Loading…
Equal Justice University 2026
arrow_back View All Dates
Thursday, August 27
 

8:30am PDT

General Insights and Guidelines for Assisting Attorneys
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT

The paralegal profession plays a pivotal role in the legal industry, offering essential support to attorneys and ensuring the smooth operation of legal processes. To enhance the skills and knowledge of paralegals, we propose a series of sessions focused on critical aspects of their work. These sessions aim to provide practical insights, ethical guidelines, and specialized training to empower paralegals in their professional roles. Learning Objectives: Assisting Attorneys with Drafting Documents and Trial Support, Working with Domestic Violence Victims, Providing Victim Advocacy. 

Speakers
TS

Tammie Sisco

Tammie Sisco is a seasoned paralegal with 26 years of experience, specializing in legal drafting, trial support, and advocacy. She holds an associate's degree in paralegal studies from Kaplan University and has dedicated six years to West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS), where... Read More →
JS

Jonathan Steen

Jonathan Steen is the Medical-Legal Partnership / Litigation Supervising Attorney at West Tennessee Legal Services, where he leads efforts to integrate legal aid into healthcare settings to address social and legal barriers to health. With over 30 years of experience in civil litigation... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge A

8:30am PDT

Head and Heart in Advocacy: Brain Science, Stress, and Client Decision-Making
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Legal aid attorneys, advocates, and staff frequently represent clients experiencing high levels of stress, trauma, and instability, which can significantly affect communication, memory, decision-making, and engagement in the legal process. This training introduces the basic neuroscience of stress and its impact on client behavior, including how stress can impair reasoning, increase emotional reactivity, and contribute to inconsistent or avoidant behaviors often interpreted as resistance or noncompliance. This session also introduces practical, non-clinical emotional intelligence strategies to improve attorney-client communication, enhance advocate and staff support, reduce conflict, and support client participation. By integrating brain-based insights with effective communication techniques, attorneys will be better equipped to interpret client behavior, adjust their approach in high-stress interactions, and improve overall advocacy outcomes. This session is designed to be practical, interactive, and directly applicable to legal aid practices.
Speakers
AL

Adrienne Lees

Adrienne Lees is the Senior Prevention Coordinator at the TN Tech Center for Addiction Prevention & Support. She is a Certified Family Life Educator and a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Ms. Lees serves as Director of the Addiction Prevention & Support Coalition, manages a team... Read More →
MS

Matt Silvey

Mr. Silvey is a lecturer, attorney and Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Tennessee. His clinical experience includes community mental health, forensic social work in the public defense system, hospice care, and public guardianship, as well as psychotherapy practice... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella C

8:30am PDT

Hidden In Plain Sight: Practical Issue Spotting Across Practice Areas
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
This session will focus on effectively triaging client issues across multiple areas of law. It will explore common issues, key red flags, potential remedies, and available resources and referral options in a variety of practice areas, including family, housing, consumer, and immigration. Recognizing that clients often have multiple, overlapping legal concerns, the session will equip legal advocates with strategies to identify additional underlying issues. The session will also cover effective strategies for working with clients who may be indigent, have experienced trauma, be unfamiliar with the legal system, face systemic barriers, or have immigration-related concerns, with an emphasis on trauma-informed and culturally competent advocacy.
Speakers
JO

Jake Old

Jake Old is the Consumer Unit Manager at West Tennessee Legal Services in Jackson, Tennessee. He also helps oversee the day-of-court clinics at WTLS in which attorneys are available in some general sessions courts to provide advice or representation to clients. Jake received his... Read More →
CR

Colleen Ryan

Colleen Ryan (she/her) is an attorney with the Eviction Right to Counsel program of the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. A 2022 graduate of Belmont University College of Law, Colleen is passionate about helping tenants assert their rights through counterclaims... Read More →
KK

Kerry Krauch

Kerry Krauch is a 2012 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Law. She currently serves as a Counsel and Advice Attorney at West Tennessee Legal Services, where she provides guidance to clients across a broad range of legal matters. Prior to this role, she practiced with... Read More →
AV

Amber Vargas

Amber Vargas’s calling is to advocate for victims of domestic violence.  Amber obtained a BA in psychology from Maryville College and a JD from the University of Tennessee College of Law.  While getting her degrees, Amber worked at a domestic violence safe house including manning the... Read More →
ES

Emily Stotts

Emily Stotts is the Legal Director at Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, a non-profit law firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. She represents individuals seeking immigration benefits before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and those defending themselves against deportation... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands B

8:30am PDT

IEP Meeting Simulation
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Come sit in on a mock Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Meeting! IEP Meetings are the core of special education representation, but it can be hard to find real-life opportunities to practice. These meetings require real-time negotiation with an opposing party while your clients, one of which is a minor, is present, which can raise interesting issues with regards to ethics and client relationships, in addition to subject matter. Participants will have opportunities to debrief key decision points throughout this interactive session. 
Speakers
JM

Jasmine Miller

Jasmine Ying Miller is a Staff Attorney at Youth Law Center, based in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. Her work focuses on the intersection between juvenile justice, child welfare and education systems, including special education and transitions to postsecondary education... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

8:30am PDT

Tennessee Tenants Take the Lead: A Public Interest Affirmative Housing Litigation Tool
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Overwhelmingly with housing cases, tenants and their attorneys are caught playing defense, and the options are limited. We hope to keep people housed as much as possible and if not, negotiate a move that doesn't impact their future housing health. It can be a bleak business of small wins and minimizing damage, but the task of investing in sustained affirmative litigation poses significant cost and capacity challenges. The PI Affirmative Housing Litigation Toolkit offers a solution on both fronts. The online resource will be accessible to all public interest attorneys and provides start to finish guide to litigation in five areas of housing related law: 1983, Habitability, the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, the False Claims Act, and the Fair Housing Act. Each area of law includes six individual sections focusing on law, investigation, strategy, filing, settlement, and trial. There are practical references like outlines and citation banks and templates for complaints and discovery forms, as well tools for understanding the FOIA request processes, partnering with media outlets, supporting plaintiffs through the long process of civil litigation, and preparing for trial. In a sense, the Toolkit is a crash course in potentially unfamiliar areas of law, and a plug and play handbook for further housing advocacy. Our hope is that helping to expand the ways in which public interest housing attorneys can represent our clients will ultimately advance housing justice in Tennessee.
Speakers
MB

Maggie Behringer

A Chattanooga native, Maggie Behringer went to law school to study housing law and work with the unhoused. Maggie graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and earned a master's in fine arts from West Virginia University. She received her J.D. from Loyola Law School in... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge B

8:30am PDT

Top Ten Tennessee Lawyers
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
This course is a fast-moving survey of the top ten Tennessee lawyers of our state’s dramatic, diverse, and inspiring legal history from the territorial period to modern times. This includes litigators, judges, scholars, and the legal and ethical challenges they confronted.
Speakers
RF

Russell Fowler

Russell Fowler, a 10th generation Tennessean, is Director of Litigation and Advocacy and Managing Attorney at Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) and since 1999 has been adjunct professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). In 2005, he was selected UTC’s... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

10:00am PDT

Break
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am PDT

Thursday August 27, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am PDT

10:00am PDT

Access to Justice Committee, Tennessee Bar Association
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT

Thursday August 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT
Private Dining Room A

10:15am PDT

2025 Tennessee Legislative Session
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
TN 2025 legislative session overview 
Speakers
LW

Lauren Webb

Lauren Webb is an attorney and seasoned government affairs professional with a proven track record of guiding legislation through the Tennessee General Assembly.  She brings deep expertise in state government, policy formation and strategy, government finance, and procurement... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella C

10:15am PDT

Advocating for Veterans: VA Benefits 101
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Survey and introduction to VA benefits for new advocates and for those outside the practice area to best advise their clients on too. Overview includes service-connected disability payments, VA covered medical services, and service discharge upgrades. Also covered will be the basic how-tos for advocacy with the VA and issue spotting VA benefits issues along with other public benefits areas and legal issues.
Speakers
CA

Cole Adams

Staff Attorney, West Tennessee Legal Services
Cole Adams (he/him) is a Staff Attorney in the Public Benefits Unit in the Memphis Office of West Tennessee Legal Services. In his practice, he represents and advises clients on Social Security, Medicaid, SNAP, Families First, and Unemployment Compensation issues. Previously, Cole... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands B

10:15am PDT

Defending Criminal Activity and Drug-Related Evictions
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
This session will discuss the applicable law, strategy, and ethical concerns surrounding defense of tenants being evicted for alleged criminal activity and drug-related lease violations. We will discuss: (1) Negotiation and trial strategy, including evidentiary issues to be aware of, (2) Rights available to and limitations for tenants facing these allegations in HUD-subsidized properties, including specific case law, (3) Practical concerns of aiding individuals in recovery with criminal activity or drug-related allegations in Tennessee, (4) How to handle ethical concerns related to MPC Rule 1.6, confidentiality, when Tennessee mandates reporting to DCS or APS, and (5) Considerations related to MPC Rule 1.16, when a lawyer's representation of a client is in furtherance of a crime. 
 

Speakers
EC

Emily Cala

Emily Cala is a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of East Tennessee's Knoxville Office, where she works with the Eviction Prevention Program. Emily is from Cleveland, Ohio, where she attended Case Western Reserve University School of Law and graduated in 2021 before moving to Knoxville... Read More →
MD

Michael Davis

Michael Davis, a 2015 graduate of UT College of Law, has been practicing predominantly in landlord-tenant law with Legal Aid of East Tennessee since 2020. In his time there, he has handled numerous detainer warrant defense and fair housing complaint cases as a Staff Attorney... Read More →
KR

Kimberly Riddett

Kimberly Riddett is a Staff Attorney in Legal Aid of East Tennessee's Knoxville Office, where she works on the Recovery Legal Project, which allows her to assist individuals with a history of substance abuse with various legal issues. Kim is from Louisville, Kentucky, but moved... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge B

10:15am PDT

General Insights and Guidelines - Paralegal Ethics
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Paralegals are critical to the delivery of legal services, particularly in legal aid settings where resources are limited, and the need is great. This training will provide an overview of the ethical boundaries that guide paralegal practice, with an emphasis on avoiding the unauthorized practice of law. Participants will explore practical applications of paralegal roles in client communication, legal research, and case support, while also reviewing the ethical limitations related to legal advice, representation, and confidentiality. The program will also address best practices for conducting legal needs assessments and maintaining client trust and attorney-client privilege within a supervised legal framework.
Speakers
TS

Tammie Sisco

Tammie Sisco is a seasoned paralegal with 26 years of experience, specializing in legal drafting, trial support, and advocacy. She holds an associate's degree in paralegal studies from Kaplan University and has dedicated six years to West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS), where... Read More →
JS

Jonathan Steen

Jonathan Steen is the Medical-Legal Partnership / Litigation Supervising Attorney at West Tennessee Legal Services, where he leads efforts to integrate legal aid into healthcare settings to address social and legal barriers to health. With over 30 years of experience in civil litigation... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge A

10:15am PDT

Issue Spotting Checklist for Detainer Cases
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Unlawful detainer cases move quickly through the court system. Learn how to read through a Detainer summons to evaluate defenses in the blink of an eye! 

Handouts will be distributed during the class.
Speakers
EO

Emily O'Donnell

 Emily O’Donnell is Managing Attorney for the Eviction Prevention Initiative at Legal Aid of East Tennessee.  She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN and her law degree at Georgia State University College of Law... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

10:15am PDT

Personal Transparency and Burnout Prevention
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
This presentation will explore whether an individual personality type contributes to their ability to manage stress and burnout. With many people in sandwich generation family dynamics that contribute to their overall work life balance. The audience will explore their personality through a series of questions; we will take a deep dive into interpersonal relationship building, and the group will be providing tips and tools to prevent burnout at work and home and how to stay within ethical boundaries. 
Speakers
AB

Amy Bryant

A consummate professional, attorney Amy Willoughby Bryant has a heart for public service and leadership. Amy’s work has reflected her professionalism and passion during her many years of legal practice. Amy is excited to serve Metro Davidson County and Nashville’s community... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

11:45am PDT

Leadership Luncheon
Thursday August 27, 2026 11:45am - 1:00pm PDT
THURSDAY AUGUST 27TH – LUNCH: TN MEAT AND THREE 
  • Pulled Pork with Cola BBQ Sauce (GF, DF)  
  • Grandma’s Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie 
  • Garden Salad with Two Dressings (GF, VE, VG, DF-depending on selected toppings) 
  • Sharp Cheddar Mac n Cheese (VE) 
  • Buttered Mash Potatoes (GF, VE) 
  • Assorted Warm Rolls 
  • Chef’s Choice of Desserts 
 
Legend  
  • GF: Gluten-Free  
  • VE: Vegetarian 
  • VG: Vegan 
  • DF: Dairy-Free  

Thursday August 27, 2026 11:45am - 1:00pm PDT
Oakleigh ABC

1:15pm PDT

A Practical Look at Tennessee Statute of Limitations
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
This program provides a practical, risk-focused overview of statutes of limitations under Tennessee law, with an emphasis on avoiding missed deadlines that can jeopardize client interests and expose firms to malpractice risk. Designed for attorneys, paralegals, and support staff alike, the program explains key statute of limitations concepts, highlights commonly encountered Tennessee deadlines, and addresses frequent pitfalls such as accrual errors, incorrect tolling assumptions, and calendar mistakes. Through real-world examples and interactive hypotheticals, participants will gain a clearer understanding of how statutes of limitations affect daily practice and how effective teamwork, intake procedures, and docketing systems can help prevent costly errors.
Speakers
JS

Jonathan Steen

Jonathan Steen is the Medical-Legal Partnership / Litigation Supervising Attorney at West Tennessee Legal Services, where he leads efforts to integrate legal aid into healthcare settings to address social and legal barriers to health. With over 30 years of experience in civil litigation... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands B

1:15pm PDT

Competence and Capacity: Differences in Legal and Psychological Understandings
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
This lecture bridges the often-misaligned vocabularies of law and forensic psychology as they apply to one of the most consequential determinations in legal practice: whether an individual possesses the mental ability to make decisions, execute legal documents, or participate meaningfully in legal proceedings. The presentation explores how psychologists assess cognitive and volitional functioning across multiple domains, including memory, reasoning, insight, and susceptibility to undue influence, and how those assessments map (or fail to map) onto legal standards for testamentary capacity, contractual capacity, guardianship, and informed consent. Attendees will gain insight into how forensic evaluators approach these questions, what a psychological report can and cannot tell a court, and how to effectively retain, prepare, and cross-examine expert witnesses in capacity disputes. The lecture concludes with practical applications for elder law practitioners, addressing the rising prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in aging clients, the timing of capacity evaluations, red flags at the time of document execution, and strategies for building a durable record that can withstand future legal challenge.
Speakers
DC

Dr. Charles Ihrig

 Dr. Charles Ihrig is a Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Professional Counselor with more than three decades of experience in mental health care. He is the Founder and President of Athena Care, established in 2001, which has grown under his leadership into one of Tennessee’s... Read More →
DJ

Dr. Jorge Boero

Dr. Boero is a native of Argentina and is fully bilingual in Spanish and English.  He is a licensed psychologist who received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of South Dakota and completed his postdoctoral training at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge B

1:15pm PDT

Immigration 101
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
This session will provide a basic overview of immigration law, including common terminology and the government agencies involved in implementing the laws and regulations. The session will also introduce some of the immigration options available to noncitizens and cover recent law changes. 
Speakers
CS

Chay Sengkhounmany

 Chay Sengkhounmany is the Lead Immigration Attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Middle TN and the Cumberlands. At Legal Aid Society, Chay directs the Survivors Immigration Legal (SIL) Project and provides immigration legal services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

1:15pm PDT

Media Training for Legal Aid Professionals
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
We will present best practices for interacting with media to promote the principles of access to justice.
Speakers
AC

Andy Cole

Andy Cole is the Pro Bono Managing Attorney at West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. He coordinates the office’s private attorney involvement and contract attorney placement programs, which place cases for low-income clients with private attorneys for reduced fees or no charge at... Read More →
AC

Anna Castle

Anna Castle is a publicist with Kore PR and Burning Ground Entertainment in Nashville. She works with clients to develop media strategies and create media campaigns. She is a 2011 graduate of Belmont University.
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

1:15pm PDT

Paid Family Caregiving - Understanding Service Models in Tennessee
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
This session will provide attendees with an overview of expanded opportunities for family caregivers to be paid for services provided under a TennCare waiver. Topics covered will include prior authorizations of home and community-based services and opportunities for family members to be paid to deliver care.
Speakers
EJ

Emily Jenkins

Emily Jenkins is an attorney and certified mediator; she obtained her J.D. from the College of William and Mary and her B.A. from Rhodes College. She has been a Staff Attorney with the Tennessee Justice Center since 2023. Prior to coming to TJC, her work was focused on Child... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge A

1:15pm PDT

The Professional Edge: Polishing Your Performance and Presence
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
This training will help attorneys identify professional behaviors, communication habits and workplace practices that strengthen credibility and trust with clients, colleagues, community partners, and the courts. The session will also include demonstrating effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills that reflect professionalism, cultural humility, and respect in client-facing and workplace interactions.  
The training will also teach strategies for maintaining a polished and professional presence while managing the demands of legal advocacy, client service, and cross-functional teamwork. The session will use practical techniques to enhance professionalism in common legal aid settings, including client meetings, court interactions, team collaboration, email communication, and community engagement and help the attendees create a personal action plan to strengthen workplace performance and professional presence in ways that support high-quality service and mission-driven impact.

Speakers
ES

Emma Sholl

   Emma Sholl is the Lead Health and Benefits attorney in the Nashville office of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She supervises a team of two attorneys and three support staff that work on public benefits cases. She handles Medicaid, Medicare, Social... Read More →
RD

Robert Downs

Robert Downs is the Managing Attorney of the Knoxville Office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). He has been an attorney with Legal Aid of East Tennessee since 2012. He had previously been the Deputy Director of Ligation of Advocacy for the Knoxville Legal Aid of East Tennessee... Read More →
VB

Vanessa Bullock

Vanessa Bullock is West Tennessee Legal Services’ Director of Special Projects, where she oversees grants providing holistic legal services to special populations, including the elderly and veterans. She also supervises several HUD-funded initiatives, including the Mid-South Housing... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella C

2:15pm PDT

Break
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:15pm - 2:30pm PDT

Thursday August 27, 2026 2:15pm - 2:30pm PDT

2:30pm PDT

From Data to Impact: Strengthening Financial Outcomes Reporting Across Programs
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
This session introduces a standardized approach to financial outcomes of reporting, improving consistency, accuracy, and usability for grant reporting, advocacy, and storytelling. Participants will learn how to categorize benefits obtained and amounts avoided using a practical, easy-to-apply framework. The session will also show how clear financial outcomes data demonstrates impact and helps funders and donors understand the return on their investment. Participants will leave with a consistent, replicable approach to entering outcomes that is meaningful for reporting and funding. 
Speakers
ZO

Zac Oswald

Zac Oswald is Senior Deputy Director of Client Services at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands, where he combines front-line advocacy with emerging technology. His team’s AI-driven ExpungeMate tool has helped clear thousands of non-convictions, expanding... Read More →
VM

Vince Morris

Vince Morris joined the Legal Aid Society in 2023 as Director of Compliance and Legal Technology after relocating to Nashville from Little Rock, Arkansas, where he practiced criminal defense and domestic relations law. He began his career in legal aid as an intern and spent over... Read More →
VB

Vanessa Bullock

Vanessa Bullock is West Tennessee Legal Services’ Director of Special Projects, where she oversees grants providing holistic legal services to special populations, including the elderly and veterans. She also supervises several HUD-funded initiatives, including the Mid-South Housing... Read More →
CH

Caitlin Hakim

Caitlin worked as a staff attorney for WTLS from 2017-2018 and then joined WTLS as a managing attorney in 2019. She earned her J.D. magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2014. She previously worked as a law clerk for Judge D. Kelly... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands B

2:30pm PDT

Graceful Goodbyes
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Nonprofits often face the unique challenge of managing personnel with limited resources and deeply personal dynamics. This session will explore how to make wise and legally sound HR decisions—from hiring to firing—while preserving dignity, minimizing risk, and stewarding the organization’s mission. Special focus will be given to compassionate terminations, especially in cases where an employee isn't a good fit but hasn’t done anything “wrong.” 
Speakers
AH

Alan Hall

Alan established his private practice in 2015. Previously, he built a decade of experience in Tennessee State Government. As the Department of Human Service’s first Inspector General, he increased collections, reduced audit findings and improved the employee background check... Read More →
LC

Laura Camp

 Laura Camp is the founder of Nashville HR, LLC, a consultancy launched in January 2023 that provides Fractional HR, Outsourced HR, and Consulting Projects to small employers. She's known for a presentation style that's authentic, warm, and engaging — bringing clarity to complex... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

2:30pm PDT

How to Run the Best Free Legal Clinic in Tennessee
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Gallatin's free monthly legal clinic generally has more than 30 people that we help in approximately four hours, including ghost-writing divorce forms. How do we do it from pre-clinic prep to boots on the ground to wrapping up when the clinic ends. Best practices, ethical considerations, how to handle the chaos that is often a free legal clinic. 
Speakers
KS

Krista Scruggs

Ms. Scruggs is currently the advocate in the Gallatin Legal Aid Office. Krista has worn many hats at legal aid in the 19 years she has been with LAS.  In this role, Krista is the person who meets all domestic violence victims. Krista makes safety plans and helps with housing for... Read More →
DH

Dean Hinton

Since October 6, 2016, Dean has been a Legal Aid domestic relations attorney representing survivors of domestic violence in Sumner County and the 15th Judicial District. Dean graduated from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law in May 2010. He... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge B

2:30pm PDT

Navigating the Social Security Administration: Options for Advocates
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Over the past 18 months, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has experienced a turbulent period marked by far-reaching organizational changes: the deepest staffing reductions in its history, office restructuring, inconsistent and shifting policies on accessing walk-in service at field offices, and increased reliance on automated and online systems. These changes have had a significant impact on the ability of advocates who serve claimants and beneficiaries to interact with the agency. This session will outline the current state of customer service at SSA and equip advocates with practical strategies for getting things done within the agency. 
Speakers
KL

Kate Lang

Kate joined Justice in Aging in 2012 and currently serves as Director of Federal Income Security. She focuses on improving access to Supplemental Security Income and Social Security benefits for older adults and people with disabilities at the Social Security Administration. She provides... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

2:30pm PDT

Strategizing your Transition into Legal Aid Leadership
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
This session will identify mindset shifts, competencies and responsibilities involved in moving from legal advocate to legal aid leader. This session will include the recognition of the differences between individual casework successes and leadership effectiveness in a mission-driven legal service environment and assess how supervision, delegation, communication and decision-making practices support a successful transition into leadership. There will be an ethics component that teaches how to develop supervisory skills to meet the obligations under the Rules of Professional Responsibility. 
 

Speakers
DW

DarKenya Waller

DarKenya W. Waller is the Executive Director of TN’s largest nonprofit law firm, Legal Aid Society of Middle TN and the Cumberlands. She is an outspoken advocate for domestic violence victims and a champion for all underserved communities on the local, state, and national level... Read More →
DH

Debra House

Debra House is the Executive Director of Legal Aid of East Tennessee. She has been with LAET for 33 years and has concentrated on her poverty law practice primarily in the areas of family and juvenile law. Deb is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee Bar Associations and is the... Read More →
AH

Ashley Holliday

Ashley graduated with a BA in Communications from the University of Tennessee at Martin and earned her J.D. from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Prior to joining WTLS in 2009, Ashley worked in private practice handling consumer bankruptcy and family law matters. Ashley is a member... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella C

2:30pm PDT

The Sustainable Lawyer: Rooted, Growing and Avoiding Burnout
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
A growing number of attorneys are confronting burnout, compassion fatigue, and the quiet erosion of professional identity. This CLE explores how lawyers can recognize early warning signs, ethically safeguard their mental and emotional fitness, and make informed decisions about career transitions or reeducation. Participants will examine the intersection of well-being and professional responsibility, learn practical strategies for restoring capacity, and gain tools for navigating career pivots without compromising ethical obligations or client care. 
Speakers
RW

Ronda Webb

Ronda Webb is an attorney and Air Force JAG Guardsmen whose career spans education law, healthcare regulation, and public service.  She currently serves as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Franklin, providing legal counsel on municipal operations, governance, and... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge A

3:30pm PDT

Break- Refreshments Provided
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm PDT

Thursday August 27, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm PDT

3:45pm PDT

Enhancing Court Outcomes Through Effective Interpreter Preparation
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
In this session, Genna and Richard look at how interpreter preparation affects communication in legal proceedings. Interpreters act as the voice of both the limited English proficient (LEP) individual and the court, so their performance directly impacts due process. Despite this, interpreters often receive little to no information before key events such as depositions and hearings. This session explores how providing interpreters with relevant information in advance and allowing time for preparation can lead to smoother proceedings and better outcomes. Participants will leave with practical strategies for scheduling and working with interpreters to support high-quality language access services. 
Speakers
GL

Genna Linton

Genna Linton is a certified medical interpreter and registered court interpreter. She has been working in interpreter training with the Tennessee Language Center for the past five years.
RP

Richard Ponce De Leon Manosalva

Richard is originally from Lima, Peru. He has a background in Linguistics and extensive interpreting experience across legal, medical, and educational settings. He is a Certified Public Manager and a Certified Court Interpreter in the State of Tennessee, and he holds a Master of Science... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

3:45pm PDT

Get Ready to Redact: Understanding the New Tennessee, R. App. P. 20B
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
This is a session on appellate practice that is applicable to all substantive areas of the law. I will explain the new Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 20B, which requires redaction of certain information in all Tennessee appellate court filings. We will discuss what needs to be redacted and how such redaction can be accomplished. We will also provide some tips and tricks that will help lawyers to comply with the rule. This is essential information for any attorney who will ever file anything in a Tennessee appellate court.
Speakers
JV

Jacob Vanzin

 Jacob A. Vanzin is a Partner at Dodson, Parker, Behm & Capparella. He practices almost exclusively in the appellate courts of Tennessee and has authored or co-authored dozens of appellate briefs.
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge B

3:45pm PDT

Introducing the New Outlook & LegalServer 5
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Legal aid organizations are navigating forced, externally driven technology changes at the same time they are being asked to improve consistency, efficiency, and collaboration. New Outlook is being defaulted for many Microsoft 365 users and will become unavoidable over the next few years. LegalServer 5 represents a significant shift in interface, navigation, and workflow expectations. Staff frustration, uneven adoption, and workarounds are already emerging. Without structured training, these changes risk: Reduced productivity Increased staff burnout Data quality issues. Fragmentation across offices. EJU provides a unique opportunity to normalize these transitions, provide shared language, and align technology change with mission and strategy.
Speakers
HF

Holly Fuller

Holly Fuller is the Director of Operations and a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Licensed in Tennessee since 2013, she practices primarily in landlord‑tenant and general civil law while overseeing firm‑wide operations, technology systems, and vendor relationships... Read More →
KA

Kathryn Avent-Mann

Kathryn Avent-Mann is an efficient and reliable administrative professional with more than 35 years of experience supporting a legal nonprofit organization. She brings a diverse skill set that includes over 30 years of experience in Microsoft systems administration, technology management... Read More →
VM

Vince Morris

Vince Morris joined the Legal Aid Society in 2023 as Director of Compliance and Legal Technology after relocating to Nashville from Little Rock, Arkansas, where he practiced criminal defense and domestic relations law. He began his career in legal aid as an intern and spent over... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

3:45pm PDT

Not Another Flyer: Outreach to Meet Clients Where They Are
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
One of the biggest barriers to legal access in our communities is the accessibility and dissemination of legal information and resources in ways that potential clients and community members can interact with. Through the use of new legal technologies, social media-based outreach, and the development of a court help desk, it will be easier than ever to deliver high-quality outreach without overextending your staff. By examining use cases implemented and tested by the Eviction Right to Counsel Program at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, participants will be able to walk away with tangible examples, answers to outreach questions led by dedicated outreach staff, and the know how to implement new outreach strategies to better serve their client communities. 
Speakers
ZJ

Zane Jud

Zane Jud is the Project Manager for the Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) pilot program at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. He began working at Legal Aid in 2022 after receiving his master's degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Bradley... Read More →
SQ

Sophia Quiroz Colby

Sofia Quiroz Colby is the Outreach Coordinator for Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) at Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS). She joined the ERTC team at Legal Aid in 2025 and graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's in communication and a minor in... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella C

3:45pm PDT

Technology Innovation Grant
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
An overview of the Technology Innovation Grant. 
Speakers
AH

Ashley Holliday

Ashley graduated with a BA in Communications from the University of Tennessee at Martin and earned her J.D. from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Prior to joining WTLS in 2009, Ashley worked in private practice handling consumer bankruptcy and family law matters. Ashley is a member... Read More →
LB

Laura Brown

Laura Brown brings more than 20 years of legal experience to TALS. She most recently worked as the Senior Deputy Director of Client Services for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Her duties included the overall management and direction of client services... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Cambridge A

3:45pm PDT

What to Know: Resources and Public Benefits
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
This practical session will cover what people need to know about resources and three public benefits programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food stamps (SNAP), and TennCare. This session will educate participants about what counts as a resource for each of these benefits programs, when a resource counts, what counts as a resource versus what counts as income, and how to advise clients to stay under these resource limits to maintain eligibility. 
Speakers
ES

Emma Sholl

   Emma Sholl is the Lead Health and Benefits attorney in the Nashville office of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She supervises a team of two attorneys and three support staff that work on public benefits cases. She handles Medicaid, Medicare, Social... Read More →
Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands B
 
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Filtered by Date -