The TBA will be closed Friday in observance of "National Employee Appreciation Day.” Normally celebrated the first Friday in March, the TBA is marking the day this week due to scheduling issues. Launched in 1995, the day recognizes the importance of strong employer-employee relations and the value of making workers feel appreciated. The office will re-open at 8 a.m. CST on Monday.

The Knoxville Pro Bono Community will gather March 3 at 6 p.m. EST for the 2022 Forging Justice Spring Celebration. The event, sponsored by Legal Aid of East Tennessee and Egerton McAfee Armistead & Davis, will be held at The Standard, 416 W. Jackson Ave., Knoxville 37902. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. EST. Tickets are $55 per person or $100 for a couple and can be purchased online. The evening will include a celebration of pro bono work completed in 2021, music, food and a silent auction. All proceeds will benefit Legal Aid and its Pro Bono Project.

In honor of Black History Month, the Bessie Smith Performance Hall in Chattanooga will hold a town hall meeting with Black elected officials on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. EST. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact directly with officials. The event is free and also will be livestreamed. For more information call 423-266-8658 or email info@bessiemsithcc.org. Chattanoogan.com reports on the event.

The Memphis Lawyers’ Chapter of the Federalist Society will host an in-person event with Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger Page from noon to 1 p.m. CST on March 1. The event will take place at the Hu Hotel, 79 Madison Ave, Memphis 38103. Justice Page will speak on "The History of the Tennessee Supreme Court." Those interested in attending can register online or contact Memphis lawyer Greg Grisham, 901-333-2076.

The Knoxville Bar Foundation is accepting applications for its 2022 grant awards through 5 p.m. EST on March 4. Individual grant awards usually are $5,000 or less and funds cannot be used for operating expenses. Applications must be submitted online. The foundation was established in 1992 to improve the administration of justice, enhance the public’s understanding of and confidence in the legal system, and serve the legal profession. It has awarded $455,000 for local law-related projects and programs since its inception.

Volunteers are still needed for the Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place in person in Nashville March 25-26. Presiding judges, attorneys, law students and paralegals can sign up here to volunteer as a judge, scorer or bailiff. Those who volunteer for at least three trial rounds will receive reimbursement for travel and lodging. The 2022 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial case and rules were released last fall. District mock trial competitions are taking place this month with winners from each district taking part in the state competition. The Tennessee champion will compete at the National High School Mock Trial Championship, which will be held virtually in May.

Join the Tennessee Department of Revenue on Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. CST for its latest free tax webinar covering franchise and excise tax basics. Participants will learn about filing a franchise and excise tax minimum return, estimated payments and extensions. Please note only these topics will be covered, and the webinar is not meant to be a comprehensive overview of the franchise and excise tax. Register for the webinar here.

The TBA Mentoring Committee will host a free virtual event from 11 a.m. to noon CST on March 3. The program will feature a group of panelists who will discuss diversity in mentoring and why it matters. Panelists include: Tannera George Gibson, Burch, Porter & Johnson; Dean Doug Blaze, University of Tennessee College of Law; Brent Hannafan, U.S. Attorney’s Office; Ed Stanton, Butler Snow; and Dean Alberto Gonzales, Belmont University College of Law. To RSVP for the event, email Ateia Aldridge.

The YWCA’s Stand Against Racism series will host its next virtual installment on Feb. 23 at noon CST. In honor of Black History Month, “Black Art Matters” will highlight Black visual artists. Black artists and art experts will discuss Black artwork throughout history, representation in different art mediums and expression against racism and white supremacy through their art. Register for the webinar and learn more here.

The National Bar Association is planning a commemorative trip to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, so members can retrace the steps of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Congressman John Lewis as well as other “greats” who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge and lit the spark that led to enactment of the Civil Rights Act. The trip will leave from Atlanta on March 4 and return on March 6. Activities will include a tour of King’s parsonage home, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where he pastored, the Lynching Memorial and Legacy Museum. Registration includes transportation and tours. Hotel rooms should be booked separately by Feb. 26. Also on March 4, the NBA will hold its 57th Selma Jubilee Fred Grey Award Dinner in Atlanta. Learn more or register for any of these events.