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 Legal Services Corporation (LSC), with Ascendium, Frontline Justice and Quarles & Brady, will unveil its new Rural Justice Task Force Report via a livestream tomorrow, Wednesday, from 2-6 p.m. CDT. The program, “Rural Reach: Access to Justice That Meets People Where They Are,” will explore innovative ways to close the rural justice gap. Join the livestream here. Learn more about the task force's work.

The TBA and West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) will present a free webcast, “Building Better Boards: Ethical Considerations and Dilemmas for Attorneys on Nonprofit Boards,” on Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST. The program will cover ethical boundaries for attorneys serving on boards, questions to consider before joining and real-world conflicts of interest. Panelists include Rita Gibson Rayford with Strategic Legal Advocates, Claudia Williams Hyman with WTLS, Brande Boyd with Butler Snow, Seth Ogden with Patterson Intellectual Property Law, and Harolda Bryson, an attorney for the City of Chattanooga. Registration is free and 1.5 hours of CLE credit is available for a $50 processing fee. Visit the TBA website for more information and to register.

The Lawyers' Association for Women (LAW) will hold its annual New Admittee Breakfast on Nov. 4 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. CST at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 Broadway, Nashville 37203. This year’s keynote speaker will be Davidson County Circuit Court Judge Stephanie Williams. For almost 50 years, the breakfast has been recognized as a signature event in the Middle Tennessee legal community. It is attended by new admittees, judges, local bar dignitaries and attorneys. The event is free to new admittees. General admission tickets are $75. The plated breakfast includes avocado toast, breakfast entrée, pastries, juice, water and coffee. View a flyer for the event or register here.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and the Harwood Center Inc. will host a parent education session Nov. 6 from 6 to 7 p.m. CST for parents of children with disabilities. The session will cover kindergarten readiness, parental rights and available services to help families prepare their children for school. Register online and view the flyer for more information.

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.

While Tennessee recognizes Celebrate Pro Bono Month throughout the month of October, the American Bar Association (ABA) promotes one week of the month as a National Celebration of Pro Bono. This year’s event will take place Oct. 19-25 with the theme of "Supporting Communities." Also held during the week is ABA Giving Day, set for Oct. 23 this year. Organized by the ABA's Fund for Justice and Education, this effort raises support for programs that help others through public service, policy initiatives and education programs. Read more in a press release about the upcoming celebration.

Dates and locations for next month’s swearing in ceremonies have been updated by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The Nashville ceremony will take place Nov. 4 at the Millenium Maxwell House Grand Ballroom at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. CDT; the ceremony in Jackson will take place on Nov. 5 at the Supreme Court Building at 1 p.m. CDT. The event in Memphis will take place on Nov. 6 at City Hall at 10 a.m. CDT. There is no change to the ceremony in Knoxville, which will take place Nov. 3 at the Knoxville City/County Building Main Assembly Room at 10 a.m. EDT.

The Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence will host Meet Us at the Bridge on Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. CDT at the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Nashville. The annual event is part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and honors those lost to domestic violence and recognizes community members working to end it. Since the event began in 2005, 191 women, men and children have been remembered at the ceremony, with families of homicide victims memorializing their loved ones by dropping purple roses into the river.