Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, Chancellor Ellen Lyle and staff attorney Justin Seamon have conducted seven bench trials and more than 60 hearings using Zoom video conferencing and a YouTube channel, with all attorneys, parties, witnesses and court staff participating remotely. In this program, they discuss the pros, cons and logistics of conducting trials via Zoom as well as how to prepare witnesses, safeguard remote witness testimony, manage trial exhibits and provide public access to proceedings. They also look at the ramifications of this technology for the future of litigation and ethical issues in play. The two-hour program will air on March 10 from noon to 2 p.m. CST.

Distance communication is here to stay for a while, meaning new issues with both competence and communication. The CLE Performer Stuart Teicher is here to walk you through What to Watch Out For in a Post-COVID World Part 1: The 3 C's: Competence, Communication, and COVID. Don’t miss this webcast replay on March 4 from noon until 1 p.m. CST, worth one dual credit hour of CLE.  

The TBA Corporate Counsel Section is planning its Annual Forum for April 21. This year’s four-hour CLE will cover a range of topics including what to expect from the new Biden administration with regard to regulations; labor and employment law updates; using technology to manage a law office; and how COVID-19 is impacting labor and employment, human resources, workplace liability, vaccines and more. Speakers include Adam Dougherty with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart; Geoffrey Lindley with Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell; and Jason Little with The Carlstar Group. Registration is now open.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Nashville Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle and 20th Judicial District Chancery Court staff attorney Justin Seamon have conducted seven bench trials and over 60 hearings using Zoom Video Conferencing and a YouTube channel with all attorneys, parties, witnesses and court staff participating remotely. Watch as they detail their experience on the CLE webcast Our 9-Month Journey Conducting Zoom Trials During the Pandemic. The pair will discuss the pros, cons and logistics of conducting trials via Zoom, how to prepare witnesses, appropriate safeguards for remote witness testimony, managing trial exhibits, public access to the proceedings, and the ramifications of this technology for the future of litigation. Catch this webcast replay on March 10 from noon until 2 p.m. CST.

The TBA’s highly regarded Estate Planning & Probate Forum will return this year as a virtual program on Feb. 26. This annual staple will feature legislative and ethics updates, a clerk and masters’ panel, and sessions on trust modifications, decanting and anticipated tax changes from the new Biden administration. Check out all sessions and speakers now.

The Tennessee Bar Association is making available the program Empowering Lawyers as Leaders for viewing during February and March. Produced jointly by the TBA and the Tennessee American Inns of Court, this program brings together influential lawyers and leaders from across the state to share their experiences and to examine the role of leadership in the legal profession. Speakers discuss the importance of leading by example to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and professionalism in everyday practice. Among those featured are former Supreme Court Justice and Nashville School of Law Dean William C. Koch Jr., former Sen. Lamar Alexander and the Hon. Bernice B. Donald. 

What have the first 100 days under President Joe Biden’s administration looked like for immigration law? Find out during the 2021 Immigration Law Spring Forum on May 6 from 9 a.m. until noon CDT. Bruce Buchanan of Sebelist Buchanan Law in Nashville will also tackle immigration cases at the Supreme Court and pending litigation, ethics and more. Become a member of the Immigration Law Section today for discounted savings on this program.

The 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Forum is going virtual over two days in May. The program will take place on May 6 and 7 from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. CDT each day. Full two-day registration as well as individual day registrations are available. Sessions will include case law updates, labor and employment issues in the COVID-19 era, what to expect from the Biden administration and an ethics update. The full two-day program will provide six hours of CLE credit (1 dual, 5 general).

TBA CLE will present the virtual 2021 Communications Law Spring Forum on April 16 from 9 a.m. until noon CDT. Attendees will hear presentations on anti-SLAPP, liable defamation, the Public Records Act, a U.S. and Tennessee Supreme Court update and more. Remember, members of the Communication Law Section will receive discounted pricing on this CLE. Not a member? Sign up today.

Make plans now to join the Juvenile and Children's Law Section for its annual Spring Forum on April 29 from 9 a.m. to noon CST. Topics to be covered this year include an update on human trafficking in Tennessee, the impact of COVID-19 on education, and equity issues. Not a Juvenile and Children's Law Section member? Join the section for additional savings and benefits.