A new bar year has begun. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank Bill Harbison, our immediate past president, for his excellent leadership. I want to applaud all of the volunteers who worked tirelessly, with innovation and imagination, to ensure another successful year. Thanks also goes to the staff of the executive director’s office for consistently setting the bar higher and higher for our association and clearing that bar with grace. We often do not realize how good we have it here in Tennessee. There is no other place I would want to practice, due in large part to this association.

In particular, I want to thank Bill for his foresight in creating the Evolving Legal Markets (ELM) Committee and Gail Vaughn Ashworth for leading that committee’s efforts this past year. The ELM committee has been dedicated to the task of studying the current changes in the legal landscape and the ways in which attorneys deliver legal services. While the work of that committee is only beginning, one thing has become abundantly clear: our profession is changing, rapidly and comprehensively. The advance of technology, the entrepreneurial efforts of those committed to increasing access to legal services, and the changing perception of lawyers in society have combined to fundamentally alter our profession and the ways in which we work.

I was privileged to sit in on the recent swearing-in ceremony for attorneys who passed the February bar. During the ceremony, the thought crossed my mind that these lawyers face a daunting challenge. They are struggling to gain a foothold in a profession that is constantly moving underneath them. The rest of us have already gotten to our feet but must now maintain our balance. Either way, the road ahead requires diligence and determination. 

However, with change comes great opportunity. I believe Tennessee attorneys should embrace the changes going on around them and use those changes as an opportunity to grow their practice, to strengthen the community, and to enhance the profession. The TBA is dedicated to empowering Tennessee attorneys to make the most of those opportunities and at the same time preserve those core values unique to being a lawyer.

As we continue to learn about the innovation and changes taking place in and around the profession, we will be dedicated to providing resources and education to Tennessee attorneys. We will take advantage of technology to expand access to justice within the state. We will embrace the entrepreneurial drive that is shaping the legal profession in the coming years and beyond.

It is a very exciting time to be a Tennessee lawyer. Today, a solo practitioner in Mountain City has resources available to service clients previously unreachable. Likewise, a large firm practice in Memphis can, and often does, compete globally for clients that five years ago might have been unattainable. The market has grown dramatically in an era when distance is no barrier and when reams of research and information can fit easily in an attorney’s pocket. Vendors are providing more and more services designed to streamline, making legal services more affordable and attainable. Clients who never considered seeking legal advice due to the prohibitive cost are now seeing opportunities within the marketplace. There is a place for Tennessee lawyers to service those clients and to do so economically.

The ability to reach out to those who truly cannot afford legal assistance, but desperately need it, is growing as well. Tennessee remains a leader in the nation in its commitment to access to justice, and technological advancements are fueling those efforts. While we, as Tennessee attorneys, embrace the opportunities that the changing legal marketplace presents, we should do so with an eye toward making that marketplace more and more accessible for all Tennesseeans.

This year, the TBA will spend a lot of time and effort focusing on the modern law practice. We will be exploring what a law practice could, or should, look like to be competitive and efficient in today’s marketplace. We will analyze and educate on the best practices for the modern lawyer. This is a collaborative effort, and we need the involvement of Tennessee lawyers from all walks of life to successfully navigate these issues. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the innovation and expertise already flourishing within our bar and spreading the word that Tennessee lawyers are thriving.

JASON?H. LONG is a partner with Lowe, Yeager & Brown in Knoxville. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, he is a past president of the TBA Young Lawyers Division and the Knoxville Bar Association Barristers.