Before Legal Aid of East Tennessee introduced the new inductees to its Pro Bono Hall of Fame during a ceremony at its office in the UBS building Dec. 12, the firm’s director, Russell Fowler, invoked the name of Charles W. “Buz” Dooley.
The late Dooley practiced civil defense at Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan for 30 years and was a fixture at Legal Aid, where he spent over a decade helping low-income clients work through their legal problems.
Legal Aid renamed its Hall of Fame the (deep breath) Charles W. “Buz” Dooley Pro Bono Hall of Fame in 2018, the year after his death. Fowler said Dooley functioned as Legal Aid’s “secret weapon” for many years.
“Buz showed up every Wednesday at 8 a.m., rain or snow, and then worked all day to place cases with members of the bar. Some of you might remember his phone calls. It was harder to turn down Buz than it was us.”
Fowler’s trip down memory lane set the stage for the introductions that followed, for it is no small feat to be placed in the same company as Dooley. Yet this is where attorneys Arthur Bass, Alan Cates, Jim Exum III and Melody Shekari now find themselves.
“You are true heroes,” Fowler said to the foursome. “We cannot thank you enough for volunteering your time and expertise to help those who could not otherwise afford an attorney.”
Arthur Bass
In honoring Bass with inclusion in the Pro Bono Hall of Fame, Legal Aid honored one of its own, noted lawyer Charli Wyatt, who introduced the Cleveland-based attorney. Presently practicing family law, Bass began working for Legal Aid in 1975 and was its litigation director when he left in 1981.
“Although Mr. Bass moved on to greener pastures, he remained committed to access to justice,” Wyatt informed. “He has in particular spent countless afternoons in legal advice clinics with clients we would otherwise not be able to serve. And he continued those clinics by phone during the pandemic, when many of us stepped back.”
Wyatt drew specific attention to Bass’ contributions in the areas of probate and estate work at Legal Aid, where he’s been “a stalwart for many years,” she said.
Bass dutifully said the recognition has “honored and humbled” him.
“Doing pro bono work has allowed me to rekindle my relationship with Legal Aid. And that means a lot to me. I thank you.”
Alan Cates
Cates, who works in the areas of taxation, estate planning, business succession planning and probate trust at Husch Blackwell, is no stranger to accolades, as Legal Aid named him its Bruce C. Bailey Volunteer Lawyer of the Year in 2017. That award is named after the founder of the Pro Bono Project.
As he did when he received that recognition, Cates expressed his modesty and admiration for others.
“I’m not sure I belong in your company but I’m delighted to be honored in this fashion,” Cates said before quoting American poet Edwin Markham in an effort to urge his colleagues to continue their good work.
“A friend once gave me a book that contained the inscription, ‘There is a destiny which makes us brothers; none goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.’ Essentially, the opportunity to serve others means more than the opportunity to receive, so let’s keep doing the things we do as lawyers.”
Jim Exum III
While introducing Exum to the gathering of about two dozen, Legal Aid staff attorney John Jolley remarked that the Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel attorney has also received Legal Aid’s Bruce C. Bailey Award. Jolley left no doubt as to why when he further mentioned Exum’s history of pro bono service.
“Jim took his first pro bono case in 2007, when he’d been licensed to practice law for less than a year,” Jolley said. “He showed up at one of our Saturday advice clinics, apparently at the direction of Buz Dooley, and advised a young woman who was engaged in a dispute with a used car dealership. Since that day, Jim has taken 110 pro bono cases through our pro bono program.”
Jolley then presented what he admitted was some untested math to paint a picture of an East Tennessee in which there are no service gaps in the pursuit of justice.
“If 10% of lawyers were as committed to access to justice as Jim and our other inductees, the gap between those who need legal help and those who can afford legal help would close. No statistician has approved that number, but as someone who’s worked for Legal Aid for 10 years, I can tell you that it feels right.”
Exum followed Bass and Cates in expressing meekness and gratitude.
“As attorneys, we have the ability to do things that not everyone can afford. This gives us an awesome responsibility. So, I’m in awe of the company I’m in which I find myself tonight.”
Melody Shekari
While introducing Shekari, Legal Aid staff attorney Emily Brenyas praised her friend and fellow jurist for her steadfast commitment to serving at various Legal Aid clinics.
“Melody puts in the time and works hard while she’s doing it,” Brenyas said.
Shekari is the executive director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga. She spent her moments at the podium thanking others.
“I doubt I can express how thankful I am for the fantastic attorneys in this room and the good work you do. You’ve shown this community that people shouldn’t have access to justice simply because they can pay for it but that everyone should have it. Thank you for the work you do every day.”
Before the introductions, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary Wagner stood before the assembly and congratulated the new inductees into Legal Aid’s hallowed Hall of Fame.
“Access to justice means not only access to an attorney in the courtroom but also access to legal help so you understand your rights and the services that are available.
“Those who have answered that call are to be honored and recognized. They are serving not only our legal system but also our greater community. Arthur, Alan, Jim and Melody: You have answered the call and the duty of our profession to serve others. You represent not only your clients but also the legal system as a whole and you have served the system of justice well.”