Equal Justice University 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am PDT

Counterclaim as a Tool for Eviction Defense

Wednesday August 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT

Counterclaims strengthen defenses, create settlement leverage, and improve outcomes for tenants facing eviction, all while giving our clients an opportunity to be heard on the issues that matter to them. This session will cover when counterclaims are worth pursuing, the key procedural and substantive rules that govern them, and practical ways to use them in day-to-day eviction practice. Attendees will also review sample pleadings and real-world examples to help implement these strategies immediately.

Speakers

Liz Leiserson

Elizabeth Leiserson serves as the Project Director for the Eviction Right to Counsel program and the Housing Practice Group lead at Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She is a Nashville native and a graduate of Yale Law School. She came to LAS after working... Read More →

Leirson Handouts Damages Spreadsheet xlsx

Leiserson Handouts Attorney's Fees Affidavit docx

Leiserson Handouts Answer & Counterclaim docx

Leiserson Handouts Counterclaim Packet Pro Se Tenant Final pdf

10 1130 Leiserson Counterclaims for Eviction Defense pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

1:15pm PDT

Obtaining Attorney's fees as a Legal Aid Attorney

Wednesday August 26, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

Brief overview of the processes, rules, and regulations, including ethical rules, regarding obtaining attorney fees as a Legal Aid Attorney.

Speakers

Jennifer Egelston

Jennifer has been with Legal Aid of East Tennessee since October 2023. Jennifer Egelston is a mother, a US Army military police veteran, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law. Jennifer is passionate about helping families resolve their conflicts. Jennifer has... Read More →

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 →

115 215 Handout Egleston Template Attorney Fee Disclosure Affidavit (1) pdf

115 215 Egelston Attorneys Fees as a Legal Aid Attorney with Jennys Notes (1) pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

2:30pm PDT

Using Affirmative Litigation and the Appellate Process to Further Justice for Clients

Wednesday August 26, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

As Legal Aid attorneys, we often focus our resources for housing litigation on eviction defense. However, we still get clients who would greatly benefit from affirmative litigation, and when resources allow, we should encourage representing clients in these cases. Since most evictions proceed in General Sessions courts, our clients usually do not have access to discovery or Rules of Civil Procedures protections. To ensure our clients are receiving justice, it's important to know when and where to file affirmative cases. This can be accomplished either by filing affirmative cases in the General Sessions or higher courts or appealing a General Sessions decision to the higher courts. We will discuss how to decide what court to file in and when to appeal. We will also discuss issues with appealing, such as the appeal bond. We will go over how to determine damages and file indigency waivers.

Speakers

Rebecca Delius

Rebecca Delius (she/her) is a paralegal with the Eviction Right to Counsel program at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. A Nashville native, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and English from the University of Mississippi. Rebecca spent more... Read More →

Sydney Butler

Sydney Butler (she/her) is an attorney with the Eviction Right to Counsel program of the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. A 2023 graduate of Belmont University College of Law, Sydney is passionate about helping tenants assert their rights through eviction... Read More →

230 330 Delius Handouts Statement of Facts 1636 Example pdf

230 330 Delius Affirmative Litigation EJU PPT pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

3:45pm PDT

Red State Discovery - Guns, Ammo, Tools and Gear

Wednesday August 26, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

A talk on how to do effective discovery and correctly value property that frequently comes up in rural divorces - firearms, ammunition and tactical accessories, tools, and outdoors equipment. Many of these items are deceptively valuable, on par with motor vehicles or even houses in some cases, and attorneys need to be aware of potential pitfalls and know the right questions to ask during discovery to ensure clients receive a fair share of the marital estate.

Speakers

Tyler Weaver

Tyler Weaver is an attorney with Legal Aid of East Tennessee specializing in family and housing law who served as a Field Artillery officer in the US Army for ten years before starting his legal career.

345 445 Weaver Discovery on Firearms and Tactical Equipment TALS pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

8:30am PDT

IEP Meeting Simulation

Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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

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

10:15am PDT

Issue Spotting Checklist for Detainer Cases

Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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

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

1:15pm PDT

Immigration 101

Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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

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 →

2026.08.27 Immigration Basics pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

2:30pm PDT

Navigating the Social Security Administration: Options for Advocates

Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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

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 →

230 330 Handouts Lang Navigating SSA Common Scenarios Resource pdf

230 330 Handouts Lang SSA Customer Service Challenges Survey Results June 2026 pdf

230 330 Lang Navigating SSA TN EJU Presentation 08.27.2026 pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

3:45pm PDT

Introducing the New Outlook & LegalServer 5

Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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

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 →

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 →

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 →

345 445 Fuller Handouts docx

345 445 Fuller Handouts 2026 EJU LS5 Handout Morris A pdf

345 445 Fuller Final Outlook and LS 5 Presentation Holly VM pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

8:15am PDT

The Maxims of Equity

Friday August 28, 2026 8:15am - 9:15am PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

We will cover the key maxims of equity, including unclean hands, laches, equitable estopple, the equitable cleanup doctrine, and many more.

Speakers

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 →

815 915 Fowler Handouts B. MAXIMS Judicial Warfare 2019 pdf

815 915 Fowler Handout A. MAXIMS Chancery History 2012 pdf

Friday August 28, 2026 8:15am - 9:15am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

9:30am PDT

Tennessee Civil Legal Needs Assessment

Friday August 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

Overview of TN Civil Legal Needs Assessment- process and data

Speakers

Nicole Sibilski

Nicole M. Sibilski, a grants professional specializing in federal RFPs, is a Senior Grants Specialist at TFG. In this role, Nicole develops grant products that directly support the lifecycle of federal grant proposal development for TFG's clients. Nicole has nearly two decades... Read More →

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 →

Friday August 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Embassy Suites- Broadlands A

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