Legal assistance organizations and bar associations are joining forces to support individuals and businesses affected by the Christmas day bombing in downtown Nashville. The groups — which include the Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands — will host a free legal clinic on Jan. 15. The clinic will be held remotely by phone and each appointment will last 30 minutes. Those needing assistance can schedule an appointment Jan. 12 to 14 by calling 615-953-4961. Attorneys interested in volunteering should complete this online form. Download a joint press release from the groups or a flyer for the event.

The Memphis Bar Association and the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association will host a virtual program on “Race and the U. S. Economy After Ratification of the U.S. Constitution” next Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST. The event will feature Spencer Overton, a professor at George Washington School of Law and president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. He will discuss the extent to which the nation's economy was dependent on enslaved persons and the role enslaved persons played in the emergence of the U. S. as a global economic superpower. University of Memphis School of Law professor Daniel Kiel will moderate the program.

The TBA Mock Trial Committee has opened registration for the 2021 Tennessee High School Mock Trial Competition for both teams and volunteers. Because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, this year’s event will be held virtually on the Empire Mock Trial platform. Also, rather than the traditional 14 district competitions, the qualifying competitions will be based on the state’s three grand divisions. Grand division competitions will be held simultaneously the weekend of Feb. 19-21 with nearly 70 teams vying for a spot at the state competition. Finalists will be announced on March 1. The state competition will take place March 19-21. Learn more about the registration process and get links to the registration forms here.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold two phone clinics this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics will take place Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All times central. LAS is looking for attorneys to help answer questions. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission (ADRC) has created an ADR Resolution Plan to assist courts facing a backlog of civil cases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan, which has been approved by the Tennessee Supreme Court, creates a process that makes mediation more available to civil litigants to help provide faster, less expensive and potentially more satisfying alternatives to continuing litigation. The four-hour training will discuss the ADR plan, train attendees on virtual mediation technology, discuss working as a mediator when both parties are self-represented and more. The program will take place on Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. CST. Register for the program here.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has rescheduled its next free tax webinar for Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. CST due to AT&T connectivity issues caused by the Nashville explosion last week. The webinar is the latest in a series of programs being offered to the public. It will focus on franchise and excise exemptions for insurance companies and third party securitization as well as consolidated net worth applications. Register here for the new January program date and see the list of other upcoming webinars.

The TBA will be closing at 3 p.m. CST today and will remain closed all day on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen Monday at 8 a.m.  Online CLE programming will remain available throughout the holidays.

The Nashville Bar Association is partnering with Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands for a phone-based legal clinic set for Saturday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will help members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Attorneys interested in participating should contact Lynne Ingram.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will hold its next free tax webinar on Dec. 29, the latest in a series of programs being offered to the public. This month’s installment will focus on franchise and excise exemptions for insurance companies and third party securitization as well as consolidated net worth applications. Register here for the December program and see the list of other upcoming webinars.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold three phone clinics this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics will take place on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All times central. LAS is looking for attorneys to help answer questions. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.