The Napier-Looby Bar Foundation will hold its 17th Annual Barristers’ Banquet and Awards Program on Feb. 22 at 14 Tenn in Nashville. A reception, beginning at 6 p.m. CST, will honor the late Judge Richard Dinkins. The program and awards presentation will follow beginning at 7 p.m. CST. Tickets are available for purchase online. Questions about the event may be emailed to the group. The foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Napier-Looby Bar Association, the Nashville affiliate of the National Bar Association.

The YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee will hold its next “Stand Against Injustice” event on Feb. 28. This month’s program will address whether DEI is dead. The group notes that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts undertaken following the death of George Floyd have been impacted by mass layoffs and shuttered programs. In a free webinar from noon to 1 p.m. CST, community and industry leaders will discuss whether DEI can survive. Register here.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Task Force for American Democracy kicks off a series of listening tour events tomorrow with a program in Atlanta featuring local leaders, legal scholars and defenders of democracy. Speakers at “Taking the Next Step: Ensuring Trusted Elections and Civics for Georgians,” include ABA President Mary Smith, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Ryan Germany, a partner at Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin and former general counsel to the Georgia Secretary of State will moderate the discussion. The event will be held at the Bar Center of Georgia from 1-4:30 p.m. EST. To attend, RSVP here or watch a livestream. Materials for the event are online.

Attorney volunteers are needed for an Essential Documents for Essential Workers clinic at Belmont University’s Ministry Center on Feb. 24 from noon to 3:30 p.m. CST. At the clinic, attorney and law student volunteers will draft simple wills and powers of attorney for low income clients. Forms will be provided and no prior estate planning experience needed. To sign up to volunteer and for more information, please contact Ginny Blake at Ginny.Blake@belmont.edu.

Just a few spots remain to travel to Ireland with the TBA in May. The Law & Culture in Ireland CLE program will take place May 7-13. Two travel options are available: a four-night trip to Dublin and a six-night trip to Dublin and Belfast. In conjunction with CLE Abroad, travelers will engage with local experts, academics, officials and change makers who will offer in-depth commentary on the EU and UK legal-political systems, economics, environmental justice, history and religion. In Dublin, the group also will explore ancient castles, visit landmarks, museums and notable legal institutions, and sample local cuisine. In Belfast, travelers will learn about the region's unique political history, the Good Friday Agreement, ongoing reconciliation efforts and the peace process. Add on trips to the West Coast and Cliffs of Moher also are available. View a brochure here.

In addition to the opportunity to view the first episode of Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s history series in Chattanooga, a free watch party is scheduled for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. The event will take place Monday from 6-9 p.m. CST at the museum, located at 510 Broadway, Nashville 37203. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Sponsored by the museum and Nashville Public Radio, the event will feature the first installment of a four-part series that takes a deep dive into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song. RSVP here.

The Napier-Looby Bar Association (NLBA) has a number of programs and events scheduled throughout the month in honor of Black History Month. These include the inaugural NLBA Day on the Hill on Feb. 20, a program for pre-law students on Feb. 21 and a program on banned books on Feb. 27. The Day on the Hill will include a discussion with state Sen. Rameush Akbari, D-Memphis, attending committee meetings and experiencing a mock legislative session. Sign up here to participate or email napierlooby@gmail.com with any questions. In addition, the Napier-Looby Bar Foundation will hold its 17th Annual Barristers’ Banquet and Awards Program on Feb. 22 at 14 Tenn in Nashville. The reception, which will take place before the banquet, will honor the late Judge Richard Dinkins. Tickets are available for purchase. Questions about the event can be directed to napierloobybarfoundation@gmail.com.

Suzanne Craig Robertson, former editor of the Tennessee Bar Journal, and Gary Wade, former chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, will be featured speakers at the Rose Glen Literary Festival in Sevierville on Feb. 24. Robertson is the author of “He Called Me Sister: A True Story of Finding Humanity on Death Row," the story of her family's 15-year friendship with Cecil Johnson, who was on Tennessee's death row and was executed in 2009. Johnson's final appeal prior to his execution for multiple counts of first-degree murder was heard during Wade's tenure as chief justice. Join them for an engaging conversation highlighting their perspectives on Johnson’s life and legacy. The event will take place from 2-3 p.m. EST at the Sevierville Convention Center, 202 Gists Creek Rd., Sevierville 37876.

Registration is now open through Feb. 12 for the next free advice clinic for Black-owned small businesses and nonprofits. The clinic, sponsored by the Arts & Business Council's Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts and Bradley, provides assistance with business formation and corporate governance, review of contracts and guidance in navigating local ordinances and state regulations. The clinic will take place on Feb. 15. Attorneys should email vlpa@abcnashville.org to volunteer.

University of Tennessee College of Law Dean and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law Lonnie T. Brown Jr. will be honored at a reception Saturday evening at the American Bar Association’s Midyear Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. The event will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. EST at the Omni Louisville Hotel in the Commonwealth 1 room on the second floor. Any lawyers planning to be at the ABA meeting are invited to attend. View the invitation.