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 will offer a one-hour CLE webcast on June 24 focused on how lawyers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to become more efficient in their writing without compromising accuracy or professional judgment. Join Ryan Standil with Write To Excite as he demonstrates how AI can be used to revise drafts, find typos, monitor tone and identify faulty logic and ambiguities. Standil also will cover prompting techniques and guarding against AI shortcomings such as verbosity, desire to please and lack of human touch. Using AI to Accelerate Your Writing will run from noon to 1 p.m. CDT.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will host “Drug Court 101: What Every Non-Drug Court Lawyer Needs to Know About Tennessee’s Recovery Courts,” virtually on June 3 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will feature Judge Alexander McVeagh of the Hamilton County Circuit Court and Shannon Morgan of Hamilton County’s recovery courts, who will provide an overview of how recovery courts operate and how attorneys can better support clients involved in them. The session is designed to offer practical guidance for lawyers who may not regularly practice in drug court settings. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

The TBA will host a one-hour CLE program, “Beyond the Hype: Practical Applications of AI,” on May 19 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT via webcast. The program will provide attorneys with a foundational understanding of how artificial intelligence (AI) works and offer practical ways to incorporate it into their practice. The session will be led by John Haines, an East Tennessee attorney who focuses on divorce and family law and has a strong interest in using technology to improve efficiency and accessibility in legal practice. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

The TBA’s Dispute Resolution Forum will return May 7 as a live virtual program from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. CDT, featuring sessions designed for both attorneys and mediators. The forum will include discussions on technology tools to improve mediation efficiency, an arbitration panel and an ethics course covering Board of Professional Responsibility rules relevant to attorneys serving as negotiators and mediators. Speakers include Rebecca Ketchie of Herrin, McPeak & Associates in Johnson City; Larry Bridgesmith of Vanderbilt University in Nashville; and Stephen Shields of Jackson, Shields, Yeiser, Holt, Owen & Bryant in Memphis. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

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? This session will cut through the hype with a problem-first approach to technology purchasing. 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. Check out all the CLE planned for Convention and register today!

The next installment of the TBA Intellectual Property Section's IP Webcast Series will debut April 29 with section chair Ryan Levy exploring the growing phenomenon of “zombie trademarks,” where abandoned or expired brands are revived by new owners seeking to capitalize on residual goodwill. The program will examine the legal framework governing abandonment under the Lanham Act, the role of consumer perception, and how courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board have treated attempts to resurrect legacy marks. The webcast also will cover risks of consumer deception, strategies for acquiring dormant brands and best practices for advising clients looking to either revive — or defend against — the undead. Register on the TBA website.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention, which will offer compelling CLE programming, networking opportunities and social events. This year's CLE lineup — which will offer 8.5 hours of credit — will focus on technology topics as part of TBA’s first-ever Tech Showcase. Programming kicks off Thursday morning with a session on evaluating technology needs and how AI products can fill the gaps, followed by a look at how technology can enhance trial presentations. Afternoon sessions will focus on conscious lawyering with AI, as well as a joint program with the Tennessee Alliance of Black Lawyers (TABL) on surveillance, safety and the cost of privacy. On Friday, don’t miss the wellness-focused Better Right Now program — back with a tech focus this year — and a presentation on how to use tech tools to master time management. Finally, TBA’s government relations team will present the ever-popular Legislative Update on Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned for more details and speakers coming soon. Learn more about this year’s Convention and register now!

The TBA International Law Section's annual forum 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. Make plans now to join colleagues on May 29 in the TBA's newly renovated CLE classroom. Get more information and register here.

The TBA Litigation Practice Section is continuing its “Perspectives From the Bench” series on May 21 at the new TBA office in Nashville. The program will feature a conversation with Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivins and former Supreme Court Justice and current Nashville School of Law Dean Bill Koch. Attorneys Hunter Branstetter with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Todd Presnell with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings will moderate the discussion, which will focus on each justice's path to the bench, the role of mentors, the importance of the Rule of Law and more. Make plans now to join colleagues for this informative program from 3-4:30 p.m. CDT and a networking reception that will follow at 4:30 p.m. Learn more and register on the TBA website.