Members of the Tennessee legal community met for the second day of the TBA Annual Convention in Knoxville today. The morning began with a Public Service Awards Breakfast featuring presentation of the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award to Nashville attorney Garrah Carter-Mason, the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year to Jennifer Egelston with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, the Law Student of the Year Award to recent Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law graduate Sierra Sidoti, and the 2026 CASA Volunteer of the Year to Tracy Farmer with CASA of Williamson County. Tech-focused CLEs filled the programming portions of the morning followed by three Lunch & Learn sessions and the first-ever Tech Showcase. TBA's Leadership Law program kicked off its final programming of the bar year with class members hearing from Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater and Memphis lawyer and former TBA President Buck Lewis. The afternoon wrapped up with two favorite programs: the 2026 Legislative Update and a joint program with Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL). The day concluded with a reception at the new Smokies Stadium in downtown Knoxville. See pictures from today's events.

Public Service Breakfast

2026 Public Service Award Winners (from left): Tracy Farmer, Garrah Carter-Mason, Jennifer Egelston, Sierra Sidoti

Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award winner Garrah Carter-Mason, right, and her husband Carlos

Law Student of the Year Award winner Sierra Sidoti (center) with Caitlyn Torney (left) and Mary-Frances DeVoe (right)

From left: LAET staff Robert Downs, Sierra Sidoti, Jennifer Egelston, LAET Executive Director Deb House, Mary-Frances DeVoe

CASA Volunteer of the Year Award winner Tracy Farmer, left, with CASA of Williamson County Executive Director Stuart Tutler

TBA CLE

Catherine Sanders Reach with the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management speaks on “Before You Buy the AI: A Practical Framework for Evaluating Your Firm's Technology”

Tech Showcase

Mary-Frances DeVoe with Legal Aid of East Tennessee (left) and TBA Access to Justice Committee Chair Linda Seely with Butler Snow demonstrate the TBA’s Pro Bono Portal at the Tech Showcase

McMinnville attorney Robert Bratcher (right) and business partner Kevin Harvey promote their law firm management program Writly, specifically designed for solo practioners and small law firms.

Patrick Ragozzine, a rising 3L at the University of Tennessee College of Law, demonstrates Arbor AI, an AI platform he developed.

Josh McIntyre with Clio presents “Increasing Law Firm Productivity with AI” during one of today’s Lunch & Learn Breakout sessions.

Melanie Watson with Our Family Wizard presents “Co-Parenting in the Digital Age: Improving Outcomes & Reducing Litigation” during one of today’s Lunch & Learn Breakout sessions.

BarBuzz Live at Convention

The TBA BarBuzz podcast was recording live from the Tech Showcase today!

TBA Communications Coordinator Azya Thornton (left) interviews Sherri Sanderson with Digital Ideation Group for an upcoming episode.

TBA Communications Coordinator Azya Thornton (left) interviews Patrick Ragozzine, a rising 3L at the University of Tennessee College of Law, who has developed an AI platform for lawyers.