TBA President Gail Vaughn Ashworth

The Tennessee Bar Association has a proud history of serving the profession and the public. In these challenging times, our role is more important than ever. Now with nearly 11,000 active and engaged members, the TBA speaks with a strong voice in our state, supporting selection of fair and impartial judges, the rule of law and access to justice for those who cannot afford the cost of legal services.

This strength also allows the TBA to serve every lawyer every day in the practice of law. Thousands of Tennessee lawyers regularly take advantage of the free online legal research that is available because of the strength and commitment of the TBA membership. Thousands more take part in CLE programming at no cost by using the prepaid hours that come as a benefit with a TBA membership.

During the coming year, the TBA will continue this commitment to serve the community and the profession. Here are a few highlights:

PRO BONO CELEBRATION — The Tennessee Bar Association is joining with legal organizations across the state for Celebrate Pro Bono Month in October 2009. A full slate of activities are planned across Tennessee to bring attention to pro bono efforts of Tennessee lawyers, to help Tennessee citizens in need of legal assistance, and to provide training for Tennessee attorneys who take part in pro bono work. We will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of IOLTA in our state during the last week of October, as the Order establishing IOLTA was entered on October 30, 1984.

Despite recent welcome indications of improvements in the economy, the reality for many in our state is that they cannot afford basic legal services. The TBA is committed to providing all lawyers opportunities to provide free legal assistance to these needy Tennesseans.

• CIVICS EDUCATION — The TBA will continue to take civics education beyond our schools, ensuring that our community leaders understand the importance of the rule of law in all that we do. Among the activities will be another Rule of Law Conference to build on the important initiatives generated from the multidisciplinary work of the conference of business, education, religious, corporate and civic leaders who met last fall in Nashville.

• DIVERSITY — The TBA remains committed to increasing the diversity in our profession and particularly in our organization. Our Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity is hard at work to move us forward this year.

• THE RIGHT STUFF — History is important to our organization, and the TBA Summer School CLE program for 2010 will be a World War II history trip to Normandy, France, June 19- 26, 2010. We all can benefit from taking advantage of what little time we have left to experience living history with veterans of WWII and visit the birthplace of our legal system under William the Conqueror in Caen, France.

• OUR WORK, OUR PLANET — The TBA and its Environmental Law Section are developing educational programming and other information to help law firms and their clients be pro- active in environmental issues. Watch for green offices sprouting across the state.

• TECHNOLOGY AT WORK — Using technology efficiently in the practice of law is a challenge in these rapidly changing times, and the TBA has a strong history of helping its members succeed in this arena. Along with online discussion groups and electronic publications such as TBA Today, the TBA is also launching a new social networking site – TBA Connect – to help members network and share information online. The annual LawTech CLE program is back with strong, new programming and two of the state’s top law tech geeks — Bill Ramsey and Phillip Hampton — will soon begin offering regular tech tips on TBA webcasts. Watch also for free CLE webinars to help you take better advantage of the Fastcase online legal research that is available free to members and other CLE programs designed to help lawyers deal with the demands of e-filing and other technology challenges.

• ADVOCACY IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE COURTS — The TBA remains committed to having a strong and active voice in the legislative and judicial arenas, promoting the efforts of our 27 sections and 15 committees, and working to secure quality legislation and judicial rules.

As the 130th President of the TBA, I look forward to building on the work of those who have come before me. With your support, I am confident that the TBA will continue a strong legacy of service to the profession and the public.

Gail Vaughn Ashworth
TBA President 2009-2010