On Cinco de Mayo, the Chattanooga Bar Association and the leaders of the Young Lawyers Division of the CBA are partnering with La Paz Chattanooga to provide educational resources and instruction.
David Elliott will address immigration law, Tim Ballard and Stephanie Rogers family law, Jay Elliott and John Harrison employment law, George Hixson and Jeffrey Maddux landlord/tenant law; and Rob Cardin, Drew Reynolds and I will focus on personal injury law.
We hope this initiative will provide members of the minority community with more reliable legal resources to consider and rely upon as we work against the Unauthorized Practice of Law.
On May 18 at 8 a.m., the CBA will host the annual Law Day Breakfast at the Westin. The key note speaker will be Sen. Bob Corker. The CBA will also honor an outstanding citizen in the Chattanooga area with the Liberty Bell Award for public service. For details about the nomination and the standards for the award, go to www.chattanoogabar.org.
On May 16-18, the 75th Judicial Conference of the Sixth Circuit will be held in Nashville at the Music City Center, with lodgings at the Westin. An opening reception for conferees will be held Tuesday, May 15 at the Westin. Please consider expanding the Chattanooga community’s influence by attending.
On Sept. 19 at Chattanooga State, the Tennessee Supreme Court will bring its SCALES program to Chattanooga to educate high school students about the judicial branch of government. Six hundred and fifty students will be invited to participate.
After oral arguments and debriefing, all 650 students will have lunch with the Tennessee Supreme Court, every local judge and other elected official who attends and all of the volunteer judges and attorneys. Presiding Judge J.B. Bennett will provide the opening remarks.
The benefits
In May, the CBA will provide an hour-long CLE each Friday at noon:
May 4: Federal Court
The Hon. Travis McDonough and Clerk of Court John Medearis
May 11: Juvenile Court
The Hon. Rob Philyaw and Court Clerk Gary Behler
May 18: Civility in the Practice of Law
Gearhiser Peters Elliott & Cannon, attorney Sam Elliott
May 25: How to Stay Out of Trouble With the BPR
Sandy Garrett, Chief Disciplinary Counsel
The CBA has a new website tool to assist attorneys who have joined the Lawyer Referral Service. The service helps clients find an attorney. If you’re interested in joining the Lawyer Referral Service, contact the CBA at 602-9430.
To service both our bar and the citizens of Hamilton County, the CBA arbitrates fee disputes. Thank you, Barry Abbott and Paul Hatcher, for chairing the Fee Dispute Committee. If you would like to offer your assistance, please let your CBA know.
If you’re an attorney struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, the CBA is here to help.
We thank Art Grisham for the confidential and supportive counseling and guidance he’s given to our members who are working to overcome this issue. He will continue to chair our Lawyers Helping Lawyers committee of the CBA.
Thanks to Paige Evatt, who’s chairing our Access to Justice Committee, whose mission is to foster, encourage and facilitate the CBA’s efforts to ensure access to the justice system by those who cannot afford it and to provide pro bono services to low income residents of Hamilton County.
Thanks to Frank Pinchak, chair of our Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, and Elliott, who have been working hard to stop offenders engaged in the unauthorized practice of law.