Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will conduct 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 Tuesday from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. CDT. LAS is looking for attorneys to help. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131. See the list of clinics for all of August.

Join the Family Law Section for a live virtual two-hour forum to discuss various challenges facing the legal profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn from judges and lawyers across the state on how they are addressing the economic downturn on family law matters, navigating the use of audio-conferencing technology to move cases forward, and what the ethical considerations are around remote hearings. The live webcast will take place on Sept. 11 from 9 to 11 a.m. CDT. One dual credit and one general credit are available.

TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson will join a panel of legal leaders in the Knoxville Bar Association’s virtual event “The 19th Amendment at 100: Bold Women Change History” from noon to 1 p.m. EDT next Wednesday. The event will also feature Knox County District Attorney General Charme P. Allen, state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee, Avice Reid with the city of Knoxville, and Wanda Sobieski of Messer & Elledge. The discussion, which will be moderated by Cheryl G. Rice with Egerton McAfee Armistead & Davis, is part of the KBA’s Law Day celebration. Register at least one hour before the program begins to receive the Zoom link by email.

The Memphis Bar Association will hold a Virtual Non-Conviction Expungement Clinic on Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. CDT. A brief training session will be offered beginning at 9:30 a.m. that morning. Sign up here to participate or download a flyer. The group is also planning a limited Veterans' Clinic by telephone on Sept. 8. Volunteers are needed. Those interested should contact Jake Dickerson.

The pandemic crisis continues to force courts to adapt their practices and procedures. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, for example, has been holding oral arguments via Zoom. On Aug. 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. CDT, the TBA’s Appellate Practice Section will hold a virtual roundtable discussion on federal appellate practice during the pandemic. U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Julia Smith Gibbons and Clerk of Court Deborah Hunt will discuss remote arguments and how the court has adapted its operations during this time. They will be joined by two Tennessee attorneys who have participated in remote oral arguments: Alexander Wharton from The Wharton Law Firm and Robert Hutton from Glankler Brown. Kevin Ritz, the appellate chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Memphis, will moderate the discussion. The event is free and open to all TBA members, but registration is required.

The Knoxville Bar Association is looking for volunteers to help build the 2020 KBA Habitat Home. This will mark the ninth home that KBA’s members have been responsible for building since first partnering with Habitat for Humanity in 1994. This year, the KBA will be partnering with First Presbyterian Church and splitting construction duties with its volunteers. Each build day will focus on a different project and social distancing protocols will be enforced each day. The schedule is as follows: Sept. 12, blitz day; Sept. 19, set trusses and deck roof; Sept. 26, interior walls and roofing; Oct. 3, vinyl siding; Nov. 7, trim and cabinets. You can volunteer to help build the house by registering here. All questions should be directed to KBA Executive Director Marsha Watson.

Memphis attorney, author and former TBA President Bill Haltom will give a Virtual Book Talk this week on his latest book, Why Can’t Mother Vote? Joseph Hanover and the Unfinished Business of Democracy. Haltom will tell the story of Memphian Joseph Hanover, an unsung hero in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which was signed into law 100 years ago this month. The Virtual Book Talk is free and will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. CDT. Attendees will receive an invitation to the presentation after registering, which can be done by emailing hillhelengroup@gmail.com. Haltom will speak for 20 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Q&A.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will conduct four 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 Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. CDT. LAS is looking for attorney volunteers to help answer legal questions during these clinics. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131. See the list of clinics for all of August. 

The Knoxville Bar Association will hold a virtual Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans on Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. EDT. This will be a general advice clinic that will cover a wide variety of legal issues, including family law, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, criminal defense, consumer protection, contract disputes, child support and personal injury. Volunteers are needed. Sign up here to participate or contact Tracy Chain at tchain@knoxbar.org with any questions. View a flyer for the event.

The General Sessions Music City Community Court is holding a Virtual Expungement and Legal Clinic from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 15. Attorney volunteers are needed and should register by Monday at 5 p.m. Each attorney will be provided with a 30-minute instructional session and be assigned two to three participants the day of the clinic. Get more details on Judge Rachel Bell’s website.