The TBA Young Lawyers Division's (YLD) Exploration CLEs received rave reviews last year — including, "it was the single greatest CLE I've ever been to," "insightful" and "very original idea." Now make plans to join colleagues for the fourth Exploration CLE at Long Hunter State Park in Nashville on Sept. 25. Take the day to experience the magnificence of one of Tennessee's state parks while earning three hours of CLE credit. The day will include lunch and a ranger-led hike. More information and speakers will be announced soon.

The TBA will host its 2026 Elder Law Forum on July 17 at the Nashville School of Law, offering attorneys a full day of continuing legal education focused on issues affecting older adults and vulnerable populations. The program will feature sessions on conservatorships, fraud prevention, guardians ad litem, special needs trusts, ethics and related topics, with presentations from practitioners and professionals across the state. For more information, visit the TBA website.

The TBA will host its 2026 Federal Practice Forum as a live virtual program on July 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. The program will feature three sessions covering First Amendment issues, ethical rules governing communications with judges and immigration law developments. Speakers will include Audrey Calkins of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee; Michael Holly of the Office of the Federal Public Defender; U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Judge Eli Richardson; and Joseph Jackson of Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams. The forum is designed to provide practical guidance and timely updates for attorneys practicing in federal courts. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

Since the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, programs intended to help minority students, job seekers, workers and business owners have been challenged, upended and sometimes declared illegal. This one-hour webcast from the TBA will explore the outlook for race-conscious employment policies and what the implications are for Tennessee lawyers. Join Casey Duhart with Acadia Healthcare Inc., Mohamed Faizer with the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, and John Winemiller with Merchant & Gould for this informative session. Learn more and register on the TBA website.

The TBA's LGBT Section will host the 2026 LGBT Forum on June 26 in Nashville, kicking off Pride weekend with discussions on conversion therapy, the case of Chiles v. Salazar, constitutional rights and other issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. The program also will feature Nashville Metro Council Member-at-Large Olivia Hill, who will discuss her campaign to become the city's first transgender council member. Additional speakers include attorneys Maureen Holland and John Rice, as well as somatic psychotherapist Jeremy Lehmann. More information and link to register are available on the TBA website.

The TBA will host its annual Real Estate Essentials program virtually on June 3 from noon to 3:15 p.m. CDT, offering an introductory overview of key topics in real estate law. The program will cover the fundamentals of commercial real estate in its first session, followed by a discussion of FIRPTA, FinCEN and cash reporting requirements. The course will feature presentations from Andy Maloney of Andy Maloney Law in Brentwood and Kirby Yost of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga. The program is designed for attorneys seeking a foundational understanding of real estate practice.

The TBA YLD will host the webcast “Drug Court 101” in recognition of National Treatment Court Month. The program will provide an overview of Tennessee’s recovery courts, historically known as drug courts, and will cover recovery court practices, the Tennessee Drug Court Treatment Act, addiction and brain science, best practices for working with participants with substance use disorders, and the challenges and successes of the drug court model. The webcast is designed to help attorneys effectively represent clients and is open to all lawyers, particularly criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, juvenile and family law attorneys, and general civil practitioners. The CLE will be moderated by Hamilton County Circuit Judge and TBA Young Lawyers Division President Alex McVeagh and will feature Shannon Morgan, director of Hamilton County Accountability Courts. More information and registration are available on the TBA website.

The TBA International Law Section's annual forum — set for tomorrow in TBA's newly renovated CLE classroom — will provide an overview of the trade and investment landscape as it concerns Tennessee in 2026 and beyond. Programming will focus on Tennessee's foreign direct investment, global health perspectives and partnerships, international financing, global sales and supply chains, and more. Participants will have the opportunity for direct interactive discussions with speakers, and the chance to network, learn about best practices and chart a path to increase capacity for internationalization. Get more information and register here.

Programming at TBA’s 2026 Convention kicks off June 11 at 9 a.m. EDT with Catherine Sanders Reach, director of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management. Every legal tech vendor has an AI pitch, but is your firm actually ready to buy? Reach will cover how to audit current technology for gaps and redundancies, calculate real ROI on the tools already owned, and build a framework for evaluating new products. Reach has spent over two decades helping legal professionals integrate technology into their practices. She has been with the North Carolina Bar Association since 2018. She previously was director of the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center and director of law practice management and technology at the Chicago Bar Association. She currently is chair of the ABA Law Practice Division’s Professional Development Board. Check out all the CLE planned for Convention and register today! Can’t make the full convention? Day passes for Thursday’s Tech Showcase are available and include access to this CLE session.

Registration is now open for "Justice Without Lawyers: Working in Legal Deserts" on July 29 at 11 a.m. CDT.  This one-hour virtual program will explore the significant and growing challenges surrounding indigent representation and the increasing prevalence of legal deserts. A panel of judges and attorneys will examine the underlying causes of limited access to counsel, discuss practical strategies for expanding the availability of legal services — including through appointed representation — and consider emerging solutions being advanced by courts and the broader legal community. This free program also will address the professional responsibility and ethical considerations implicated in access-to-justice issues. One hour of dual CLE credit is available for a nominal fee.