NASHVILLE, May 14, 2026 — 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 will be presented at the annual Lawyers Luncheon set for June 12 as part of the association’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. 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 each year to an outstanding public defender or court-appointed private practitioner who serves the legal community and clients in an exemplary fashion.

Oh is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He 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 joined the Public Defender’s Office in Northern Virginia. He later moved to private practice in Washington, D.C., spending a number of years focused on corporate liability insurance. Eventually, he stepped away from that career to recommit to public service. In 2014, he relocated to Tennessee and joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Memphis.

In a letter supporting Oh for this award, several Memphis-based lawyers said that 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. This holistic approach to representation, treating the client as a human being with dignity, is just classic Peter,” they write.

Nominators also noted Oh’s commitment to providing every client, regardless of their means, a sophisticated and tireless defense. Professionally and in the courtroom, Oh can seamlessly pivot from advocating for a client’s rehabilitation during a supervised release violation to arguing high-level constitutional theory under the Second Amendment. He also is able to navigate the details of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines while maintaining a visionary grasp of Fourth Amendment protections that “result in tangible, life-altering outcomes for his clients.”

Finally, the nominators highlighted Oh’s impact on the profession as a mentor, investing hundreds of hours in the next generation of Tennessee’s legal community. “He has taught me, and many others, that being a ‘scholar-lawyer’ is not just about knowing the law, it's about the tireless application of that law to seek justice for the marginalized. Peter made me the lawyer I am, and I know that I am not alone,” said one nominator, Memphis lawyer Brian Mounce with Burch, Porter & Johnson.

In announcing the selection of this award winner, 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.”

Mounce was joined in nominating Oh for the award by Federal Public Defender Tyrone Paylor, Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary C. Robinson and Assistant Shelby County Public Defender Supervisor Angela Sanders (Smith).

Learn more about the award and see past recipients on the TBA website. A photo of Oh is available on request.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) is the largest professional association in Tennessee with nearly 14,000 members. Founded in 1881, the TBA represents the entire spectrum of the legal profession in Tennessee and beyond, and is dedicated to enhancing fellowship and professionalism among the members of Tennessee’s legal community.