Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus was recently sworn in as the 145th president of the Tennessee Bar Association. A shareholder in the Knoxville office of Lewis Thomason, Barcus has dedicated her legal career to advocating for professionals and institutions in the complex arena of health care liability. She has been active in the TBA and other legal and community organizations for many years, serving most recently as TBA president-elect, Second District representative on the TBA Board of Governors and as a member of the TBA’s Law Office Technology & Management Section and its Tort and Insurance Practice Section. She is a past chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Practice Division and currently serves on the ABA’s TECHSHOW Board. The oath of office was administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater during the TBA’s Annual Lawyers Lunch. During remarks following the swearing in, Barcus announced several initiatives, including a focus on helping first generation lawyers, those who fail the bar the first time they take it and lawyers in the twilight of their careers. She also announced a CLE Abroad trip to Morocco in February 2026 and a technology focus for the 2026 TBA Convention in Knoxville. Watch her remarks, as well as the full footage of the Lawyers Lunch, on the TBA's YouTube page. See photos from the lunch or read the TBA's full press release.

Members of the Tennessee legal community met for the second day of the TBA Annual Convention in Franklin today. The morning began with a Public Service Awards Breakfast featuring presentation of the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award to a group of private attorneys representing families from Nashville’s Covenant School, the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year to the executive directors of the state's three Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded organizations, the Law Student of the Year Award to recent Belmont University College of Law graduate David "Lee" Myers, and the 2025 CASA Volunteer of the Year to Amy Dorman with CASA Works Inc. in Tullahoma. At the annual Bench Bar Luncheon, Nashville lawyer Margaret Behm received the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, while Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft received the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Following the awards, Nashville lawyer Ed Yarbrough, of counsel with Spencer Fane, gave the keynote address, highlighting the work of a dozen lawyers who went on to make great contributions to the profession by staying true to their convictions. He told attendees, "Integrity is the most important thing — the only thing that lets you make history." The afternoon continued with CLE programs on artificial intelligence and the most recent legislative session. The evening will wrap up with a reception. See pictures from today's events.

The 2025 TBA Annual Convention kicked off today at the Marriott Hotel in Franklin with meetings of the TBA House of Delegates and incoming section chairs, to be followed by a welcome reception and group dinners for attendees. Walk-up registrations are still available. For those who cannot attend in person, the Lawyers Lunch, scheduled for Friday, will be livestreamed on the TBA’s Facebook and YouTube channel. A full schedule of convention events and CLE programming is available on the TBA website.

Each year the Tennessee Bar Association recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor public service award recipients at the Public Service Breakfast set for Thursday as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Franklin.

The Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award will be presented to a group of private attorneys who are serving as the legal team representing families from Nashville's Covenant School related to writings left behind by a former student who shot and killed three students and three adults before being killed by the police. Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison member Eric Osborne assembled and continues to lead the team, which has contributed over 1,350 hours to date. The Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award will be presented to the executive directors of the state's three Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded organizations: Ashley Holliday with West Tennessee Legal Services, DarKenya W. Waller with Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands and Deb House with Legal Aid of East Tennessee. The Law Student of the Year Award will be presented to Belmont University College of Law graduate David "Lee" Myers for his extensive pro bono service and dedication to housing justice. Finally, the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has selected Amy Dorman as the 2025 CASA Volunteer of the Year. Dorman has served CASA Works Inc. in Tullahoma for the past 10 years, working tirelessly with 55 families and advocated for over 113 children. Read more about these award winners in the TBA's press release and in an upcoming issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Watch a video of the awards breakfast.

Among the many social events providing opportunities for convention attendees to connect and network with colleagues will be a reception hosted by the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC). The event, scheduled for Friday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CDT, will honor the group’s 2025 Pro Bono Award Recipients and provide an opportunity to learn more about the incredible work and lasting impact of the individuals. It will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs in the Saddlebred/Highland Room. For more information about the event, please contact TJC Development Manager Aleena Robinson at arobinson@tnjustice.org. Learn more about the 2025 Annual Convention. Pre-registration has closed but full registration and individual tickets may be purchased on site from the TBA Registration Desk, which will be located in the hotel's conference center.

Pre-registration for the TBA’s 2025 Annual Convention closes Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CDT, with only onsite registration available after that deadline. The convention, set for next week at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, will bring together attorneys, judges and legal professionals from across the state for continuing education, networking and social events.

A wellness-focused CLE program, “Attorney Wellness Hour: Movement, Mobility and Mindfulness,” will take place June 13 during the TBA's 2025 Annual Convention. The session will highlight the importance of self-care in maintaining competent legal representation, as outlined in Tennessee Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1. Presenters Brad Bald of Lifestyle Communities and Laura Hull of the Tennessee Court of Appeals will guide attendees through mobility exercises, posture-improving movements and mindfulness techniques designed to counteract the physical and mental stressors common in the legal profession. Learn more about this session and all CLE convention programming on the TBA website.

Pre-registration for next week's TBA Convention in Franklin will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CDT. Only on-site registration will be accepted after that point. The event will run from June 11-14. Visit the TBA Convention site for more information.

The 2025 William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award will be presented to 21st Judicial District Circuit Court Judge and Chancellor David Veile at the TBA’s Annual Convention by the Fellows of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD). Named for former Attorney General William M. Leech Jr., the award is given each year to a Tennessee lawyer who has been of outstanding service to the profession, the legal system and their community. In announcing the award, Fellows President and Jackson lawyer Michelle Greenway Sellers said, "Judge Veile truly exemplifies the values embodied in the Leech Award. He is a past president of the TBA YLD, a TBA Board of Governors member, an extremely supportive TBA YLD volunteer and a devoted community leader. Judge Veile generously gives of his time as a mentor to young lawyers, speaks at legal and community events, and volunteers at TBA YLD events such as the TBA YLD Mock Trial competition. He has spent his entire career giving back to the Tennessee legal community and to the Middle Tennessee communities he serves. The Fellows are honored to award Judge David Veile the 2025 TBA YLD Fellows William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award." Veile was elected circuit court judge and chancellor in Williamson County's 21st Judicial District in 2024. He previously practiced criminal defense law in Franklin. The award will be presented on June 13 at the Lawyers Luncheon. Read more about Veile's selection in the TBA's press release.

Can't join us for the full TBA Convention later this month? Or maybe you need to add a guest ticket for a specific event? Individual tickets now are available for purchase for the following events: Wednesday's opening reception; Thursday's Public Service Breakfast,  University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Breakfast, Bench Bar Luncheon and Joint Bench Bar Social Event; and Friday's breakfast and Lawyers Luncheon. Registration for individual CLEs also is now open. Don't miss Thursday's Bench Bar Program, AI in the Life of Lawyer, Legislative Update and Well-Being & the Law or Friday's Wellness Session, Legal Tech Vendor Panel and State of DEI in Legal. Get tickets here.