Applications Sought for Knox Circuit Court Vacancy
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a circuit court judge in the Sixth Judicial District in Knox County. The vacancy was created by the appointment of Judge Kristi Davis to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 30 years of age, residents of the state for five years, and residents of the judicial district. Applications are due by noon CDT on Sept. 23. The commission will hold a hearing with applicants via video conference on Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. EDT. For information about watching or speaking at the hearing contact Ceesha Lofton, 615-741-2687 by 4 p.m. CDT on Oct. 14.
The Court is soliciting written comments on proposed amendments to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 27.4. The changes pertain to the status of an attorney seeking to transfer to disability inactive status during the course of disciplinary proceedings. Comment deadline: October 1, 2020. Comments should reference the docket number and should be e-mailed to appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or mailed to: James M. Hivner, Clerk, Tennessee Appellate Courts, 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219-1407.
Click here to view the Order.
The Court has requested comments concerning the Advisory Commission's recommended amendments to the Rules of Appellate Procedure and Civil Procedure. The proposed amendments are set out in Appendix I. The deadline for submitting written comments is November 30, 2020. Comments should reference the docket number and should be e-mailed to appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or mailed to: James M. Hivner, Clerk, Tennessee Appellate Courts, 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219-1407.
The Helen Ross McNabb Center was one of several community mental health centers recently awarded FEMA/SAMHSA dollars through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to provide a virtual Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). This program was funded as part of the COVID-19 disaster response for the State of Tennessee. A Help Line (1-855-661-9191) has been created for residents in Blount, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, and Sevier Counties. The purpose of the program is to provide free emotional support, psychoeducation regarding common disaster reactions/coping skills, and assistance navigating community resources to anyone impacted by COVID-19.
If you and your family are seeking assistance, click here. / Si usted y su familia necesita ayuda con COVID-19, haga clic en este enlace.
If you are seeking assistance for yourself or someone else, click here. / Si usted necesita ayuda para ti o otros, haga clic en este enlace.
Emerald Youth Foundation has identified a need of about 300 students within their system that need a laptop to learn and develop skills at home and they will distribute the laptops to students in need. RCN Technologies’ goal is to collect, sanitize, and recondition 300 laptops by August 31st to meet this need for our community. The KBA will serve as a collection center for members who wish to donate laptops to the Emerald Youth Foundation. How To Donate
What To Donate
We are collecting any laptop that meets the minimum standards below, however, Emerald Youth Foundation has expressed that Chromebooks would be the best type of machine to fit within their existing IT infrastructure, which will generate less ongoing maintenance and IT expenses for their organization.
Types of Computers Accepted
Minimum Laptop Specifications
What Happens To The Laptops
RCN Technologies’ TechLab IT technician team will follow a cleaning and reconditioning protocol for each device that is donated and meets minimum specifications.
KBA Members may drop off laptops at the KBA Office at 505 Main Street, Suite 50, up until August 31st.
The Knoxville Bar Association sent a survey of KBA members in private practice on Tuesday, July 14 to learn about law firm operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Members were asked to complete the six-question survey by 5 pm on July 15. The complete survey results can be found here.
Summary:
The KBA announces our participation in the “21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge ©,” and we invite you to join us. The 21-Day Challenge was created by diversity expert Eddie Moore, Jr. to advance deeper understandings of the intersections of race, power, privilege, supremacy, and oppression. We will be kicking our participation off on July 24 and the participants will receive a daily email reminder.
The KBA plans to follow the syllabus created by the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law. The goal of the Challenge is to assist each of us to become more aware, compassionate, constructive, engaged people in the quest for racial equity. It transcends our roles as lawyers. It is, of course, completely voluntary to do, and participation in the Challenge shall not be construed as agreement with every word of every assignment nor a commitment by any person to a particular professional position or strategy. Further, participants are free to opt-out of participating along the way. There is no grade at the end of the Challenge. While it is not the intention of the Challenge to cause offense, some participants may be offended by some language used in the lessons.
The Challenge invites participants to complete a syllabus of 21 short assignments (typically taking 15-30 minutes), over 21 weekdays, that include readings, videos, or podcasts. It has been intentionally crafted to focus on the Black American experience. The assignments seek to expose participants to perspectives on elements of Black history, identity and culture, and to the Black community’s experience of racism in America. Even this focus on Black Americans cannot possibly highlight all of the diversity of experiences and opinions within the Black community itself, much less substitute for learnings about any other community of color. This syllabus is but an introduction to what we hope will be a rewarding journey that extends far beyond the limits of this project.
Learn more and sign up to participate.
For Immediate Release June 25, 2020 Contact: Marsha Watson, KBA Executive Director (865) 522-6522
KNOXVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION RELEASES RESULTS OF CANDIDATE MEMBER SURVEY
Knoxville, Tenn.— June 25, 2020 – The Knoxville Bar Association today released the results of its Candidate Member Survey for the contested races related to the justice system on the August 6 ballot. The Survey asked each member of the Knoxville Bar Association to carefully assess whether the candidates have demonstrated the knowledge, skill, experience, training, education, professional ethics, and temperament to fulfill the duties of the offices to which they aspire. The Survey is designed to provide a measure of guidance to voters who might otherwise be unfamiliar with the candidates.
The Survey asked members to evaluate each candidate’s overall suitability for the offices of Knox County Public Defender and Knox County Law Director. Every member was asked to rate each candidate according to the following options: Strongly Recommend, Recommend, Do Not Recommend, Strongly Do Not Recommend and, Do Not Know Candidate. If an attorney did not know the candidates’ qualifications or had no opinion, he/she was instructed to mark “do not know candidate.”
“The intent is not to endorse any particular candidate, but rather to inform the public of the opinions of many of the attorneys actively practicing in East Tennessee regarding candidates’ fitness to serve in the judicial and related offices to which they are seeking election. The Knoxville Bar Association is pleased to provide this service to members of our community who have few if any encounters with the court system,” said Knoxville Bar Association President Hanson Tipton about the KBA’s Membership Survey policy. “An informed electorate is vital to the efficient administration of justice.”
The Survey was conducted electronically from June 15 to June 25, 2020. Four hundred sixty-three KBA members participated in the survey.
Knoxville Bar Association CANDIDATE MEMBER SURVEY June 15-25, 2020 Total Ballots Received: 463
Knox Co. Public Defender
Strongly Recommend
Recommend
Do Not Recommend
Strongly Do Not Recommend
Do Not Know Candidate
Weighted Average
Sherif Guindi
49
52
48
21
293
2.76
Eric M. Lutton
124
95
15
9
220
3.37
Knox County Law Director
David L. Buuck
112
121
35
34
161
3.03
Jackson M. Fenner
36
50
53
30
294
2.54
The East Tennessee Children's Hospital is asking for help from the community to bring joy to children currently staying at the hospital, and the KBA would like to help. Due to the pandemic, children are not allowed inside of the hospital's play areas. The hospital is asking the community to help by donating new toys that children can play with in their rooms.
If you would like to donate new toys, you can drop off new toys at Children's Hospital or use the Amazon wish list below. If you decide to drop off toys, please park outside of the hospital Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. and give them a call at 541-8136 and they will come pick up the donations.
The link to Children’s Hospital’s Amazon wish list is: https://smile.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/4DOD36PQ5L59/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_.E2-zbBDKHHYA
These are the toys and craft items most requested by patients:
Programs Administrator
The Knoxville Bar Association is an active membership association of approximately 2,000 local attorneys and law students. This position offers the right technology-adept individual the opportunity to execute membership communications, assist in updating the organization’s website, and support member partners and sponsors. The work includes communicating with members, coordinating publications, managing events, data entry, and managing digital marketing campaigns. Small, friendly and fast-paced office environment. Full-time, salary up to $34k depending on experience; health benefits and 401K offered.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, data management, communications or other related field
We are looking for someone who has the following demonstrated skills and abilities:
Interested applicants should submit resume, cover letter with 3 professional references, and salary history for the past 10 years by June 19 to mwatson@knoxbar.org or to Knoxville Bar Association, P.O. Box 2027, Knoxville TN 37901-2027. Applicants should include a detailed explanation of experience with communications and any and all prior involvement with non-profit organizations, volunteer coordination, and database management.
.jpg){kind=logo}
