LawTalk on Wills  Free Programs Scheduled November 2005
As lawyers, members of the Knoxville Bar Association recognize the importance of advance planning particularly in the areas of estate planning and planning for health-related problems as people age. Preventative legal planning, like preventative medicine, can prevent problems for consumers of legal services and family members and can dramatically reduce the cost of legal services when death or disability occur. Part of the bar association’s role in serving the community is to educate consumers of legal services about planning options and tools which are available to them. 

Legal Issues-Protection for Elders & Their Caregivers     Free Program Scheduled November 2005
During the seminar, local attorneys will discuss the legal issues of how to finance long-term health care, the means by which assets can be preserved and the do's and don'ts of property transfers. The more information people have about these topics, the better they will be able to plan and implement decisions for their own circumstances and the care of their loved ones.  

Community Law School    (Programs scheduled March 2006)
A joint project of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Knoxville Barristers (the Young Lawyers Division), the Community Law School is a FREE public education program that offers a broad overview of the legal system and information about specific areas of the law that concern every citizen.   The Community Law School gives the public practical, useful information on the law, which will help Knoxville citizens better understand their legal rights and responsibilities. This program, formerly known as the “People’s Law School”, has been a great success, with close to 2700 graduates over the last eleven years.  The program is designed to explain, in laymen’s terms, how our judicial system works. It is a series of courses that teach basic facts about your rights and responsibilities in different areas of the law.

Domestic Violence LawTalk 
Responding to family violence is a daunting, yet critical task for American communities, made more difficult because society has been exceedingly reluctant to interfere in family affairs to break the cycle of violence. A truly successful intervention and resolution response to family violence inspires and engages people from every walk of life and from every neighborhood to work together to find solutions in our own community.

Domestic Violence Handbook
Written by local judges and lawyers, the handbook (" Domestic Violence: We Can Live Without It. Rights & Options Available Under the Law") goes step-by-step through the situations that face victims of family violence and the crucial changes that must occur to avoid future acts of violence. The goal of the handbook is to provide victims with the means to effectively and efficiently use the resources available in our community and to determine if legal counsel or advice is needed. The handbook offers beneficial information to everyone, whether they are a victim, a victim’s advocate or counselor working at a local agency or shelter.

The law dominates our society as never before. With cameras in the courtroom and daily news reports on trials touching every sector of our society, it is obvious that the public fascination with the law is at an all time high. Over the years, the Knoxville Bar Association, as part of its role to provide service to the membership and to the public, has undertaken projects to provide law-related education to the public. Law-related education not only provides an important service to the public, but also increases the visibility of our members who participate in providing public education and enhances the public perception of lawyers by those who avail themselves of educational opportunities. Law-related education (LRE) is a vital response to the apathy, cynicism and disrespect for the law that we see all around us and the KBA is committed to helping Knoxville residents become better citizens.

Studies conducted by the American Bar Association have shown that law-related education works. It is a proven way of improving citizens knowledge about law and government. Individuals who understand our laws, their purpose and their responsibilities and rights are more likely to respect the law and to be law-abiding and productive citizens. The Knoxville Bar Association has promoted LRE programs in many forms over the past fifteen years through speakers bureaus, "Adopt-A-School" projects and participation in the Annual High School Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association.

LawTalk was developed in 1996 by the KBA Law-Related Education Committee to teach subjects of interest to the community and make them easily available. There is no cost to attend any LawTalk program, so that everyone who wants to attend is able to without regard to ability to pay. Special emphasis has been placed on segments of society that may commonly be overlooked, or less apt to participate in traditional programs. This unique approach was intended to make the law less intimidating and increase participation due to the convenience. 

A joint project of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Knoxville Barristers (the Young Lawyers Division), the Community Law School offers a broad overview of the legal system and information about specific areas of the law that concern every citizen.   The Community Law School gives the public practical, useful information on the law, which will help Knoxville citizens better understand their legal rights and responsibilities.  

Law-Related Education helps to empower citizens through an increased knowledge of the law and the court system. The Knoxville Bar Association is a proud sponsor of the LawTalk programs and the Community Law School.