MEMBER CENTER
The Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award is awarded each year to 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 highest standards of the legal profession in Tennessee. The award, presented jointly by the TBA and the American Inns of Court, was renamed in 2021 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. She died in September 2020.
Selection Process
Award recipients are selected by a special committee consisting of the TBA president, the TBA president-elect, the president of the Tennessee Judges Conference and the president of the American Inns of Court located in the Grand Division in which the award will be presented. Nashville School of Law Dean and former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch chairs the committee.
Award Criteria
Nominees must reside in the Grand Division of Tennessee where the TBA's Annual Convention is held. Nominees must be alive when their nomination is submitted but need not be an active member of an American Inn of Court or the TBA. Nominations of lawyers are given preference in the selection process.
Award Presentation
The award is presented annually during the TBA Convention, held each June.
Additional Information
Direct any questions to TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright.
Nominations
Candidates for the award are nominated by letter through an open nominations process. The nominating letter should be addressed to the chair of the selection committee and should include sufficient supporting documentation, including either a C.V. or resume, to enable the selection committee to make a reasoned judgment. Supporting letters may accompany the nomination and should be addressed to the chair of the selection committee.
The 2026 nomination period has closed. Nominations for 2027 will open in the spring. For 2027, nominees must reside in the Western Grand Division.
• Nominations Open: NA
• Nominations Close: NA
About the Sponsoring Organizations:
The American Inns of Court is an international organization that envisions a legal profession and judiciary dedicated to professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence. Its mission is to inspire the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring. Tennessee is home to 10 local Inns of Court located in Chattanooga, Franklin, Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville.
The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) was founded in 1881. Its membership represents the entire spectrum of the legal profession in Tennessee and beyond. The TBA is open to all licensed attorneys in good standing, and it is dedicated to enhancing fellowship and professionalism among the members of Tennessee’s legal community.