Attorney volunteers are needed on March 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST to help score the District 7 high school mock trial competition. The competition will take place at the Rutherford County Judicial Center, 116 W. Lytle St., Murfreesboro 37130. Contact Morgan Hanna for more information and to volunteer. Attorney volunteers are also needed on Feb.19-20 and Feb. 24-25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. EST in Chattanooga to help score Tennessee's largest mock trial district competition. Click here to volunteer for the District 5 competition. Shelby County needs volunteer lawyers and 2L and 3L law students for their competition on Feb. 20-22 at the Shelby County Courthouse, 140 Adams Ave., Memphis  38103. Click here to volunteer for District 14.  Davidson County is seeking volunteers on the evening of Feb. 21 and the morning of Feb. 22. No mock trial experience is necessary. Click here to select specific times to volunteer for District 9. Those who would like to volunteer at another district competition may find a list of all events on the TBA website.

The Belmont College of Law’s Legal Aid Society will host its annual golf tournament fundraiser on March 25. The “Putt for Pro Bono Golf Tournament” raises funds for law students pursuing unpaid public interest internships, enabling future advocates to gain invaluable experience while making a difference in their communities. Watch for more information to come including a link to register for the event. Contact Natalie Burton in the meantime with any questions.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Law Review’s 2025 symposium, "The Ripple Effect: Examining the Supreme Court's Impact on the Public's Confidence in the Judicial Branch," will explore public trust in state and federal courts. Discussions will focus on the following topics and their impact on practitioners: judicial transparency, stare decisis and religious liberty jurisprudence. This year’s keynote presentation includes a panel of federal and state judges and justices to provide a unique "view from the bench." The event will be Feb. 21 at the law school. Register here.

The TBA will be closed Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The office will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m. CST. Visit the TBA.org website for information on CLE or other TBA programs and for staff contact information.

The Association for Women Attorneys' (AWA) Annual Banquet will take place Jan. 23 at The Kent, 601 Kell Ave., Memphis 38107. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. CST. This year’s banquet will honor Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Rhynette Hurd. Tickets are available for purchase online. For more information contact Faith Watson.

Make plans now to join colleagues from across the state at the TBA’s 2025 Annual Convention, set for June 11-14, in the Nashville suburb of Franklin. Annual favorites such as the Bench/Bar program and luncheon, Lawyers Luncheon and the swearing in of TBA’s new president will return, as will the Wednesday night welcome reception and an expanded Thursday evening reception. This year’s convention also will include a tech showcase component, allowing attendees to get a more hands-on experience with exhibitors. The four-day event will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, located 20 minutes from downtown Nashville with easy access to I-65 and free parking. Stay tuned for more information!

Memphis events scheduled to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy include Volunteer Memphis' 2025 MLK Days of Service, which will take place between Jan. 16-20 and include a health and wellness fair and a community clean up. King Day at the National Civil Rights Museum will be celebrated on Jan. 20 with free admission to the site. This year’s celebration also will mark the launch of the museum’s yearlong observance themed Community Over Chaos, highlighting pivotal anniversaries in civil rights history, including the 60th anniversary year of the Selma March and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Also on Monday, the Memphis Grizzlies, National Civil Rights Museum, City of Memphis and Shelby County will host the 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Game, including a panel on the intersection of race and sport.

Monday, Jan. 20, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and several Nashville organizations are hosting events, volunteer opportunities and celebrations of life. The 40th Annual Nashville MLK Day celebration includes a youth symposium and intergenerational panel on Saturday, and a march along Jefferson Street and a convocation at Tennessee State University with author and professor Dr. Daniel Black. Get details on the MLK Joint Day of Service on Saturday, MLK: A Celebration in Song with Mickey Guyton and the Nashville Symphony on Sunday, and a screening of the film "A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence" at Vanderbilt University.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) will host a free legal clinic in Gallatin on Jan. 14 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. CST. The event offers free consultations with an attorney and is open to low-income individuals with civil legal issues. The clinic is walk-in only, and no pre-registration is required. It will take place at 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., Gallatin 37066. For more information, visit the LAS website.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) will host three clinics next week. A Kingsport Bar Association Free Legal Advice Clinic will be held Tuesday from 5-6:30 p.m. at the V.O. Dobbins Community Center in Kingsport. A Legal Clinic on "Being an Estate Executor" will take place Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Jonesborough Senior Center. On Friday, the TriPride Event "Know Your LGBTQ+ Rights" webinar will be held for residents of Tennessee and Virginia, starting at 1 p.m. All times eastern. For more information and to register for these events, visit the LAET website.