Tennessee lawyers attending the TBA’s 2026 Convention in June will have the opportunity to earn dual CLE credit through “Better Right Now: Wellness & Tech Session,” a two-part program focused on attorney well-being in today’s technology-driven legal environment. The sessions, “How and Why the Current State of Legal Practice Intersects with Evolution and Brain Chemistry to Promote Stress” and “Real-Life Strategies for Well-Being in the Current Legal Environment,” will explore the impact of modern legal practice on mental health while offering practical strategies for focus, resilience and client engagement. Presenters include Lindsey O’Connell of Lindsey O’Connell Counseling and Consulting, Melanie Reid of Lincoln Memorial University, and Dr. Jeff Vomund and Fr. Ragan Schriver of the University of Tennessee. Check out the full CLE programming.

Unam Peter Oh, an assistant federal public defender in Memphis, will be honored with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) Claudia Jack Award. The award, which will be presented at the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville, is named for the late Claudia Jack, a long-time champion of the poor and underprivileged and a public defender in Maury County. Oh joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Memphis in 2014 after a career in private practice focused on corporate liability insurance. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Oh began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge C. Lynwood Smith Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and then in the Public Defender’s Office in Northern Virginia.

Colleagues who nominated Oh noted his commitment to providing every client, regardless of their means, a sophisticated and tireless defense and said his work is characterized by a “boots-on-the-ground dedication” that far exceeds the traditional expectations of any counsel. “He frequently goes above and beyond by meeting his clients’ families in informal settings, most recently at a local Burger King, on his own time to provide updates, comfort, and ensure they feel heard.” Nominators also highlighted Oh’s impact on the profession as a mentor, investing hundreds of hours in the next generation of Tennessee’s legal community. In announcing Oh’s selection, TBA President and Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus said, “The TBA is honored to recognize the selfless service of Assistant Federal Public Defender Peter Oh. From his commitment to vigorously defend his clients, to his care for the families of those facing the justice system, to the mentoring of the next generation of lawyers, Peter embodies the values TBA seeks to promote through the Claudia Jack Award. We all are grateful for his example.” Read more in this press release from the TBA.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention. This year's CLE lineup, which will offer 8.5 hours of credit, will include a presentation on using technology to transform the way litigators prepare, organize and present their cases from managing discovery to preparing depositions, presenting evidence and collaborating with co-counsel. Join Tara Cheever with Lit Software for this interactive, demonstration-driven session. Attendees will discover how to streamline workflows, enhance mobility and seamlessly integrate new technology into traditionally Windows-based environments, without disrupting existing systems. The program will take place June 11 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. EDT at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville. Learn more about the convention and register here. Can’t make the full convention? Day passes for Thursday’s Tech Showcase are available and include access to this CLE session.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention, This year's CLE lineup will offer 8.5 hours of credit. Among the sessions to be offered is “12 Time Management Things Attorneys Should Do, But Don’t” presented by attorney and productivity consultant Paul Unger of the Affinity Consulting Group. The program will focus on practical strategies attorneys can use to improve workflow, reduce stress and increase efficiency through better time management and productivity tools. Affinity is a member benefit parter with the TBA. Check out all of the resources they offer at TBA's Law Firm in a Box. More information about the 2026 Convention and the registration form are online.

Tennessee lawyers will gather in June for the 2026 TBA Annual Convention. This year's CLE lineup, which will offer 8.5 hours of credit, will include a joint program produced by the TBA and the Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers. The session — which will honor Black entrepreneur Marie Van Brittan Brown, the inventor of the first home security system — will examine the balance between governmental interests in public safety and individuals’ constitutional rights to privacy. The discussion will address legal considerations under the Fourth Amendment, including protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the potential implications of surveillance technologies on First Amendment rights, particularly freedom of speech. The session will take place June 11 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EDT at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville. Learn more about the convention and register here.

If you plan to attend the 2026 TBA Convention but have not yet booked your hotel, time is running out! The TBA hotel room block at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville will tomorrow, May 8, at 5 p.m. EDT. Book now to take advantage of our special discounted rate. Can't make it to the full convention? Join colleagues on June 11 for TBA's first-ever Tech Showcase. Day passes for Thursday are now available online.

If you plan to attend the 2026 TBA Convention but have not yet booked your hotel, time is running out! The TBA hotel room block at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville will close this Friday, May 8, at 5 p.m. EDT. Book now to take advantage of our special discounted rate. Can't make it to the full convention? Join colleagues on June 11 for TBA's first-ever Tech Showcase. Day passes for Thursday are now available online.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court are accepting nominations for the 2026 Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award. The deadline for submitting nominations is May 8. The annual award is presented to a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the rule of law and the highest standards of the legal profession in Tennessee. This year's award will be presented to a lawyer or judge residing in the Eastern Grand Division. Nominees must be alive when nominations are submitted but they need not be an active member of an American Inn of Court or the TBA. The award will be presented at the TBA's Annual Convention, which will be held in Knoxville June 10-13. See past recipients of the award.

Young lawyers should make plans now to connect with colleagues during the 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13 at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Knoxville. The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will hold events throughout the week, including the swearing-in of incoming president Jennifer Sneed-Perry and the presentation of annual awards by current president Alex McVeagh. The CASA award, recognizing outstanding service, will be presented during the Public Service Breakfast by Middle Tennessee Governor Alix Rogers. A celebration on Friday evening will include a Gavel Pass and Champagne Toast held in conjunction with the Tennessee Bar Foundation, a graduation ceremony for members of this year's Diversity Leadership Institute, and the induction of new TBA YLD Fellows. Finally, the YLD will hold its Annual Membership Meeting on Friday afternoon and the YLD Board will meet on Saturday to plan for the upcoming bar year. Don't miss these opportunities to connect and celebrate the year ahead. See the full schedule on the Convention webpage.

The 2026 William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award will be presented to Memphis attorney and former TBA President Buck Lewis next month at the TBA’s Annual Convention. The award, given by the Fellows of the TBA Young Lawyers Division, is named for former Attorney General William M. Leech Jr. It is presented each year to a Tennessee lawyer who has been of outstanding service to the profession, the legal system and their community. In announcing the award, Fellows President and Memphis lawyer Mason Wilson said, “Buck Lewis represents the best of the Tennessee legal community. From his bar association service to promoting legal services for those who cannot afford a lawyer, and now his work developing leadership qualities in Tennessee law students, he embodies the ideals of the William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award.” Lewis will be presented with the award on June 12 at the Lawyers Luncheon.

Lewis is a shareholder at Baker Donelson and leads the firm’s Appellate Group. He also is the Larry Wilks Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and co-founder of the newly renamed Pamela Reeves Institute for Professional Leadership. Lewis has focused his career on promoting access to justice initiatives in Tennessee and across the country. He is a past chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission and the ABA Pro Bono and Public Service Committee, and was instrumental in launching Tennessee Free Legal Answers and taking the project nationwide through ABA Free Legal Answers. Most recently, Lewis founded and provided initial funding for the Justice Frank F. Drowota Trust to support organizations providing legal services to low-income individuals in the state. He also led fundraising efforts, raising $500,000 in direct donations and $2.5 million in bequests. Read more about his career in this press release from the TBA.