Make plans now to join colleagues from across the state at the TBA’s 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13, in downtown Knoxville. Annual favorites such as the Public Service Breakfast, Lawyers Luncheon, compelling CLE and swearing in of TBA’s new president will return, as will the Wednesday night welcome reception and a Thursday evening reception at Knoxville’s minor league ballpark, home of the Smokies. Again this year, the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women (TLAW) and Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) will hold meetings and events in conjunction with the convention. This year’s convention also will include TBA’s first-ever Tech Showcase and several lunch and learn opportunities with tech vendors on Thursday. The four-day event will take place at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville. Don’t miss this annual gathering of Tennessee lawyers! Access registration, hotel reservation information and more on the event website. Day passes for the Tech Showcase on June 11 also are available for those who unable to attend the full convention. Learn more about that option.

Join the TBA Mentoring Committee and the TBA Young Lawyers Division for the May monthly mentoring meet up at a Nashville Sounds game! We have a block of tickets in the 4 Tops section on May 28, perfect for making connections in a relaxed setting. Tickets are only $20. Half the price, all the fun — thanks to the TBA covering the other half. All are welcome and guests are encouraged. Come connect, build relationships and enjoy the game with the mentoring community! See a flyer for more information and purchase tickets here. Tickets are limited. Learn more about the TBA Mentoring Committee on the TBA website.

Nashville author Sheri Sellmeyer will be featured in the Tennessee State Museum's TN Writers | TN Stories series on April 11 to discuss her new book, "Nashville’s New Americans: Tracing the Journeys of Our Immigrant Neighbors." Through its profiles of 39 immigrants from 38 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America and Australia, "Nashville’s New Americans" provides a case study from one of the fastest-growing cities in the country on the contributions immigrants are making to its culture and economy. Reserve a free ticket here. Sellmeyer is chair of the Family Reconciliation Center Board of Directors. The center is a nonprofit guest house that provides free lodging to people visiting incarcerated loved ones. She is married to Barry Kolar, who served as TBA's interim executive director and assistant executive director for many years.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar for new businesses on April 8 at 8:30 a.m. CDT. Participants will learn about state tax obligations for new businesses in Tennessee, as well as other resources that may assist their businesses. Each new business webinar, offered quarterly, covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes, and how to get help from the department and other relevant state agencies. Register for Wednesday's webinar.

East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (ETLAW) will host its annual Tennessee Supreme Court Luncheon on May 6 at 11:15 a.m. EDT at the Hilton Knoxville in downtown Knoxville. The event will feature lunch and programming, during which members of the Tennessee judiciary will be recognized. In addition, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly M. Kirby, who served on the Tennessee Court of Appeals from 1995 to 2014 before joining the Supreme Court in 2014, will offer remarks reflecting on her decades of service. Kirby announced last fall she would retire on June 30 of this year.

The Judicial Council of the National Bar Association (NBA) will host a reception and fundraiser on April 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. CDT at the law offices of Baker Donelson to support its annual conference, which will take place July 25 through Aug. 1 in Nashville. NBA Judicial Council Chair Justice Freddrenna Lyle of the Illinois Appellate Court and NBA President Ashley Upkins of Nashville are expected to attend and offer brief remarks. Attendees should RSVP to Monte Watkins at montewatkins7@gmail.com. The law firm is located at 1600 West End Ave., Ste. 2000, Nashville, TN 37203.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law will celebrate the dedication of the Pamela Reeves Institute for Professional Leadership on April 17 at 4 p.m. EDT. RSVP by April 8. A 1979 graduate of the law school, Reeves was the first woman to serve as both district judge and chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Prior to joining the bench, she was respected mediator in private practice and served as TBA president from 1998-1999. View the event invitation.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women (TLAW) will host its 8th Annual Empowerment Conference on April 17 at Holland & Knight in Nashville. The conference will bring together women from across Tennessee’s legal community for a day of programming focused on professional development, networking and leadership. The agenda includes appearances by current and former Tennessee Supreme Court justices, as well as panels featuring women law firm leaders, a mediator/alternative dispute resolution discussion and a session on mental performance. Access more information and registration link.

The Belmont Law Journal will host its criminal law symposium, “Law, Security and Justice in the Digital Age: Redefining Enforcement and Accountability,” on March 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. The event will feature keynote speakers Sarah Lageson and David Thaw, along with two panels of practitioners discussing issues at the intersection of law and technology. Lageson will speak on "Big Data, Bad Warrants: Rethinking Accountability" while Thaw will address the limits of AI criminality. Attorneys interested in attending can register online and view the full agenda.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on the state's obligated member entity election under the franchise & excise (F&E) tax on March 31 beginning at 9 a.m. CDT. Department staff will discuss how pass-through entities can elect to pay F&E tax at the entity level and what this means for compliance and planning. The webinar is part of a free series the department offers to the public. Learn more and register here or read more in a press release.