Local government practice is an ever-changing arena with a unique blend of constitutional, statutory and case law. This year’s Local Government Forum program, which will take place over two days in April, will include topics such as ethics for municipal employees, law enforcement use of force, municipal court jurisdiction, blasting policies and more. Register here for the April 29 and 30 sessions.

Register now for the TBA Litigation Law Ethics Forum set for March 30 from 9 a.m. until noon CST. The program will feature commentary and analysis of litigation and other concerns about vaccines and COVID-related issues in the workplace, a discussion on access to justice issues exacerbated by the pandemic and an examination of the tricky ethical issues that arise when mixing jurors, jury selection and social media. Members of the Litigation Section can purchase the program at a discounted price. Not a section member? Join today!

The TBA’s Animal Law Forum, rescheduled from 2020 to this spring, has been postponed due to ongoing concerns about in-person events. The program will be rescheduled when it is safe to again gather in person. The unique program, traditionally held at the Nashville Zoo, features sessions on conservation efforts, laws governing the procurement of animals, care for zoo animals, and ethical and legislative updates. Watch for a new date coming soon.

TBA CLE will host Real Estate Concerns in Elder Law on March 23 from 11 a.m. until noon CST. This live virtual event will be led by Barbara Moss from Elder Law of Nashville and George Mudter of Mudter, Patterson & Cox PLLC, who will discuss the intersection of elder and real estate laws, including, best practices, common concerns and more.

What is the secret skill needed to master persuasive legal writing? Find out this week during Wednesday's 2021 Guide to Persuasive Legal Writing! The “CLE Performer” Stuart Teicher will instruct attendees on the technicalities of sentence structure, his method to reduce long sentences and more. The live virtual event is worth three dual CLE credits and will run from noon until 3:15 p.m. CST. Use the prepaid CLE credits that come with your TBA Complete Membership and save on this course. Not a member? Join today to start saving.

The TBA’s highly regarded Estate Planning & Probate Forum will take place on Friday as a virtual program. Make plans now to join your colleagues for legislative and ethics updates, a clerk and masters’ panel, a review of anticipated tax changes from the new Biden administration, and sessions on trust modifications and decanting. The program will offer six hours of CLE, including one hour of dual credit.

This year’s Law Tech CLE kicks off Friday with two sessions and then continues on Feb. 12 and 19 with two sessions each day. The final installment, set for the afternoon of Feb. 19, will take a deep dive into the various platforms available for remote depositions. Nashville attorney A.J. Bahou joins Brad Wickard and Paul Withrow with Huseby Global Litigation to explore the options and the pros and cons of each. The one-hour program will begin at 1 p.m. CST. Each of the sessions will offer a technology prize giveaway so be sure to register now!

This year’s Law Tech CLE will be offered virtually in six sessions over three days this month. The fifth installment, set for the morning of Feb. 19, will feature a civil judicial panel discussing how courts are using technology to function during the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists include: Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle, 19th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Kathryn Wall Olita and Knox County Circuit Court Judge Deborah Stevens. The one-hour program will begin at 11 a.m. CST. Each of the six sessions will offer a technology prize giveaway so be sure to register now!

The TBA’s Year End CLE programming was recognized today as the state’s top continuing education program by the Tennessee Society of Association Executives. The TBA was forced to revamp its December course lineup because of COVID-19 restrictions, converting its live programs into virtual presentations, moving the annual last-minute blast onto YouTube and Mediasite platforms for distribution and packaging existing content into useful bundles. In all, nearly 10,000 hours of CLE was completed by Tennessee lawyers during the month-long span. The TBA’s continuing legal education department is led by Jennifer Vossler, with team members Jarod Word, Chelsea Bennett, Maresa Whaley and Michael Milligan.

The TBA’s Tort and Insurance Law Section will host its 2021 Winter Forum on Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. CST. The forum will provide an overview of the ethical issues that attorneys face in conducting investigations and interviewing current and former employees of an opposing corporate litigant. The program will also feature a discussion of emerging legal issues on the enforceability of arbitration agreements and provide recent legal developments involving claims for health care liability actions. Members of the Tort and Insurance Law Section receive special pricing for the program, so join the section today!