Several Shelby County groups are hosting an event Saturday to help people with expungement of eligible criminal offenses, job opportunities, child support and drivers’ license issues. The event is free and open to the public, and will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT at Mt. Moriah-East Baptist Church at 1248 Haynes Rd. Sponsors are the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, the Shelby County General Sessions Clerk’s Office and the District 21 Prince Hall Masons.

Officials with the Tennessee Democratic Party say they will host three gubernatorial debates ahead of the upcoming August primary election, the Associated Press reports. According to a news release, Democratic candidates Jason Martin, Carnita Atwater and JB Smiley Jr. will participate in all three of the debates which will take place on May 26 in Knoxville, June 21 in Nashville and July 12 in Memphis. Whoever wins the August primary will face off against Republican incumbent Gov. Bill Lee, who is running for a second term. WBBJ TV.com has the story.

In addition to compelling CLE, social events and networking opportunities, the TBA's governing bodies will meet throughout the 2022 TBA Annual Convention. On June 15, the House of Delegates will meet from 2 to 5 p.m., while new Board of Governors members will attend an orientation session. On June 16, section and committee leaders will meet to recap their work over the past year and begin making plans for the 2022-2023 bar year. On June 17, the Young Lawyers Division will hold committee meetings and the division’s annual meeting, which is open to all YLD members. Finally, on June 18, the TBA Board of Governors and the Tennessee Legal Community Foundation Board of Trustees will meet, as will the YLD Executive Committee and full YLD Board. Check out the full convention schedule and make plans to be in Nashville June 15-18!

The Nashville-based Center for Nonprofit Management is holding a free virtual event Friday to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The “Virtual Day of Convening” will feature AAPI voices and narratives through panel discussions as well as visual and performance art. Topics include “What AAPI Means,” “How the AAPI Community Is Addressed in DEI Conversations,” “Hate Crimes and COVID-19” and “The Bamboo Ceiling.” Each session will run for 30 minutes between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Learn more about the event and register here.

The American Bar Association will hold its Law Practice Division Spring Meeting in Nashville this week and TBA members are invited to attend two sessions on Thursday for free. Thursday's program, which offers two hours of CLE credit, will focus on practical topics such as managing workload and cybersecurity ethics. The first session “Time, Task, Email & Distraction Management for Lawyers” will begin at 2:30 p.m. CDT followed by “Safeguarding Client Data in Today’s Emerging Hybrid Practice” at 3:45 p.m. Read more about the programs and register for free using the code “TBA.”

In recognition of the judicial service of recently departed judges, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee is planning a memorial service on June 17 at 2 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building. Members of the bar and public are invited to join the court to honor the contribution and legacy of district judges Thomas A. Wiseman Jr., John T. Nixon, Thomas A. Higgins and Todd J. Campbell, and Sixth Circuit Court Judge Gilbert S. Merritt Jr. and Magistrate Judge Kent Sandidge. A reception will follow with the opportunity to tour the new courthouse.

The next Veterans’ Legal Advice Clinic — a joint project of Knoxville area legal organizations — will take place Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. EDT at the Knoxville Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St. This general advice and referral clinic is supported by the Knoxville Bar Association Barristers and Young Lawyers Division, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, University of Tennessee  College of Law, Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law, and the local Veterans Affairs office. Sign up here to volunteer.

Young lawyers in Tennessee and other Southeastern states are invited to attend the Southeastern States Young Lawyers Regional Summit in Orlando on Sept. 22-24. The event, which will be held at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club, will bring together young lawyers for compelling continuing education programs, collaboration and networking opportunities. Programming will focus on marketing your practice, managing non-attorney staff, handling finances and promoting diversity and inclusion in the profession. Social events include an opening reception on Thursday night and an optional “Network Around the World” at Epcot’s International Wine & Food Festival on Saturday. The $250 early registration fee includes up to five hours of CLE credit, materials, admission to Thursday's Welcome Reception, and breakfast, beverage break and lunch on Friday. Register for the conference and be sure to book through the room block for discounted room rates. For questions, contact TBA Young Lawyers Division Coordinator Ateia Aldridge.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the TBA is celebrating by sponsoring a free CLE program from the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association. "How We Got Here and the Laws That Impacted Our Journey” will feature a panel that will explore the history of Asian-Americans and the intersection of laws and regulations that affected their rights and their contributions to civil rights in America. The event will take place on May 20 at 3 p.m. CDT at Baker Donelson, 1600 West End Ave., Ste. 2000, Nashville. The program is also available online. Register for the program here.

TBA President Sherie Edwards will give an ethics presentation during the Ninth Annual Mid-South Agriculture and Environmental Law Conference scheduled for June. Edwards’ talk, “Attorney Wellness & Diversity in the Legal Profession: Ethics,” will draw heavily from the top priorities she set as TBA president. “…three of my top priorities have been business education, attorney wellness, and diversity,” Edwards said. “I’m looking forward to addressing attorneys and wellness in such a unique venue that pulls in a large number of attorneys and other ag professionals from throughout Tennessee and the region.” The conference will be hosted by the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law on June 9 and 10. Edwards will present at 9:30 a.m. CDT on June 10. Read more on the event.