Belmont Law is hosting its first Reentry Simulation partnership with the Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry on Oct. 25 from 1-4 p.m. CDT in the Baskin Building Commons Area, 1901 15th Ave S, Nashville 37212. During the simulation, attendees will take on a new identity and experience real-life situations that individuals face during reentry. Each participant is equipped with a "Life Card" detailing criminal background, living and job situations, and specific weekly tasks crucial for avoiding potential return to prison as they experience the first month of post-release life. Registration is free but required.

Faith-based leaders, law enforcement and community members will gather Oct. 24 for the “Protecting Places of Worship Forum” in Memphis. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the forum will address the growing concern over hate crimes targeting places of worship. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT at the FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park, 415 Great View Dr. E., Cordova 38018. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Get more information and register online.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, Belmont Law, TBA YLD, the Davidson County Criminal Clerk’s Office and Tennessee Justice Center are partnering for two expungement clinics on Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST. One will take place at Belmont Law while the other will take place at the Tennessee Justice Center. The clinics are part of the Capitol City Pro Bono challenge. Volunteers are needed at both locations. Sign up using this form. Contact squintero@las.org or ginny.blake@belmont.edu with questions.

TBA’s member benefit partner SoFi is offering a webinar on Thursday to help those with student loans make a plan to manage their debt. The company reports that the student loan repayment on–ramp period ended on Sept. 30, meaning borrowers will have to start repaying their loans. The webinar will air at 3 p.m. CDT and feature Brian Walsh, SoFi's head of advice and planning. He will talk about the latest student debt news and how to start paying loans with confidence. Register here. Two previous sessions on the basics of student loans also are available to watch on demand.

Memphis-based Community Legal Center has announced the appointment of Betsy Prendergast as its interim executive director. She replaces Diana Comes, who was with the center since 2021 and oversaw the organization’s move to Brinkley Plaza. Prendergast has been serving as a staff attorney and was a past member of the group's board of directors. The center also announced that Dawna E. Snipes is a new elder law staff attorney and Susie Espinoza is a new program coordinator. Finally, the center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with an event on Nov. 8 from 7-9 p.m. CDT at the Crosstown Theater. Buy tickets here or contact Austin Brown at 901-402-0509 with questions.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) and Egerton McAfee Armistead & Davis will hold the 2024 Pro Bono Recognition Night on Nov. 7 from 5-8 p.m. EST. The event will take place at The Standard, 416 W. Jackson Ave., Knoxville 37902 and will honor the work of area pro bono attorneys over the past year. Since 1965, LAET has transformed lives throughout the region, and this has been made possible through pro bono attorneys who volunteer their time. Purchase tickets here.

The American Bar Association (ABA) Legal Education Police Practices Consortium, in collaboration with the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, will host The Law of the Police, a first-of-its-kind free online course for law students, police officers, attorneys and the public. The self-paced, seven-week course, which begins Oct. 16, is designed to help participants understand the laws that police are tasked with upholding, the case law that protects citizens and officers in their interactions and the laws that hold the profession of policing accountable. Each of the seven weeks will be led by a different legal subject matter expert who will examine the evolution and reality of policing as well as inspire learners to be part of an evidence-based approach to understanding safety and security that protects the rights and lives of all people. Get details and register.

The city of Memphis has designated Front Street between Poplar Avenue and Beale Steet as “Judge Bernice Bouie Donald Street” and will celebrate the naming at a ceremony on Oct. 19. The event will take place at the Renasant Convention Center, Lower Ballroom at 11 a.m. CDT. Honorary signage will be installed along the route paying tribute to Donald’s trailblazing career. Donald retired from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals last year and has joined the Memphis law firm of Burch, Porter and Johnson. The firm held an event honoring the street naming in July and has more information about the event later this month. View the invitation.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and Cumberlands is hosting a housing law summit for attorneys on Oct. 1 from 4-5 p.m. CDT at 501 Commerce St. in Nashville. The event will focus on housing issues in the Nashville metropolitan area, with Legal Aid’s Eviction Right to Counsel Program providing insights and guidance on addressing housing-related questions such as conditions and evictions. Get more information and register.

Enrollment for TBA's group health insurance is now open through Dec. 13. Have questions about options and benefits? Buck Orrison with TBA's Member Insurance Solutions will be answering submitted questions in a recorded webinar. Members may submit questions until Oct. 11. Watch for details on how to view the webinar coming soon.