Nashville Lawyer John Farringer to Lead TBA in 2027-2028

Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison attorney John L. Farringer IV has been elected as the Tennessee Bar Association’s next vice president. He will lead the association as president in 2027-2028. Farringer is a Tennessee native practicing as a commercial litigator for over 20 years. He has been active in the TBA for many years, including as chair of the Access to Justice Committee, as a six-year member of the board of governors, and as the current associate general counsel with a special focus on issues related to indigent representation. He also was a member of the 2011 Leadership Law class and received the 2015 President’s Award for his work as chair of the Medical-Legal Partnership Working Group. Farringer has made access to justice a passion of his career, including handling complex indigent cases and serving as chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. After taking office as vice president at this summer’s TBA Convention, Farringer will become president-elect in June 2026 and take over the organization’s leadership in June 2027.

YLD Elects New Leadership

Nashville attorney Darius Walker Jr. will serve as the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) president in 2027-2028. His election to the post was uncontested. After taking office as vice president at this summer’s TBA Convention, Walker will become president-elect in June 2026 and president in June 2027. He has served as YLD treasurer for the last three years and is a member of the TBALL class of 2025. Walker earned his law degree from The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and is an associate at Ogletree Deakins in their Sports and Entertainment Industry Group.

Indigent Representation Update

The Tennessee court system is facing a crisis in providing legal representation to indigent individuals who are constitutionally and statutorily entitled to legal counsel. The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court has proposed a plan to help address the emergency and provide long-term stability through the development of a new structure for handling criminal conflicts and civil appointments for indigent clients. Specifically, the plan establishes an “Office of Indigent Conflicts and Civil Counsel,” with oversight by an “Indigent Representation Commission.” The plan highlights the anticipated outcomes, including an increase in the number of attorneys willing to accept appointments via the strategic use of retainers, flat fee and other types of contractual arrangements, and enhancing the quality of representation by providing training and mentorship for attorneys. The plan is structured to facilitate the work of the AOC, the courts, the district public defenders, the district attorneys general and the private attorneys accepting appointments to be more efficient and effective as the need for indigent legal representation continues to grow. It also engages stakeholders in ongoing collaborations to improve function and accountability and prevent misuse of the system. The TBA has been working alongside the AOC to address this crisis and has key points for attorneys regarding the plan, which can be accessed at www.tba.org/IR-Resources.

The TBA is continuing to promote better understanding of the indigent representation system in Tennessee through its Indigent Representation Primer series. New articles look at the impact on the broader legal system when representation is not readily available; resources for those who represent children and juveniles in the court system; the skills and training needed to serve as a guardian ad litem; the demand for indigent defense in the criminal justice system; and resources for those representing vulnerable clients in criminal cases. Visit www.tba.org/indigent_representation_primer to access all of the primer articles.

Grassroots Advocacy, Day on the Hill

TBA staff and leadership are continuing to develop and update educational and advocacy resources on issues relevant to the practice of law in our state. TBA members have incredible knowledge and insight about the policy issues TBA is focused on, including resources for indigent representation.

Through the Grassroots Advocacy Initiative, we are building a network of lawyers who are informed and engaged. There are a few ways to connect with the TBA’s Government Affairs team if you are interested in learning more and getting involved with our advocacy work, especially as related to indigent representation. Sign up for TBA Grassroots Advocacy Updates at bit.ly/4gHdawH.

For attorneys with experience working with clients who are indigent or vulnerable, there is a longer survey, accessible at www.tba.org/grassroots_survey_indigentrep, that includes questions about court-appointed representation as well as options for getting involved with TBA’s efforts in this area.

We want to hear directly from you on these issues. The TBA is focused both on securing adequate resources to compensate the lawyers who do this important work and investing in new approaches to improve the indigent representation system in a way that benefits attorneys, the larger justice system and the public.

Plan to participate in TBA’s Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Legislative Reception, to be held March 19 in Nashville. Both events give TBA members an opportunity to meet with legislators and talk to them about issues important to the profession. Register at
bit.ly/419C0PM.

TBA Launches Upgraded Legal Research Tool for Members

The TBA will launch an upgraded legal research tool for members following the merger of longstanding TBA member benefit partner Fastcase with global legal intelligence platform vLex. The enhanced tool will continue to offer free and unlimited access to all materials currently available through Fastcase, but also include new benefits such as advanced citator features, integration with Microsoft Word and Google Chrome, a more user-friendly interface, customizable news feed and featured libraries. Following the transition, customer support will be handled by vLex and will be available by phone, email and chat. Fastcase users will not lose access to their work during the transition and no action will be required to enjoy the benefits of this upgrade after March 4. Check page 5 of the CLE Catalog for information on signing up for one of two free webinars that will help educate members about these improvements. Not a member? Join now at www.tba.org/join and get access to this member benefit!

TBA Staff News

Senior Education and Professional Development Coordinator Chelsea Bennett and her partner Derek DeSha welcomed their son Ellis Bennett DeSha on Jan. 24! Congratulations!

2025 State Mock Trial Competition

The 2025 State Mock Trial Competition, produced by the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD), will take place in Nashville, March 21 and 22. Teams will argue the civil case of Lee Jasper v. Reece Witherfork, which takes place at a rodeo. This year also marks the inaugural Artist in the Courtroom Competition, which invites student artists to interpret mock trial courtroom scenes during the district competition. Information about the case, the artist competition and volunteer needs can be found at www.tba.org/mocktrial.

Justice Drowota Trust Update

2024 was a successful year for the Justice Frank F. Drowota Trust. Created in 2023, the trust was established to provide additional funding for direct providers of legal services to low-income Tennesseans.

In early 2024, the trust reached its first milestone when the Internal Revenue Service designated the trust as a private foundation. In late 2024, the Frank Drowota and Buck Lewis families generously donated nearly $500,000 to the trust. In addition, the trust received $1 million in pledges.

In 2025, the trust will begin making distributions from investment earnings to legal aid providers to fulfill the mission of the trust. More funding is needed to make a greater impact. There are many ways to participate. Consider making a gift or designating the Drowota Trust as a beneficiary of a bequest, a cy pres award, a grant or a life insurance policy. For information about making a donation, contact Buck Lewis at blewis@bakerdonelson.com.

The Drowota Trust is a unique entity — no other state has an access to justice financing vehicle with a long-term view. Let’s work together to make Tennessee’s Drowota Trust as successful as it can be.

— submitted by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, retired

Write to the Journal

Letters to the editor are welcomed and considered for publication on the basis of timeliness, taste, clarity and space. They should include the author’s name, address and phone number (for verification purposes). Please send your comments to editor@tnbar.org. |||