The January issue focuses on Tennessee lawyers who have given their time to help others, our "Pro Bono Heroes," along with updates on the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice initiatives, and profiles of those honored by the TBA with Public Service Awards. There is also a personal account, by Memphis lawyer Buck Lewis, of an encounter at a pro bono clinic that changed lives, plus how technology can help even more. TBA President Jason Pannu discusses the importance of the Legal Services Corporation and Legal Aid. The issue also covers comparative fault and the "get out of jail free" cards available to certain special interest groups. Read the Tennessee Bar Journal!

"Social media provides a fertile source for evidence in criminal cases," Wade Davies writes in his column this month in the Tennessee Bar Journal. "Suspects give prosecutors unbelievable gifts with incriminating, threatening and otherwise unbelievably stupid admissions posted online. On the other hand, defense counsel find impeachment gems on witnesses’ social media accounts — even the portions anyone can view." Russell Fowler covers an older topic, World War I and the Constitution, in his column. As you will learn, the subject is timeless. In his column, Bill Haltom writes about the debate leading to that decision against letting Valparaiso merge its law school with MTSU. Read all of the November issue.

When there is a right, there should be a remedy, but as authors Robert Dalton and David Hudson point out, Tennessee’s Constitution doesn’t include compensation to a citizen injured by a governmental actor who has violated its provisions. Read the details in the November Tennessee Bar Journal. Also, David Broemel explains what happens if an insurer fails. In his column, TBA President Jason Pannu delves into how lawyers can watch for unhealthy habits and focus on well-being -- and what the options are for help, such as the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, when needed. Check out these stories and more in the new TBJ.

In this month's Tennessee Bar Journal, Chattanooga lawyer Richard Gossett examines the state of the law both before and after the enactment of the Deficiency Statute. In "The Law at Work" column, Knoxville lawyers Ward Phillips and Brandon Morrow write about a recent decision from the Tennessee Court of Appeals, reminding employment litigators of a key distinction in state law: there is no right to a jury trial on Tennessee Human Rights Act (THRA) claims in circuit court. And Memphis lawyer Bill Haltom helps us recall those lazy days of summer, just a month or so ago, when lawyers across Tennessee suited and participated in the first statewide Seersucker Flash Mob. You don't want to miss the pictures of this nostalgic end-of-summer fashion statement. Read the October issue!

What does a South Dakota case have to do with us here in Tennessee? After Wayfair, our cover story points out, there will be significant impact on commerce and tax collection in our state, too. Also, it is the 10th anniversary of Celebrate Pro Bono Month! Read about its impact and how you can get involved; a word from TBA President Jason Pannu on the legal needs of low-income Tennesseans; and the remembrance of pro bono lawyer and historical hero, Lutie Lytle. Read the whole October issue here.

Tennessee’s Lutie Lytle

October is “Celebrate Pro Bono Month.” It is fitting that we remember a pro bono lawyer — Lutie Lytle — who was the first in many things. She was one of America’s first black female journalists.[1] She was the first black woman to earn a law degree in the South and be admitted to the bar in the South.[2] She was the first woman (of any color) admitted to the Tennessee bar.[3] She was the first black woman admitted to the Kansas bar. She was the first female law professor (of any color) in the nation.

It’s Easy to Be a Part

October is “Celebrate Pro Bono Month,” and Tennessee lawyers are joining their colleagues across the country to provide free legal services to those in need and honor the good work performed by lawyers every day as part of the annual National Pro Bono Celebration. Tennessee is among a small group of states that celebrates Pro Bono Month, not just a single day or week. Now in its 10th year, the TBA’s statewide Celebrate Pro Bono initiative brings together legal services providers with local bar associations, law schools, law firms and individual lawyers to offer free services to those unable to afford a lawyer.