Attorneys from the Memphis office of law firm Wyatt Tarrant & Combs receive their pro bono award at the Gala.
Photos by Barry Kolar

Attorneys from the Memphis office of law firm Wyatt Tarrant & Combs and medical technology company Medtronic were honored Saturday (March 7) during the Ninth Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative (CCPBI) Gala in Nashville.

The annual event raises money to support pro bono activities across the state and recognizes the law firm and corporate legal department that best represent an extraordinary commitment to access to justice ideals and pro bono service.

Judge Bernice Donald from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit gave the keynote address at the program, which also featured comments from Chief Justice Sharon Lee, CCPBI Co-Chairs Andy Branham and Jim Barry and TBA President Jonathan Steen.

Wyatt Tarrant & Combs was recognized for a strong and consistent commitment to pro bono service and access to justice initiatives including ongoing support of Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS). The firm regularly hosts fundraising and legal clinic events, encourages pro bono service by its attorneys and staff and has contributed to MALS at the highest giving level.

Medtronic was recognized for the work of its regional legal department in Memphis. Over the past year, Medtronic has supported a variety of pro bono initiatives including a Wills for Heroes clinic, and an outreach clinic at the Bickford Senior Center to help senior citizens understand and execute advance directives.

Medtronic also helped launch a medical-legal partnership initiative, hosting an educational seminar about medical-legal partnerships and exploring ways to fund a new partnership in Memphis. Medical-legal partnerships bring civil legal aid to health care locations and train medical staff to recognize legal issues that can adversely impact patients’ health.

Keynote speaker Judge Bernice Donald shared reflections from her experience on the bench and as a legal services attorney and public defender in Memphis. 

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee discussed some of the access to justice innovations in Tennessee over the last decade. 

TBA President Jonathan Steen welcomed guests to the Ninth Annual CCPBI Gala at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. 

TBA Access to Justice Committee Chair and CCPBI Co-Chair Jim Barry from International Paper presented updates about the collaborative work between legal aid and corporate counsel. 

Attorneys from the medical technology company Medtronic were honored during the Ninth Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative Gala.

(From left) TBA Executive Director Allan Ramsaur, Judge Bernice Donald and Chief Justice Sharon Lee.

CCPBI Co-Chair Andy Branham of Counsel on Call introduced keynote speaker Judge Bernice Donald. 

(From left) Sean Zehtab, TBA Public Policy Coordinator Josie Beets, TBA Treasurer and ATJ Committee Member Sherie Edwards and Emily Ogden.

Will Richter (left) and Rodney Young (right) from Medtronic celebrate their company's honor with Linda Warren Seely from MALS. 

(From left) Jimmie Lynn Ramsaur, Rich Littlehale and Martha Boyd.

Nashville attorney Susan Lafferty (left) and Disability Rights Tennessee Legal Director Martie Lafferty (right).

Stites & Harbison guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

Guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

(From left) CCPBI Co-Chair Andy Branham and former TBA Presidents Marcy Eason and Buck Lewis.

Guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

Guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

TBA YLD President Rachel Moses (left) and District 7 Representative Aimee Luna (right), both with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands.

Guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

(From left) Bill Powell, Dave Yoder of Legal Aid of East Tennessee and Meg Jones of Community Legal Center.

Guests at the CCPBI Gala. 

(From left) Charles Grant, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark, Judge Bernice Donald and Odell Horton.