Tennessee lawyers offering free legal services across the state during October

NASHVILLE, Oct. 13, 2015 — October is “Celebrate Pro Bono Month” in Tennessee and lawyers across the state are joining in a nationwide effort to provide free legal services to those in need. The celebratory month also honors the good work performed by lawyers every day.

Volunteers are needed for Lipscomb’s legal clinic in Nashville on Oct. 20, 5:30 – 8 p.m. at St. James Missionary Baptist Church, 600 28th Ave. N. Attorneys will meet at 5:15 p.m. For more information, contact Randy Spivey at 615-966-2503.

Two celebrations are planned for the coming weeks in Nashville during Celebrate Pro Bono Month. The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands invites all pro bono lawyers to enjoy a hockey game at the Nashville Predators Celebrate Pro Bono event on Oct. 20. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. before the game at 7 p.m. at the Bridgestone Arena on 501 Broadway. For more information, contact Lucinda Smith.

The Tennessee Supreme Court and Access to Justice Commission will hold its Pro Bono Awards Ceremony on Oct. 28, 5 p.m. at Belmont College of Law, 1900 Belmont Blvd. The commission will recognize attorneys and students who have completed at least 50 hours of pro bono service. Contact Christian Donaldson for more information. See a full list of Celebrate Pro Bono Month events.

Attorney Terry Woods with Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) said she has never seen an eviction like the one that forced Lisa Love and her family out their Knoxville home, WATE reports. Love lost her home due to financial difficulties stemming from Love’s 2009 unemployment and disability application. LAET will host an Open Clinic and InterFaith Legal Advice Clinic in Knoxville during Celebrate Pro Bono Month on Oct. 24, 9:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the John Tarleton Gymnasium Helen Ross McNabb Center, 2455 Sutherland Ave. No appointments are necessary and Spanish-speaking interpreters will be available. Contact Woods for more information.

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee will discuss "Politics in Judicial Races and Recent SCOTUS Decisions” at the Rutherford County Courthouse on Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. WGNS reports that the event is co-hosted by the Murfreesboro Downtown Barristers Lions Club and the League of Women Voters of Murfreesboro/Rutherford County. 

Judge Brian J. Hunt and his staff of the Anderson County Juvenile Court were honored with the inaugural Community Award by the Legal Aid Society’s Oak Ridge office. “The Anderson County Juvenile Court pioneered the first ever Guardian ad litem project between a local juvenile court and Legal Aid Society,” said Janet Mynatt, managing attorney of Legal Aid Society’s Oak Ridge office. “With the court’s help, attorneys are able to identify and provide post-adjudication guardianship for children in the care of the Tennessee Department of Children's Services – some of our most vulnerable youth.”

Learn about the Condo Act, Horizontal Property Act, Non-Profit Corporation Act and the proposed Tennessee Home Owner Association Act at the Community Association Law in a Nutshell webcast on Oct. 14 at noon. The course is worth one credit of CLE.

A retirement celebration for Carol Sullivan, law clerk for Greenevile’s District Court Judge J. Ronnie Greer, is planned for Oct. 28, 2 – 4 p.m. at the James H. Quillen Courthouse. 

Shelby County Commission Chair Terry Roland appointed former county commissioner Julian Bolton to serve as special counsel and explore the commission’s options for permanent outside counsel that could include a lawsuit, Memphis Daily News reports. Roland said the commission may pursue a suit regarding representation in Chancery Court. Bolton’s appointment comes after the Shelby County Commission was unable to reach a compromise with County Attorney Ross Dyer regarding representation. 

On the heels of releasing the July Tennessee bar exam pass list, the Board of Law Examiners released the percentage of passages for Tennessee law schools. Of 701 test takers, 64 percent passed the exam. Belmont University College of Law posted the top pass rate for first-time test takers with 94 percent. Of 114 repeat test-takers, 96 failed the exam. View more statistics on the July exam.