TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 9, 2022

During Black History Month, the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association is celebrating a group of lawyers known as “The First Five.” While many people helped form the Memphis-based chapter, the group says five trailblazers in particular “set the stage for the organization.” Last week, the chapter highlighted Judge H.T. Lockard, who helped pave the way for black politicians when he was elected to the Shelby County Court (now the county commission). As a lawyer in the 1950s and 1960s, he also was involved in cases that challenged segregation in education, recreation and transportation. He later served as a criminal court judge from 1975 until retiring in 1994. This week, the group focuses on its namesake. Benjamin F. Jones maintained a diverse law practice from 1949 until his untimely death in 1966. He assisted H.T. Lockard, Ben Hooks and A.A. Latting with several civil rights cases in Memphis and contributed to the criminal defense of many victims of Jim Crow. Learn more about these lawyers by following the group’s posts on Facebook.