Murfreesboro assistant city attorney Elizabeth Taylor was chosen as the recipient of this year’s Larry Dean Wilks Leadership Award by fellow members of the TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) class. All 33 members of the leadership training program met for one final session last week during the TBA’s Annual Convention in Memphis. Taylor was presented with the award during the group’s graduation ceremony on Friday. The award is named for former TBA president Larry D. Wilks and recognizes a TBALL class member who exhibits exceptional leadership qualities.

If you weren't able to make it to the TBA Convention in Memphis last week or missed the live stream, the video from Friday's Lawyers Luncheon is now available online. A number of Tennessee lawyers were recognized for their service to the profession and communities at the event, and Brentwood lawyer Sherie Edwards took the oath of office to become the new president for the association. Among those honored were AC Wharton and Ruby Wharton, with the William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award; Todd Pinckley, with the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing; Willie Santana, with the Claudia Jack Award (note that audio in the presentation from Buck Lewis is now available at the 21:30 mark); Al Harvey, with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award; and Judge Pamela L. Reeves, with the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award presented posthumously.

The final day of the TBA Convention featured two panels focused on legislative issues, the presentation of awards to members of the legal profession and the swearing in of new leaders. This morning, attendees heard from a bipartisan panel of state legislators talking about key legislation considered this past session, and an update on bills the TBA tracked in the last session with Berkley Etheridge Schwarz, director of public policy and government affairs for the TBA, and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley. The Lawyers Lunch followed with a celebration of Michelle Greenway Sellers’ year as president, the presentation of awards to Tennessee lawyers for their service to the profession and the public, and the swearing in of new TBA President Sherie Edwards. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins administered the oath of office. Edwards announced a number of initiatives for the year including a continued focus on attorney wellness and diversity, new programs to help lawyers “work smarter, not harder” and a renewed look at the TBA’s Glass Ceiling Initiative, a program that addressed issues unique to women in the profession 10 years ago.

The fourth day of the TBA’s Annual Convention started with the Bench/Bar Program, produced by the Administrative Office of the Courts, which featured panels on how lawyers can protect their mental health when working with troubled clients, how neurodiverse people process information in different ways and often need accommodation from the legal system, and how bias affects the sentencing phase of criminal trials. The Bench/Bar Luncheon followed with remarks from Brandon Gibson, chief operating officer of the state, and Lang Wiseman, deputy and chief counsel to Gov. Bill Lee. They talked about how the state responded to the COVID-19 crisis and how the pandemic impacted the legislative process. The afternoon’s activities included the Better Right Now program, which focused on the harmful effects of stereotyping, discrimination, marginalization and microaggressions. The first panel focused on what bias is and how lawyers can help clients and colleagues who have experienced it. The second panel shared personal stories about their own experiences and how they responded to past offenses, including what they did to protect their mental health. The day wrapped up with a panel exploring how bar associations in the state are working to improve diversity in the profession and address racial and social injustice.

Programming continued during the virtual portion of the Tennessee Bar Association Annual Convention, with an agenda that included virtual law school alumni mixers, a virtual section roundtable, a local bar meeting and a civility roundtable.  Day two wrapped up with a virtual practice management roundtable. The in-person portion of the event is now set to begin at The Peabody in Memphis with the TBA's registration desk opening at 1 p.m. CDT. You can find the full schedule of events on TBA’s website.

A total of 16 sponsors have signed up to help underwrite the costs of this year’s annual convention. Thank you to Fastcase, presenting sponsor of the event; premier sponsors Clio, Geico, L Squared Insurance Agency, TBA Member Insurance Solutions and The Bar Plan; and event partners ABA Retirement Funds, Elite-Brentwood Reporting Services, Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin, HealthCare Appraisers, LawPay, Midwest Special Needs Trust, MyCase, Patterson Intellectual Property Law, Tabs3 Software and Time Miner. Check out their virtual exhibit halls anytime!

Brandon O. Gibson, chief operating officer for the state, will give a keynote address during the 2021 Bench Bar Luncheon. She will join Gov. Bill Lee’s deputy chief counsel, Lang Wiseman, for the presentation. Gibson was appointed to the Tennessee Court of Appeals by former Gov. Bill Haslam where she served for more than four years before joining Lee’s team as senior advisor, focusing primarily on rural and criminal justice initiatives. She was named COO of the state in May 2020. Gibson has served as the chair of the Board of Judicial Conduct and is a former co-chair of the TBA’s Public Service Academy and Leadership Law programs. The Bench Bar Luncheon will take place live in Memphis during the TBA’s annual convention and can be livestreamed for virtual convention registrants. Virtual registration is still open.  

Memphis attorneys AC and Ruby Wharton will be honored next week with the presentation of the TBA YLD Fellows William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award. “AC and Ruby Wharton are the embodiment of excellence in service to the profession, the legal system and our community,” Fellows President and Memphis attorney Danny Van Horn says of the pair. “Each has contributed in their own way to the life of our profession, our community and the people we serve. They are the embodiment of 1 plus 1 can equal 3.” The Leech Public Service Award will be presented during the Tennessee Bar Association's Lawyers Luncheon on June 18.

Don’t miss this highlight of next week’s TBA Convention! The annual Lawyers Luncheon will take place June 18 at noon CDT at The Peabody in Memphis and via livestream for virtual registrants. Make sure to join in as colleagues from across the state are honored with awards, including the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award, the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing, the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, and still to be announced Claudia Jack Award, Fourth Estate Award, YLD Fellows William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award, and President’s Awards for those who served with distinction this past year. The lunch also will include passing of the gavel from TBA President Michelle Greenway Sellers to President-elect Sherie Edwards and oath of office administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey S. Bivins. It’s not too late to register for the virtual experience.

Chief District Judge Pamela L. Reeves will be honored posthumously this month with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) prestigious Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Her family will accept the award in her honor during the Tennessee Bar Association’s Lawyers Luncheon on June 18 at its annual convention in Memphis. Named in honor of former Tennessee Chief Justice Frank Drowota, the Drowota Award is the TBA’s highest award for service to the judiciary and has been given annually for more than a decade.