A portrait unveiling ceremony honoring former Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Thomas Woodall will be held July 14 at 11:30 a.m. CDT at the Tennessee Supreme Court, 401 Seventh Ave. N., Nashville 37219. A reception will follow the ceremony. Contact Jennifer.Burch@tncourts.gov to RSVP for the event. View the invitation. Woodall retired from the court in December 2020 after 24 years of service. He joined the court in 1996, after having spent two years with a Memphis firm and six years as an assistant district attorney in the 24th Judicial District. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more on his career, including his role in creating a judicial assistance program under the Tennessee Lawyer’s Assistance Program.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) will host its Bench & Bar Celebration on Sept. 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. EDT at the Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St., Knoxville 37902. The event will honor the justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court and celebrate members of the local judiciary who have dedicated their careers to the administration of justice. For more information or to register, visit the KBA website. View a flyer for the event.

The TBA Mentoring Committee encourages attorneys interested in serving as either a mentor or mentee to take advantage of networking opportunities throughout July. Members also are encouraged to support the legal community through volunteer service at two TBA YLD pro bono clinics this month. On July 9 in Cookeville, a Name Change Clinic will be held from 3:30–6:30 p.m. CDT. Contact TBA YLD District Representative Amber Vargas for details. On July 11 at the Sumner County Sheriff's Department in Gallatin, an Essential Documents Clinic will be held from 9–11 a.m. CDT. Contact TBA YLD District Representative Grace Burnett for information. Finally, the inaugural Sandwiches and Sidebars event will be held on July 20 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. CDT at the new TBA office, located at 3010 Poston Ave., Nashville 37203. This casual gathering offers a great opportunity to meet new people, expand your professional network, and connect with fellow members of the legal community in a relaxed setting. Drop in as your schedule allows — whether for a few minutes or the entire event. Attorneys at every stage of their careers, from young lawyers and law students to mid-career and experienced practitioners, are welcome to attend.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on June 30 at 9 a.m. CDT about obtaining and using Tennessee resale certificates. Participants will learn the proper procedures for obtaining and using Tennessee resale certificates, including required documentation, appropriate use and common compliance issues. The webinar is part of a free series the department offers to the public. Register on the department's website.

The TBA offices will be closed Friday for Juneteenth, a federal and state holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Specifically, it marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The TBA will reopen on Monday at 8 a.m. CDT. Staff information, including emails and direct phone lines, is posted on the TBA website and TBA CLE can be accessed at any time!

The Juneteenth615 Freedom Exposition & Fireworks Celebration will take place June 19 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at Centennial Park in Nashville. The free event will feature cultural exhibits, live music, food vendors and family-friendly activities celebrating freedom, heritage and community. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display as part of the city’s Juneteenth observance. The event comes as Nashville also celebrates Black Music Month through a series of programs hosted by the National Museum of African American Music.

Several events are planned in Memphis this week to mark the 2026 Juneteenth celebration. The Douglass Freedom & Heritage Festival will take place June 18-20 in North Memphis' historic Douglass Park. The National Civil Rights Museum is offering free admission on June 19 until 2 p.m. CDT, including the museum's recently reopened "Legacy Experience," which focuses on the civil rights movement since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The museum also this month launched the Bayard Rustin Institute to honor a trusted advisor to King who engineered the 1963 March on Washington. Also on June 19, the The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant will hold a special outdoor event. On June 20, the Elmwood Cemetery will hold a walking tour, the Black Farmers Market will take place and a festival will be held at Martyrs Park. Get details about these events in the Commercial Appeal and the Daily Memphian.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host an event on June 25 with former U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. CDT in the Gordon Ball Reading Room. According to the law school, Alexander will present a “fascinating look into his journey navigating the political landscape from JFK to Trump.” In addition, the event will feature a fireside chat with several friends of the senator, including Bill Gibbons — executive director of the Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis, former Shelby County district attorney and former special policy assistant to Alexander when he served as governor of Tennessee —and Buck Wellford, a shareholder at Baker Donelson. The event will wrap up with a Q&A session. The first 75 people to register will receive a free copy of Alexander's new book, "The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump," thanks to the generous support of Baker Donelson. Learn more or register online.

Just in time for Juneteenth celebrations, the National Museum of African American Music has launched Black Music Month 2026, a monthlong celebration marking both Black Music Month and the museum’s fifth anniversary. Held throughout June in downtown Nashville, the celebration features more than 15 events, including artist conversations, live podcast recordings, exhibitions, film screenings, community programs and industry gatherings. This year’s theme is “The Soundtrack Continues — 250 years in the making. Five years in the telling. Far from finished,” which honors the ongoing influence of Black music on American culture. Read more about the events throughout the month on the Music Row website.

The Bessie Smith Cultural Center will host its 2026 Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT at the center in Chattanooga. The community event will feature live music, African drumming performances, food trucks, children's activities, opportunities to connect with local community organizations, free museum admission and screenings of the documentary "Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom." Admission to both the event and the museum will be free throughout the day.