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.

The reporting staff of the Nashville Banner will receive the Tennessee Bar Association’s 2025 Fourth Estate Award for its reporting last year on the Nashville criminal court system. The award will be presented at the 2025 Lawyers Luncheon set for June 13 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Franklin. Throughout 2024, the Nashville Banner published a series of stories designed to bring transparency and accountability to the Davidson County Criminal Court. Among the issues covered was the court’s decision to remove computers that previously had provided public access to court records, and subsequent changes in the process of how to access those records. In announcing the award, TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said, “Nashville Banner news staff demonstrated tenacious and courageous reporting last year as they worked to bring visibility to issues impacting the operations of the Nashville criminal court system. We thank them and honor them for that important contribution.” Read more in the TBA’s press release.

Nashville lawyer Laura Kidwell will receive the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) prestigious Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing on June 13 during the group's Annual Convention in Franklin. The award, which will be presented at the Lawyers Luncheon, was established more than 40 years ago and is given each year to the lawyer who writes the most outstanding article published in the Tennessee Bar Journal for the preceding year. Kidwell is being honored for her article It Is So Ordered: A Primer on Tennessee’s Final Judgment Rule, which appeared in the March/April 2024 issue of the Journal. Kidwell is a legal consultant for the University of Tennessee (UT) – Municipal Technical Advisory Service where she serves cities and towns in Middle Tennessee. Prior to joining UT last fall, she served at the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General (AG) and Reporter in the Solicitor General’s Office. 

In announcing the selection of Kidwell, TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said, “Laura's winning article is exactly what the Joe Henry Award sets out to honor: straightforward and concise writing that explains the legal process of the final judgment rule in civil actions, as well as its exceptions.” The award is named for Joseph W. Henry, a former chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, who was known for his forthright and clear writing. Read more in a press release from the TBA.

Nashville lawyer Margaret Behm will be honored next month with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award from the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court. Behm, an attorney with Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, is being recognized for her selfless contributions to the legal profession, which include a number of “firsts,” including serving as the first chair of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission and the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. In announcing this year's recipient, TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said, “Margaret Behm has spent her career in service to the legal profession advancing the best things about our practice. While she has promoted the role of all lawyers, she has specifically promoted the role of women by serving as a mentor and an inspiration to many, including many serving on the bench today. She embodies the qualities envisioned in the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award. A lawyer’s lawyer, we are grateful for her many contributions to the profession.”

The professionalism award honors a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the rule of law and the legal profession in Tennessee. It is named in honor of the late Judge Pamela L. Reeves, former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the first recipient of the award. Reeves was an active leader in both the American Inns of Court and the TBA, where she was elected the first female president in 1988. The award will be presented at the 2025 Bench/Bar Luncheon set for June 12 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Franklin. Read more in the TBA’s press release.

Federal Public Defender Dumaka Shabazz will be honored next month with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) 2025 Claudia Jack Award. Named for the late Claudia Jack, a long-time champion of the poor and underprivileged and a public defender in Maury County, the award is presented to an outstanding public defender or court-appointed private practitioner who serves the legal community and clients in an exemplary fashion. Shabazz, who works in the Middle District of Tennessee, is being honored for his many contributions to the legal profession, both in Tennessee and on the national stage. In announcing the award, TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said, “Dumaka Shabazz embodies the unwavering dedication to justice envisioned by the Claudia Jack Award. His work on behalf of clients, his dedication to mentoring the next generation of public defenders, and his commitment to serving the community make him a deserving recipient for this year’s award. His commitment and dedication mirrors Claudia’s.” The award will be presented at the TBA Annual Convention in Franklin on June 13 during the Lawyers’ Luncheon. Read more in the TBA’s press release.

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft will be honored next month with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) prestigious Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. The award will be presented at the Bench Bar Luncheon set for June 12 as part of the association’s Annual Convention in Franklin. TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. said the association is honoring Craft for his leadership in judicial education, ethics and professional well-being: “The TBA is pleased to honor Judge Chris Craft for 30 years of service to the Tennessee legal community. Throughout his career, Judge Craft has worked to improve the practice of law, foster excellence among state judges and help colleagues in need. We are grateful for his contributions. Additionally, I particularly enjoyed working with him when he previously served on the TBA Board of Governors when he was president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference.” Craft, who was nominated for the award by a group of fellow judges, has served on the criminal court since 1994. The Drowota Award is presented to a judge or judicial branch official who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion and dedication to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice. Read more about Craft's selection in the TBA's press release.

The TBA Access to Justice Committee is accepting nominations for the 2025 Public Service Awards. The annual awards recognize outstanding commitment to access to justice in three categories: work performed by an attorney employed by an organization primarily involved in providing legal representation to the indigent, pro bono work performed by a private or corporate attorney, and a strong commitment to pro bono service by a Tennessee law student or recent graduate. Nominations and supporting documents will be accepted through April 10. Awards will be presented during the TBA Annual Convention in June.

The Tennessee Bar Association again this year will honor the work of Tennessee journalists through the Fourth Estate Award, which honors courageous reporting on justice and the law. This year's prize, honoring reporting in 2024, includes a $250 honorarium for the winner. The TBA strongly supports freedom of expression under the First Amendment, as exercised by lawyers on behalf of their clients and by journalists on behalf of the public, and particularly wants to recognize and encourage journalists who promote public understanding of the rule of law and our system of justice through vigorous exercise of their First Amendment rights. The deadline for entry is April 30. Attorneys who have relationships with reporters or observed a particularly compelling piece of journalism in 2024 are encouraged to submit a nomination. Read about past recipients here and read the TBA's full press release.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Reporters Workshop. Sponsored by TBA’s Communications Law Section, the program will be held in person April 25-26 in Nashville. Organizers will select 15 print, online, television and/or radio journalists who want to develop a deeper understanding of media law issues that may affect their everyday work, including access to government information, defamation and privacy concerns in reporting. Journalists interested in attending should apply before 5 p.m. CDT on March 11. Read more about the program and the application process. Tennessee lawyers are encouraged to share this opportunity with members of the media with whom they have relationships.

The TBA has announced the selection of 35 attorneys from across the state for its 2025 Leadership Law (TBALL) program. Now in its 22nd year, Leadership Law is designed to equip Tennessee lawyers with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders in their profession and local communities. The class will meet for its first session in January and spend the next six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policymaking in state government and the importance of community service. Read more about the new class members.