The Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga is hosting the Fourth Annual Voices Luncheon Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Stratton Hall to mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Cindy Dyer, a former domestic and sexual violence prosecutor internationally known for her work on gender-based violence, will give the keynote address. Dyer served as director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women under President George W. Bush. Purchase tickets online or contact Katie Jackson at 423-752-4820. Chattanoogan.com has more.

The attorney and student chapters of the Federalist Society in Memphis will host a debate on the relevance of the Electoral College next week. The event will take place Oct. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Memphis School of Law. The debate will feature Memphis lawyer John L. Ryder with Harris Shelton and former Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr., now with Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville. Ryder is general counsel to the Republican National Committee and litigation counsel to the Shelby County Election Commission. Cooper served as counsel to former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen. Both teach campaign finance and elections at Vanderbilt Law School. RSVP to Melanie Busch.

The deadline to register for the Association for Women Lawyers’ First Annual Chili Cook Off is Oct. 1. The cook off will be hosted during the University of Memphis School of Law Student Bar Association’s Fall Festival on Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m. An individual entry is $10 while a team of two or three is $20. To enter the contest contact vcooper1@memphis.edu.

Nashville Public Television and the First Amendment Center at the Newseum Institute will host a free screening of the film “Best of Enemies” this Wednesday. The event will start with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the screening at 6 p.m. After the documentary, Ken Paulson, president of the First Amendment Center and dean of MTSU’s College of Communications, will lead an audience discussion. The film captures the legendary 1968 debates between two famed intellectuals and ideological opposites: Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. The free event will take place at the First Amendment Center, 1207 18th Ave. S. in Nashville.

The Knoxville Bar Association is hosting its “first-ever, family-friendly, dog-friendly, free” member appreciation event on Oct. 6 at Ijams Nature Center. The event will run from 6-9 p.m. and feature live music and a variety of food trucks. There is no charge for members and their guests, but advance reservations are required. There is a $20 fee for nonmember attorneys to attend. RSVP here.

The Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence will host the fourth annual Pearls & Pinstripes Gala Sept. 30 from 6-10 p.m. at Nissan Stadium’ West Club in Nashville. The event, which is the group’s annual fundraising gala, includes dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $125 each and may be purchased online. For a second year, the Tennessee Titans have partnered with the coalition to present the gala and to kick off October’s designation as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Learn more about the event in this release.

The TBA’s Legal Assistance Volunteers for Patent Applicants (LAVPA) is hosting events across the state to inform attorneys of the volunteer opportunities it provides. The first happy hour is sponsored by the IP firm Luedeka Neely and will be held in Knoxville tomorrow (Sept. 21) from 5-7 p.m. at the Downtown Grill & Brewery as part of the Innov865 conference.The program's mission is to educate and provide legal services to under-resourced inventors to reduce the filing of improper patent applications, which contributes to backlog and loss of patent protection. Information for other events can be found on the TBA website.

Several legal groups in Memphis have joined forces to host the 2016 Law School for Journalists Sept. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Memphis School of Law. Topics to be covered include police-involved shootings, community-police relations, access to public records and state and federal court proceedings, and open meeting laws. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for registrants. The free event is sponsored by the Memphis Bar Association, Just City, the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, the University of Memphis School of Law and its alumni association and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

Only a limited number of spaces remain for the TBA Academy, which includes an opportunity for Tennessee attorneys to be admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and network with some of the nation’s leading appellate practitioners. The 2016 TBA Academy will take place Nov. 28-30 in Washington, D.C., at The Hay Adams Hotel. Participating attorneys will be sworn in before the court in a private ceremony on Nov. 29. Registration forms and required materials must be submitted by Oct. 19. Learn more online or contact TBA Meetings Coordinator Therese Byrne, 615-277-3208, with any questions.

The Nashville Bar Association will host its annual member picnic Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Walk of Fame Park. The family-friendly event, co-sponsored by the Metro Law Department, will include a catered dinner and open bar. Members can attend for free. Nonmembers can buy tickets for $20 per person. CASA Monroe will benefit from the fourth annual Muscadine Balloon Fiesta next weekend at the Tsali Notch Vineyard, 140 Harrison Rd. in Madisonville. The event will feature balloon rides, live music, food, games and a Balloon Glow at dusk.