The TBA will host the "Crystal-Clear Communication: Five Techniques to Avoid Ambiguity" webcast on Dec. 18 offering practical guidance for lawyers seeking to improve clarity in their writing. Scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. CST, the program will feature instructor Ryan Standil of Write To Excite, who will use before-and-after examples to demonstrate how to simplify legal concepts, decide when to repeat terms, avoid ambiguous uses of “and,” and identify misplaced modifiers and unclear references. The session is designed to strengthen both email and document drafting, helping attorneys produce writing that is easy to understand, even for nonlawyers.

The TBA will hold its second annual Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the Law (TCAIL2) on Dec. 12 in Nashville, offering a full day of programming focused on the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and legal practice. The conference will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. CST and provide up to six dual hours of CLE credit. Sessions will feature live demonstrations of leading AI tools, guidance on navigating ethical and regulatory risks, and strategies for handling AI-generated evidence in court. Speakers include A.J. Bahou, Maura Grossman, Lucian Pera, Neal Pinkston, William Ramsey and Oliver Roberts. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

The TBA will host its 2025 Environmental Law Forum on Dec. 5 in Nashville, offering a full day of programming for lawyers and environmental professionals. The annual event will cover nuclear energy concerns, recent state and federal developments, brownfields and other timely issues shaping the practice area. Speakers include Payton Bradford of the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, Katherine Barnes Cohn of Bradley, John Dawson of Bass, Berry & Sims, Ellery Richardson of K&L Gates and Ashley Strittmatter of United Cleanup Oak Ridge. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

Calling all early birds! The TBA is launching a new series in December that will bring lawyers compelling CLE webcasts from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. CST. The Sunrise Series will begin Dec. 2 with “College Mascots and Legal Ethics: Lessons from the Sidelines,” during which legal educator Stuart Teicher will use tigers, eagles and other college icons to explore what mascots can teach lawyers about loyalty, character and protecting clients. The second installment will air on Dec. 9 with “Good Lawyers Gone Bad: Ethics Lessons from True Lawyer Slime and Crime.” This true-crime-with-coffee session, again with Teicher, will examine real attorney misconduct, why lawyers sometimes go off the rails and the ethics rules that can keep them grounded. Make plans now to get your day started with a CLE boost and watch for more topics coming soon!

The TBA will host the “How to Manage Your Workload – Time, Task, Email & Distraction Management for Lawyers,” webcast on Nov. 18 from noon to 1 p.m. CST offers practical strategies to help attorneys regain control of their time before 2026. Led by national speaker and Affinity Consulting expert Paul Unger, the program will address the nonstop demands of legal technology, email overload and the hundreds of daily screen switches that drain focus, providing proven systems to reduce mental clutter, set boundaries with technology and build an effective workflow using tools lawyers already have, including Microsoft Outlook. To register and for more information, visit the TBA website.

The TBA’s 37th Annual Health Law Forum wrapped up in downtown Nashville Friday. Close to 250 attendees heard updates on AI in health care, regulatory fraud and abuse, controlled substances enforcement, federal enforcement actions, ethics and the rise of compounded drug products. At the section’s annual meeting and luncheon, Imad Abdullah, senior vice president and chief legal officer with Regional One Health in Memphis, passed the Section Cup to incoming chair Travis Lloyd, a member in the Nashville office of Bass Berry & Sims. Members of the section also voted on Jesse Neil with Foley & Lardner in Nashville as the new vice chair and Kelly Street with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis in Knoxville as the new East Tennessee delegate on the section executive council. Special thanks to those who helped plan the event or spoke at sessions, as well as this year's sponsors. Thanks also to Barnes & Thornburg for hosting the Health Law Primer on Wednesday. See photos from last night's reception and sessions today.

Join moderator and TBA YLD President Judge Alex McVeagh and four Tennessee judges on Nov. 20 for a one-hour conversation about their paths from first-generation lawyers to serving on the bench. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell, Davidson County General Sessions Judge Ana Escobar, Court of Appeals Judge John W. McClarty and 21st Judicial District Circuit Court Judge David Veile will share how they built their careers without direct ties to the legal profession, the challenges they faced and the lessons they learned along the way. Whether you are a first-generation attorney or simply interested in the journeys of those who serve in the judiciary, this program will offer practical insights, encouragement and a candid look at what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of the legal field. For more information and to register visit the TBA's website.

The TBA’s Family Law Section will host a webcast, “From Conflict to Consensus: Family Law Mediation That Works,” on Dec. 2 from noon to 1 p.m. CST. The program will feature three of Tennessee’s most experienced family law mediators from East, Middle and West Tennessee, who will share practical strategies for successful mediation. Topics include preparing clients and cases for mediation and effective techniques to guide parties toward resolution. The program offers CLE credit for attorneys and mediation credit for Rule 31 mediators. Learn more and register at the TBA website.

Make plans now to join colleagues for a unique CLE on Dec. 3 that will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial by using the concepts and players involved in the trial to teach legal ethics, explore strategies for litigating counter-cultural cases in the 21st century and provide an update on what’s happening at the U.S. Supreme Court (with an emphasis on the issues that pertained to the trial). Learn more and register for this live virtual event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST, on the TBA website.

TBA's "Raising the Bar" program will be held next Wednesday at Baker Donelson in Nashville. Breakfast will begin at 9:15 a.m. CST with programming running from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The program will encourage participants to live their best life as a lawyer by re-focusing their energy. Adriana Linares — founder of LawTech Partners, nationally recognized legal tech consultant and host of the New Solo podcast — will lead a session on “Tech Tips to Optimize Efficiency and Reduce Stress for Lawyers.” Other speakers will include Meera Ballal, Heidi Barcus, Julie Bennett, Rebecca Blair, Dixie Cooper, Jackie Dixon, Sherie Edwards, Psonya Hackett, Rachel Lawson, Sarah Beth Myers and Laquita Stokes. A networking reception will follow from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Register now for this annual favorite from the TBA Women in the Profession Committee.