Legal Aid of East Tennessee will offer two free legal clinics for elderly and low-income individuals on Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. and Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Both sessions will be held at Memorial Park Community Center in Johnson City. Volunteer attorneys will assist individuals with preparing simple last wills and testaments, powers of attorney and living wills. For more information, contact LAET’s Johnson City office at (423) 928-8311 or (800) 821-1312.

State lawmakers and staff from around the county will be gathering in Atlanta next month for the National Conference of State Legislatures 39th annual legislative summit, WDEF News 12 reports. The event is billed as the largest gathering of its kind where lawmakers and staff gather to discuss topics including helping veterans find jobs and regulating drones. Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor will be a guest speaker.

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2013 Equal Justice University. They include Tennessee Supreme Court of Tennessee Chief Justice Gary Wade, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr., Tennessee House of Representatives Speaker Beth Harwell and TBA President Cindy Wyrick. The event, set for Oct. 9-11 in Nashville, is sponsored by TALS and the TBA. Learn more or register for the program on the TALS website.

Five free legal clinics are being planned in Nashville for Aug. 24 by The Legal Aid Society, Nashville Pro Bono Program, Nashville Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Napier-Looby Bar Association, Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence and James Flexer Law Firm. The clinics will provide free legal advice in any area of civil law. No pre-registration is required. Locations are: St. Luke's Community House, 5601 New York Ave.; Bethel AME Church, 1300 S. St.; Northwest YMCA, 3700 Ashland City Hwy.; East Park Community Center, 700 Woodland St.; and Legal Aid Society, 300 Deaderick St. Contact any of the sponsors for more information.

The First Amendment Center is hosting a panel discussion this Friday with key players from the January 1979 “coup” that ousted then Tennessee governor Ray Blanton and installed Lamar Alexander into office early. The event coincides with the publication of a new book from Tennessee author Keel Hunt that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the days leading up to the decision. Alexander, Hunt, former U.S. Attorney Hal Hardin and John Seigenthaler will discuss the book and the drama surrounding the situation. A reception and book signing with Hunt begins at 6 p.m. followed by the panel discussion at 7 p.m. The center is located at 1207 18th Ave. S., Nashville 37212. Also look for the book -- Coup: The Day the Democrats Ousted Their Governor, Put Republican Lamar Alexander in Office Early, and Stopped a Pardon Scandal -- to be reviewed in an upcoming issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal.

The Project Homeless Connect legal clinic originally scheduled for August in Memphis has been moved to Sept. 19. The event, which brings together a variety of resources and services in one place for the day, will include a “street clinic” offered by the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office to help those with unpaid court costs and fines, and a civil legal clinic to help those with child support, collections and landlord/tenant issues. For more information or to volunteer contact the Memphis Bar Association at (901) 527-3575 or afritz@memphisbar.org.

NALS Association of Legal Professionals, Nashville chapter, will be hosting its first annual After Hours Silent Auction Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz PC, located at 211 Commerce St. in Nashville The event will feature country music artist Stephanie Quayle, who performed at this year’s CMA Fest. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Click here to RSVP.

The Knox County Public Defender’s Office is conducting a Community Law Office Book Drive for Inmates throughout the month of July. Last year, lawyers donated almost 800 books. Books should be paperbacks without any writing on them. Spanish language and self-help books are especially appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at the Knoxville Bar Association, Public Defender’s Office or City County Building. For more information contact Jessica Greene at (865) 594-4262 or Laura Chambers (865) 594-3024.

The monthly free legal clinic in Memphis will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library. This month’s clinic is sponsored by The Hardison Law Firm and Glassman Edwards Wade & Wyatt. Volunteer attorneys and support staff are needed to assist at the clinic. Learn more or volunteer on the Memphis Bar Association’s website.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) will hold its first building day this Saturday for the seventh house bar members have erected. Work will take place every Saturday from July 13 to Aug. 24. The association predicts it will need 150 volunteers and $20,000 to complete the project. To volunteer, donate or get more information contact KBA Executive Director Marsha Wilson at (865) 522-6522 or mwilson@knoxbar.org.