Chief District Judge Pamela L. Reeves was honored posthumously with the TBA's prestigious Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Her family was hand to accept the award in her honor during the Lawyers Luncheon on June 18. Named in honor of former Tennessee Chief Justice Frank Drowota, the award is the TBA’s highest honor for service to the judiciary and has been given annually for more than a decade.

Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing

Nashville lawyer Todd Pinckley was presented with the prestigious Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing during the TBA's Annual Convention. The award was established nearly 40 years ago and is given each year to the lawyer “who writes the most outstanding article that is published in the ... Tennessee Bar Journal for the preceding year." This year’s winning article is “The Right to Remain Silent: Law Enforcement and the Duty to Intervene,” which was published in the November/December 2020 issue. The award was presented at the annual Lawyers Lunch.

Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award

Major General Albert Harvey was honored with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award from the TBA and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court. The award was recently renamed in honor of the late Judge Reeves, who was also the first recipient of the award in 2020. Harvey was recognized during the Lawyers Luncheon on June 18 in Memphis. Harvey was chosen for his decades of leadership and service to the legal profession. He is a past president of both the Tennessee and Memphis Bar Associations and is the immediate past chair of the American Bar Association’s Senior Lawyers Division. Prior to his legal career, Harvey was active duty in the U.S. Marines. He recently retired from the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of major general. He is respected by his peers at the local, state and national levels and unquestionably displays the character and integrity required for this award.

Claudia Jack Award

Hamblen County Assistant Public Defender Willie Santana was honored with the Claudia Jack Award during the TBA's Annual Convention for his work promoting criminal justice reform. His case challenging bail practices in Hamblen County has "sent ripples throughout the criminal justice community in Tennessee,” former TBA President Buck Lewis wrote in his nomination of Santana. “Judges are beginning to focus upon whether their practices are legal and whether the system of cash bail, even legally imposed, makes sense for the taxpayers, the courts, and the accused." Santana also authored "Cash on the Barrelhead" in the July/August 2020 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal, which brought further awareness to the issue. The award was presented June 18 during the Lawyers Lunch in Memphis.

Fourth Estate Award

The TBA honored Marc Perrusquia with its Fourth Estate Award for his reporting on complaints of excessive use of force by the Memphis Police Department. The award was presented June 18 during the TBA’s Annual Convention in Memphis. A long-time reporter at the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Perrusquia is currently the director of the Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis. His reporting on this issue in the Daily Memphian resulted in policy changes at the MPD and greater transparency in its reporting on complaints of excessive use of force.

YLD Fellows William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award

Memphis attorneys AC and Ruby Wharton were honored 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 said 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+1 can equal 3.” The Leech Public Service Award was presented during the Lawyers Luncheon on June 18.

TBA President’s Awards

TBA President Michelle Greenway Sellers presented a number of awards during the Lawyers Luncheon on June 18 to those who went above and beyond in their service to the association this year:

• Mary Beard was recognized for her outstanding service as chief diversity officer. In addition to advising on several issues, public statements, comments, Supreme Court Rules and amendments to TBA’s nondiscrimination language in our bylaws, Beard led TBA’s newly formed Diversity Task Force.
• The members of the TBA’s Diversity Task were recognized for their work reviewing current and future diversity initiatives within the bar association, opportunities for statewide collaboration, and the creation of strategic objectives related to promoting diversity, inclusion and equity in the legal profession.
• Berkley Schwarz and Brad Lampley were recognized for doing an exceptional job this year navigating the government affairs work of the association. The pair worked around the clock during the legislative session responding to legislation, drafting proposed amendments, and advising the TBA Board on the consequences of legislation and ways TBA can serve as an effective advocate for the legal profession.
• TBA Past President Jonathan Steen was recognized for his service as chair of an ad hoc committee created to work with and support the Administrative Office of the Courts with the collection of data, review and recommendations related to pro se divorce forms.
• Members of the TBA Staff were recognized for their extraordinary efforts over the past year to continue serving members during an historic pandemic.