place went to "Guilty as Charged" from the Davidson County District Attorney General’s office. Team members were Rob McGuire, Bret Gunn, Elizabeth Foy, Brian Ewald and Lauren Turner. Second place went to "Trivial Per Se" from the Law Office of John Day (Laura Baker, Brandon Bass, Burke Keaty, Casey Truelove and Kurt Hippel) and third place went to the Neal & Harwell team of Jeff Gibson, Drew Warth, Ron Harris, David Bridgers and Megan Deardorff.
