Equal Justice University 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am PDT

Closer to the Truth: Indicators of Deceptive Behavior & Credibility Signals for Lawyers

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

Elicitation vs. interrogation: how to ask questions that surface detail without escalating defensiveness

Verbal indicators to flag: evasion, manipulation, aggression, and persuasion tactics—and how to respond Reaction cues: what to spot in real time when the stakes rise (including stress responses, avoidance, and incongruence) Logical reasoning in credibility assessment: separating facts from assumptions and testing a story for internal consistency Examples and Q&A.

Speakers

Juan Ibarra

Juan Ibarra has over 20 years of military, law enforcement, investigations, and most recently, Mediator. Juan has an undergraduate degree from the University Of La Verne in Organizational Management, has completed over 150 hours of training on interviewing, negotiations, mediations... Read More →

Closer to the Truth Indicators of Deceptive Behavior for Lawyers pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

1:15pm PDT

Will the Nursing Home Take my House? Understanding Estate Recovery

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

This educational session provides a comprehensive overview of TennCare Estate Recovery and its impact on individuals and families receiving long-term care benefits. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how estate recovery works, who it applies to, and what assets may be subject to recovery after death. The session will also explore key exceptions, hardship provisions, and strategic considerations related to asset transfers and estate planning. Through practical examples and policy explanations, attendees will learn how TennCare recovers costs for long-term services such as nursing home care and home- and community-based services, as required under federal law. The presentation also addresses common misconceptions and provides guidance on planning opportunities to help protect assets and minimize recovery exposure.

Speakers

Joshua Bey

As Public Benefits Specialist, Joshua guides clients through every step of the Medicaid application and appeal process. Much of his work is on the financial portion of Medicaid cases where he helps families understand the process and meet spend-down deadlines. Before joining Johnson... Read More →

Ryan Hicks

Ryan Hicks is an Associate Attorney at Johnson McGinnis Elder Care Law & Estate Planning, where he advises clients on Medicaid eligibility, asset protection, probate, and other estate planning matters. Prior to joining Johnson McGinnis, Ryan spent over a decade serving as an attorney... Read More →

115 215 Hicks Will the Nursing Home Take my House Estate Recovery EJU Presentation pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

2:30pm PDT

Understanding Workplace Discrimination: A Guide for Employees and Employers

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

This informative presentation provides a clear overview of the federal laws enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and what they mean for today’s workplaces. Participants will learn about employee protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, as well as the responsibilities employers have to create and maintain fair work environments. The session explains key rights, compliance expectations, and practical steps organizations can take to prevent violations and promote equal opportunity.

Speakers

Melissa Brown

Melissa Brown began her career with the Commission as a Bi-lingual Investigator. Five years later was promoted to the State and Local Government Coordinator for the district at the Nashville Area Office. In December 2022, Melissa was promoted to the Outreach and Education Coordinator... Read More →

230 330 Brown Employee Rights & Employer Responsibilities Share pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

3:45pm PDT

Tennessee Simple Will Preparation & Execution

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

This training provides a practical, best practices overview of preparing and executing simple wills under Tennessee law, with a focus on protecting client intent, reducing ethical risk, and creating defensible probate records. Designed for legal services attorneys and staff, the program addresses statutory execution requirements, assessment of testamentary capacity, identification of undue influence, and the mechanics of a compliant execution ceremony. Participants will also learn concrete risk management techniques—such as effective documentation, witness responsibilities, and “habit of practice” protocols—to minimize future will contests and evidentiary challenges.

Speakers

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 →

Sara Barnett

Sara E. Barnett is a partner with Spragins, Barnett & Cobb, and has been practicing law for over 20 years. Sara started her practice as a trial lawyer but now focuses her practice on elder law, estate planning, and family law and is the managing partner of the firm’s Estate Planning... Read More →

345 445 Steen Handout Tenn. Code Ann. 45 2 905 Death of persons having access to safe deposit box pdf

345 445 Steen Handout Tenn. Code Ann. 32 1 112 Deposit of will with probate court pdf

345 445 Steen Handout Tenn. Code Ann. 32 2 110 Affidavit of witnesses to prove will pdf

345 445 Steen Handout Why am I left in the waiting room pdf

345 445 Steen Handout Assessment of diminished capacity pdf

345 445 Steen Will Execution Best Practices Presentation (jos EJU) pptx

Wednesday August 26, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

8:30am PDT

Top Ten Tennessee Lawyers

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

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

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 →

1. TOP 10 William B. Turley 2018 pdf

4. TOP 10 Camille Kelley 2021 pdf

3. TOP 10 Luke Wright 2022 pdf

5. TOP 10 Tennessee’s Tent City 2022 pdf

2. TOP 10 Lutie Lytle 2018 pdf

Thursday August 27, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

10:15am PDT

Personal Transparency and Burnout Prevention

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

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

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 →

1015 1145 Bryant Personal Transparency and Burnout Prevention pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

1:15pm PDT

Media Training for Legal Aid Professionals

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

We will present best practices for interacting with media to promote the principles of access to justice.

Speakers

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 →

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.

115 215 Cole Media Training for Legal Aid Professionals pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

2:30pm PDT

Graceful Goodbyes

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

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

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 →

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 →

230 330 Hall Graceful Goodbyes v1 8.3.26 pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

3:45pm PDT

Enhancing Court Outcomes Through Effective Interpreter Preparation

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

Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

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

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.

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 →

345 445 Linton Enhancing Court Outcomes pptx

Thursday August 27, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Embassy Suites- Mirabella D

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