This committee works to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession, engaging in activities that promote the profession in the pipeline, promoting recruitment of diverse professionals, and developing diverse individuals within the profession
The Diversity Task Force's mission is to enhance the recruitment, retention, investment and advancement of diverse individuals in the membership and the leadership levels of the Tennessee Bar Association and the legal profession within the various communities that the association serves.
This committee is actively engaged in issues facing women in the legal profession
Local Bar Associations
Established in 1979, the Association for Women Attorneys (AWA) works to support the women lawyers working in the city of Memphis and the surrounding Shelby County. The AWA is focused on furthering its members’ professional goals, promoting women in the local legal community, and aiding the female residents of Shelby County and Memphis with the legal problems that they face. Membership for the Association for Women Attorneys is open to all lawyers working in the Memphis area that support the mission of the AWA to provide support that is tailored to the specific needs of women lawyers. The AWA offers several career-enhancing opportunities to its members. Lawyers that belong to the Association for Women Attorneys often expand their skill set and increase their knowledge by attending the continuing legal education classes geared towards women that the AWA arranges, such as Negotiation Skills for Women. Newer members of the Association for Women Attorneys are also able to become better lawyers by learning from more experienced members through the Association for Women Attorneys mentorship program.
Officially chartered in 1966, the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association was established to support that African-American lawyers working in the greater Memphis area. The Ben F. Jones Chapter strives to promote racial diversity in the legal community of Memphis, advocate for the protection of the legal rights of the local African-American community, and to uphold the high standards of ethics and professionalism that its members have grown accustomed to. Although the main focus of the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association is on serving the African-American legal community working in Memphis, any lawyer that is licensed to practice law in Tennessee may join as a member. There are many ways that the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association maintains an active community among its members. Attorneys that belong frequently attend the social events that it puts together, such as the annual Barristers Ball and the yearly basketball game against a local doctors’ association, in order to network with one another. The Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association also holds a meeting every month in order to keep members informed of its activities and opportunities for them to get involved.
The Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women (TLAW) exists to serve the female attorneys of Tennessee. Although TLAW is dedicated to promoting women in Tennessee’s legal community, all lawyers are permitted to join, regardless of gender. Additionally, law students are allowed to become members of the Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women. Lawyers often become members of TLAW in order to reap the many benefits that come with membership. The Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women holds a conference each year in order to provide its members with an opportunity to attend a number of different continuing legal education classes and to network with other attorneys from all over the state. TLAW also maintains a strong community among its members by keeping them informed of its activities through an annual newsletter. There are also four regional chapters of the TLAW that were created to better meet the needs of the women attorneys working in these parts of Tennessee. For members living in and around Nashville, the Marion Griffin Chapter has several different committees through which members are able to connect with others that are interested in the same kind of legal work, including domestic violence, or facing similar professional issues, such as raising children while working. The East Tennessee chapter hosts monthly luncheons that always feature a speaker for continuing legal education purposes, which conveniently allows members to both network over lunch and then obtain continuing legal education credits all at one event.
The Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) is an affiliate of the National Bar Association. As a statewide organization, TABL serves all of the African-American attorneys practicing in Tennessee, as well as African-American judges and law students. The primary objectives of the Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers are to encourage fraternization among its members, aid its members in furthering their legal education, promote ethnic diversity in Tennessee’s legal community, and ensure the proper administration of justice. There are several opportunities for professional growth that TABL provides for its members. Attorney members never miss the chance to network with other members at the various social events that the TABL arranges, such as dinner dances and breakfast meetings. The Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers also provides several educational seminars for its law student members to help prepare them for life after law school, addressing topics such as effective networking and job hunting.
Founded in 2007, the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association (TAPABA) was created as the Tennessee state affiliate chapter for the National Asian Pacific Bar Association. The TAPABA is focused on serving the legal needs of the Asian Pacific-American community of Tennessee and bringing together the Asian Pacific American attorneys practicing law in Tennessee. Additionally, they provide support to Asian Pacific American law students through a number of different events, including career panels at local law schools. There is also a mentoring program where the TAPABA matches law students with mentors that are experienced members. Throughout the year, the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association encourages its members to network and socialize by hosting several social events, including an annual dinner and happy hours.
Formed in 2010, the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association provides support to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) lawyers working in Tennessee, especially those practicing in the greater Nashville area. The Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association is dedicated to promoting LGBT inclusion and civil equality both in Tennessee’s legal community and the state’s general population. Therefore, membership is not restricted only to LGBT attorneys, but it is available to anyone in the legal profession of Tennessee, including paralegals and law students, that wish to aid them in furthering the inclusion of bisexuals, gays, transgenders, and lesbians in the legal profession and advocating for equal rights for the LGBT community in Tennessee. There are several ways that the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association supports gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual individuals living in the state. Every year, the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association hosts a legal clinic in conjunction with Nashville’s gay pride festival to help people out with legal issues specifically affecting the local LGBT community. Another way that the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association educates people of their rights is by holding speaker events on various legislative bills that may impact the civil rights of lesbians, bisexuals, gays, and transgenders living and working in Tennessee. In addition to being active in the community, the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association also provides several forms of aid to its members. Members frequently attend the meetings that it holds each quarter in order to network with one another. The Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association also provides its members to get involved in advocating for LGBT rights by bringing them together to write amicus briefs for appealed cases dealing with the civil rights of the LGBT community.