Judges, lawyers and law students are needed for the American Mock Trial Association’s 2023 national championship in Memphis this weekend. The tournament will feature 48 teams from universities and colleges across the country vying to take home the national title. Competition rounds will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sign up to help or reach out to the volunteer recruitment team at nct.judges2023@gmail.com with any questions.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has set dates for its June swearing in ceremonies. The court will hold virtual sessions on June 5 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and on June 6 at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. CDT. In-person ceremonies will be held June 8 in Memphis at 9 a.m. and in Jackson at 1:30 p.m. CDT. On June 9, ceremonies will be held in Knoxville at 9 a.m. EDT and Nashville at 1:30 p.m. CDT. The TBA will be present at several events to connect with new lawyers and promote membership in the association.

A list of those who passed the February 2023 bar exam will be released tomorrow by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. Check the TBA’s website for the complete list of successful applicants.

State and national experts from throughout the country will convene virtually on Thursday and Friday to explore current and emerging issues on public defense, including topics related to the effectiveness of the right to counsel 60 years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright. The virtual 2023 Public Defense Summit will focus on ensuring manageable workloads, protecting public defender independence and other challenges identified in workload studies from six state. 

The TBA is excited to announce the special guest for its discussion this Wednesday on the book "Memphis" will be the author herself, Tara Stringfellow. This national bestseller was named as one of the top books for 2022 by Amazon, The New York Times, The Boston Globe and NPR, among others. Stringfellow, a Memphis native, renowned poet, semifinalist for the Fulbright Fellowship and former lawyer, will offer insight into this powerful book that only the author can provide. TBA West Tennessee Governor Will Perry will lead the discussion. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear directly from the author about this story of family, legacy and meditation on the city itself. Learn more and register here.

Novel Bookstore in Memphis is hosting an event for former Tennessee Bar Journal editor Suzanne Craig Robertson's new book, "He Called Me Sister: A True Story of Finding Humanity on Death Row." The event will be on May 6 at 2 p.m. CDT and will be a conversation between Robertson and former TBA president Bill Haltom. No advance registration is required. The memoir recounts the Robertson family's 15-year friendship with Cecil Johnson, who was on Tennessee's death row and was executed in 2009. Drawing from Johnson's own memoir, news accounts and court documents, the book also features interviews with many lawyers involved in the case. Preorders are available from Novel and other online retailers. A similar event is scheduled in Knoxville on April 27.

Join the East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (ETLAW) on May 3 for the annual Tennessee Supreme Court Luncheon. Each year, ETLAW joins together with members of the state's highest court to honor their service. This year’s program features Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger A. Page. Members of the judiciary, judicial officers and members of the bar across East Tennessee are all invited to join ETLAW in this annual tradition. Learn more or register now.

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 host a debt relief legal advice clinic for pre-screened individuals on May 13, beginning at 8:45 a.m. at the Public Defender’s Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. The advice clinic will be available to qualified individuals in Knox, Blount, Loudon and Sevier counties. Attorneys will volunteer to conduct initial meetings with the clients to discuss their situations and options. Qualification for the free services will be income-based, with pre-screening by LAET. The clinic clients may also be eligible for free bankruptcy services. Individuals who live in the counties listed above may sign up by contacting the LAET at (865) 637-0484. Clients must register by May 5.

The Stonewall Bar Association, a statewide organization for LGBTQ+ attorneys and allies, will host a spring reception on April 12 from 5-7 p.m. CDT at the Nashville office of Bass, Berry & Sims. The deadline to RSVP to Greg Maczko at Bass Berry is Thursday. The association also recently announced two new social media accounts: stonewallbar.tennessee on Instagram and Stonewall Bar Association of Tennessee on LinkedIn. For general information about the group email stonewallbar.nashville@gmail.com.

The TBA will hold its annual Public Service Awards Ceremony as a brunch this year. The event will take place April 15 from 10 a.m. to noon CDT at the Margaritaville Hotel, 425 John Lewis Way, in downtown Nashville. The event is free, but please RSVP. That evening, the Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative Gala will be held at the Nashville Public Library’s Main Branch at 615 Church St. in downtown Nashville. The event will run from 6-8:30 p.m. with a program at 7:15 p.m., and include a cocktail supper, live music and award recognitions. See details for the day or RSVP for the Public Service Awards Ceremony or get tickets for the Corporate Counsel Gala.