The TBA Pro Bono Portal provides a centralized source for lawyers and law students to find pro bono opportunities across Tennessee. Whether looking for virtual opportunities, in-person clinics or longer-term cases, volunteers can go online and search options by date or type of representation. Learn more about the portal in a press release from the TBA or visit the site today to begin volunteering! Thank you to Paladin and World Within for making the first year of the portal free to the Tennessee legal community.

The Memphis Bar Association's Access to Justice Committee, together with the TBA Young Lawyers Division and other organizations, are hosting a Restorative Rights & Resource Fair this Saturday, Nov. 22. Services to be offered include expungements, voter reinstatements, driver's license reinstatements and resume help. The event will take place at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd., Memphis 38115 from 9 a.m. to noon CST. Fill out this form to volunteer. See a flyer for more information.

The next free advice clinic for Black-owned small businesses and nonprofits is set for Nov. 20 in Nashville. The clinic, sponsored by the Arts & Business Council's Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts and Bradley, provides assistance with business formation and corporate governance, review of contracts, and guidance in navigating local ordinances and state regulations. Prospective clients should register by Nov. 17. Attorneys should email vlpa@abcnashville.org to volunteer.

The Memphis Bar Association's Access to Justice Committee, together with the TBA Young Lawyers Division and other organizations, are hosting a Restorative Rights & Resource Fair on Nov. 22. Services to be offered include expungements, voter reinstatements, driver's license reinstatements and resume help. The event will take place at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd., Memphis 38115 from 9 a.m. to noon CST. Fill out this form to volunteer. See a flyer for more information.

The TBA will host a free webcast this Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST to celebrate the launch of its new Pro Bono Portal, powered by Paladin. The event will introduce attorneys and legal aid organizations to the innovative platform designed to make pro bono work across the state more accessible and efficient. Speakers include Chelsea Bennett of the TBA, Justin Cole of West Tennessee Legal Services and Danielle LoMastro of Paladin. Attendees will see a live demonstration of the platform and learn how to search for and sign up for pro bono opportunities in their area. To register for this event, visit the TBA website.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) has launched a new, statewide portal for volunteer opportunities in partnership with Paladin, a leading pro bono management platform. The TBA Pro Bono Portal will play a crucial role in TBA’s work engaging Tennessee attorneys in pro bono and public interest opportunities by centralizing events, cases and training resources in one place. Using the portal, the TBA will work with over 15 legal aid providers across the state as well as its own Young Lawyers Division and other bar leadership groups to aggregate pro bono opportunities in a real-time, statewide database the legal community can access for free. “The TBA is proud to be part of the collaborative efforts working for quality, accessible legal services for all in our state. Paladin is the perfect tool to remove barriers that keep lawyers from volunteering. It will amplify clinics, individual cases and other opportunities for TBA members and the larger legal community,” said TBA President and Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus. She also thanked World Within for funding the first year of the portal. Read more about how the portal will work in a press release from the TBA or sign up for a free CLE on Nov. 5 to learn how to use the portal.

In related news, the TBA Access to Justice (ATJ) Committee recently sponsored a strategic action summit to engage bar leaders in identifying concrete ways the legal community can support legal service organizations in Tennessee. The event, hosted at Butler Snow's Nashville office, brought together leaders from key law firms, corporate legal departments and other stakeholders from across the state. Participants discussed practical ways to provide direct, meaningful pro bono assistance to organizations on the front lines of delivering legal aid to low-income and vulnerable Tennesseans. The summit, as well as ongoing ATJ Committee initiatives, will help craft TBA’s strategy for engaging Tennessee attorneys in pro bono and public interest opportunities. See photos from the day.

The Nashville Arts and Business Council will host a Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts pro bono legal clinic on Nov. 5 from 6-8 p.m. CDT at the Country Music Association, 35 Music Square E. #201, Nashville 37203. The clinic will provide pro bono legal services to income-qualified artists, emerging arts nonprofit organizations, and creative businesses in drafting and reviewing contracts, protecting work with copyright and trademark and resolving arts-related disputes. Register here by Oct. 31 to participate. Attorneys interested in volunteering should contact vlpa@abcnashville.org.

The Knoxville Bar Association and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET), will hold a Debt Relief Clinic on Nov. 15 to provide pro bono legal services to income-eligible consumer debtors. The clinic will begin at 9 a.m. EDT at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Judge Suzanne Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and then volunteer lawyers will conduct initial meetings with the clients to discuss their situations and options. Those interested in helping should register online. Clients seeking advice should call 865-637-0484.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) is marking Pro Bono Month and its 60th anniversary with free legal clinics and community events throughout October. The organization, which serves 26 counties across East Tennessee, is partnering with local agencies to offer free legal advice and assistance in areas such as expungement, family law and name changes. Upcoming events include a virtual name change clinic on Oct. 16, a family law advice clinic on Oct. 28 at the Carol B. Bertz Family Justice Center in Hamilton County and ongoing expungement assistance through Oct. 31. Additional clinics will take place in Johnson City, Kingsport and Knoxville, including a debt relief clinic on Nov. 15. Pre-registration is required for select events by calling 423-402-4766. In addition to these clinics, LAET is celebrating its 60th Anniversary with two Pro Bono Night events: the first in Chattanooga on Oct. 23 at the Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall and then in Knoxville on Nov. 13 at The Standard Knoxville. Both evenings will honor volunteer attorneys, celebrate six decades of service and raise support to ensure justice for vulnerable East Tennesseans. Sponsorships and tickets are still available. Don’t miss this chance to be part of LAET history. Get more information on these upcoming events on the LAET website or in a press release from the organization.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville is hosting a free legal clinic for artists Nov. 5 at the Country Music Association. The clinic offers 30-minute consultations with volunteer attorneys for income-qualified creatives across Tennessee. Volunteer attorneys can expect questions on contracts & licensing, copyright, business formation, nonprofit governance and the like. Email vlpa@abcnashville.org for more information or to volunteer.