Programming at TBA’s 2026 Convention kicks off June 11 at 9 a.m. EDT with Catherine Sanders Reach, director of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management. Every legal tech vendor has an AI pitch, but is your firm actually ready to buy? Reach will cover how to audit current technology for gaps and redundancies, calculate real ROI on the tools already owned, and build a framework for evaluating new products. Reach has spent over two decades helping legal professionals integrate technology into their practices. She has been with the North Carolina Bar Association since 2018. She previously was director of the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center and director of law practice management and technology at the Chicago Bar Association. She currently is chair of the ABA Law Practice Division’s Professional Development Board. Check out all the CLE planned for Convention and register today! Can’t make the full convention? Day passes for Thursday’s Tech Showcase are available and include access to this CLE session.

The Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (TLAW) will host its annual meeting and breakfast on June 12 from 7:30-8:45 a.m. EDT during the TBA's Annual Convention in Knoxville. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby will deliver the keynote address on "Justice. Leadership. Grace." TBA Convention registration does not include the TLAW Annual Meeting and breakfast. Tickets are $38 and can be purchased at www.tlaw.org. Attendance without breakfast is free, but registration is required. View a flyer for the event.

Former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page will be honored next month with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) prestigious Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Nashville attorney Barry Howard, who nominated Page for the award, praised Page’s substantial and enduring contributions to public service and the legal system. A dedicated advocate for access to justice, “he consistently supported legal aid organizations, speaking whenever called upon and championing initiatives to assist underserved communities,” Howard said. Page also played a key role during his time on the bench in advancing resources for indigent defense, including efforts to increase compensation for court-appointed counsel and the creation of an appellate division within the public defender’s office to alleviate systemic burdens. He also worked “to expand access for self-represented litigants by promoting the availability of user-friendly forms and ensuring that pro se parties were treated with fairness, patience and respect in his courtroom,” according to Howard.

In announcing this year’s recipient, TBA President Heidi Barcus said the association is honoring Page for his commitment to ensuring access to legal representation across the state. "The TBA is honored to recognize former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page for his 40-plus years of service to the Tennessee legal community. Throughout his time on the bench, Page has been a strong advocate for access to justice, especially in Tennessee’s rural counties, and has always handled the cases before him with humility and fairness, embodying the spirit of former Justice Frank Drowota." The award will be presented at the annual Lawyers Luncheon set for June 12 as part of the association’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. Read more about Page in a press release from the TBA.

There is still time for register for TBA’s 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13, at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Knoxville. The convention will feature compelling CLE programs and leadership meetings, multiple social and networking events, and will provide opportunities to connect with colleagues. The convention gets underway Wednesday and will kick off with a welcome reception that evening. Thursday will begin with the Public Service Breakfast and University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Breakfast, continue with interactive Lunch & Learn sessions, and wrap up with a reception at the Knoxville Smokies minor league baseball stadium. Friday brings the annual Lawyers Luncheon, which will include a look back at TBA President Heidi Barcus’ year in office and the swearing in of new president Charlotte Knight Griffin. See the full schedule. All events are included with full convention registration.

Tyler Whetstone, an investigative reporter with the Knoxville News Sentinel, will receive the TBA’s 2026 Fourth Estate Award for his reporting bringing greater transparency to Knoxville’s judicial system. Knox News Executive Editor Joel Christopher nominated Whetstone, saying his reporting exposed “how extremist and racist speech by a Knox County prosecutor raised constitutional questions about public employees and free speech, and forced scrutiny of the criminal justice system’s safeguards.” Christopher also explains that the reporting went beyond breaking news to explain how a district attorney’s office oversees those entrusted with enforcing the law.

In announcing the award, TBA President Heidi Barcus said, “Reporting by Tyler Whetstone helped bring to light the district attorney’s decision to fire the lawyer as she balanced the constitutional issues of free speech and the fair administration of justice. The Tennessee Bar Association is pleased to recognize Whetstone for his work educating the public about this case and promoting improvements in our system of justice.” The award will be presented at the annual Lawyers Luncheon, set for June 12 as part of the association’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. Read more about Whetstone’s work.

Tennessee lawyers attending the TBA’s 2026 Convention in June will have the opportunity to earn dual CLE credit through “Better Right Now: Wellness & Tech Session,” a two-part program focused on attorney well-being in today’s technology-driven legal environment. The sessions, “How and Why the Current State of Legal Practice Intersects with Evolution and Brain Chemistry to Promote Stress” and “Real-Life Strategies for Well-Being in the Current Legal Environment,” will explore the impact of modern legal practice on mental health while offering practical strategies for focus, resilience and client engagement. Presenters include Lindsey O’Connell of Lindsey O’Connell Counseling and Consulting, Melanie Reid of Lincoln Memorial University, and Dr. Jeff Vomund and Fr. Ragan Schriver of the University of Tennessee. Check out the full CLE programming.

Unam Peter Oh, an assistant federal public defender in Memphis, will be honored with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) Claudia Jack Award. The award, which will be presented at the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville, is named for the late Claudia Jack, a long-time champion of the poor and underprivileged and a public defender in Maury County. Oh joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Memphis in 2014 after a career in private practice focused on corporate liability insurance. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Oh began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge C. Lynwood Smith Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and then in the Public Defender’s Office in Northern Virginia.

Colleagues who nominated Oh noted his commitment to providing every client, regardless of their means, a sophisticated and tireless defense and said his work is characterized by a “boots-on-the-ground dedication” that far exceeds the traditional expectations of any counsel. “He frequently goes above and beyond by meeting his clients’ families in informal settings, most recently at a local Burger King, on his own time to provide updates, comfort, and ensure they feel heard.” Nominators also highlighted Oh’s impact on the profession as a mentor, investing hundreds of hours in the next generation of Tennessee’s legal community. In announcing Oh’s selection, TBA President and Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus said, “The TBA is honored to recognize the selfless service of Assistant Federal Public Defender Peter Oh. From his commitment to vigorously defend his clients, to his care for the families of those facing the justice system, to the mentoring of the next generation of lawyers, Peter embodies the values TBA seeks to promote through the Claudia Jack Award. We all are grateful for his example.” Read more in this press release from the TBA.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention. This year's CLE lineup, which will offer 8.5 hours of credit, will include a presentation on using technology to transform the way litigators prepare, organize and present their cases from managing discovery to preparing depositions, presenting evidence and collaborating with co-counsel. Join Tara Cheever with Lit Software for this interactive, demonstration-driven session. Attendees will discover how to streamline workflows, enhance mobility and seamlessly integrate new technology into traditionally Windows-based environments, without disrupting existing systems. The program will take place June 11 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. EDT at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville. Learn more about the convention and register here. Can’t make the full convention? Day passes for Thursday’s Tech Showcase are available and include access to this CLE session.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention, This year's CLE lineup will offer 8.5 hours of credit. Among the sessions to be offered is “12 Time Management Things Attorneys Should Do, But Don’t” presented by attorney and productivity consultant Paul Unger of the Affinity Consulting Group. The program will focus on practical strategies attorneys can use to improve workflow, reduce stress and increase efficiency through better time management and productivity tools. Affinity is a member benefit parter with the TBA. Check out all of the resources they offer at TBA's Law Firm in a Box. More information about the 2026 Convention and the registration form are online.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention. This year's CLE lineup, which will offer 8.5 hours of credit, will include a joint program produced by the TBA and the Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers. The session — which will honor Black entrepreneur Marie Van Brittan Brown, the inventor of the first home security system — will examine the balance between governmental interests in public safety and individuals’ constitutional rights to privacy. The discussion will address legal considerations under the Fourth Amendment, including protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the potential implications of surveillance technologies on First Amendment rights, particularly freedom of speech. The session will take place June 11 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EDT at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville. Learn more about the convention and register here.