The Tennessee Bar Association today was recognized with two of the top awards from the Tennessee Society of Association Executives. The TBA’s Diversity Job Fair was named an Award of Excellence recipient and the association’s statewide series on Balancing Civility & Free Expression was named winner of the Associations Advance Tennessee Award. The TBA’s Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity worked with TBA Programs Director Lynn Pointer to produce the job fair, while TBA Public Education Coordinator Liz Todaro worked with the Public Education Committee to produce the civility series. “These programs have both well supported and well received by the Tennessee legal community,” TBA Executive Director Allan Ramsaur said, “but it is also gratifying to receive this recognition from our peers in the association world.”

TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) district representatives are holding their annual service projects across the state and getting media coverage for their efforts. In Knoxville, young lawyers will provide free wills for first responders at a Wills for Heroes clinic on May 18. Knoxnews reports on the event and how to get involved. In upper East Tennessee, young lawyers are sponsoring a Bears from the Bench project to collect new stuffed animals for local juvenile court judges to give to abused and neglected children who appear in their courtrooms. Donations may be made throughout the month of May. Learn more about the effort and see a list of law firms participating on Tricities.com.

A number of media outlets carried news of the legislature’s final day on Friday, which did not include consideration of two key bills: one to reauthorize the Judicial Selection Commission and another to reauthorize the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission. The selection commission will sunset on July 1. TBA Executive Director Allan Ramsaur warns that the inaction means there will be no way to replace a judge who resigns, retires or dies after that date. Knoxnews and Humphrey on the Hill have stories. The evaluation commission will continue until July 1, 2014. Efforts to replace the members of that body led Ramsaur to tell the Metro Pulse that continuity on the commission is critical for providing the highest level of credibility to the proceedings.

The TBA’s upcoming civility forum in Knoxville was highlighted in a recent Knoxnews article. The event, which features Gov. Bill Haslam and former governors Phil Bredesen and Don Sundquist, will explore the conflict between civility and free expression when it comes to politics — especially in campaigns, debates, legislative sessions and citizen interactions. A question-and-answer session will follow. The program runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center at the University of Tennessee. It is free and open to the public.

The TBA has been featured in a number of news stories this past week about its response to Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s judicial redistricting proposal. In an article in the Tennessean, Gif Thornton, who represents the TBA on Capitol Hill, said lawyers “look forward to playing a constructive role in the process and helping draw the best lines possible.” An article in Knoxnews quoted TBA Executive Director Allan Ramsaur saying, "There always needs to be careful analysis of the way in which the districts are laid out and their caseloads. The most important thing is whether you have the right level of judicial resources, not what counties which judge is in.” That same story ran in the Times News. In an earlier article, Ramsaur cautioned that the process be done “with some sensitivity.” On Monday, Ramsey encouraged the TBA to submit its own recommendation for drawing new lines.

Also this week, the TBA’s upcoming civility forum in Knoxville was covered by The Chattanoogan.

Stories from Knoxville’s WATE News 6, Nashville’s WDEF News 12 and WSMV News 4 covered the new aLEGALz toll-free hotline, which provides free legal information and referrals. The service was launched by the joint effort of a coalition of Tennessee legal groups, including the Tennessee Bar Association.

TBA President Jackie Dixon and First Amendment Center's Gene Policinski previewed tonight's Civility, Free Speech and Courts event this morning on Nashville's Channel 5+ Morningline program. The event is jointly sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association, Lipscomb University's Institute for Law, Justice & Society and the First Amendment Center. See a clip from the program.

On Thursday, retired General Sessions Judge Haywood Barry told a Tennessee Bar Association panel that more monitoring is needed for those involved in conservatorships. Barry was speaking at the first of four scheduled public hearings across the state to provide an opportunity for lawyers, community leaders and citizens to discuss what works with the present conservatorship law and how practice and procedure could be improved. Songwriter Danny Tate and 82-year-old Jewell Tinnon -- both of whom have been in the news for their plights involving unwanted conservatorships -- also spoke to the group. The Tennessean has more

Stories from News 12 in Chattanooga and News 5 in Nashville covered TBA President Danny Van Horn’s call for Tennesseans to get involved in Law Day activities. In a joint press release with the Tennessee Supreme Court issued yesterday, Van Horn urged greater public understanding of the American judicial system, while Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Cornelia A. Clark took the opportunity to recognize those working within the judicial system and emphasize the importance of a fully funded court system. Read the release

Memphis lawyer and TBA YLD Diversity Committee Chair Ahsaki Baptist is featured in a Memphis Daily News article this week focusing on the family influences that led her to a career in the law and the satisfaction she finds in pro bono and volunteer service. She specifically mentions her role with the TBA YLD and the work she has done as chair of the group’s leadership program for law students. Read more here