Purpose......Knoxville Bar Association

To serve as a leader in advancing excellence, ethical conduct, professionalism and public responsibility in the legal profession;

To improve the efficiency, fairness and accessibility of our system of justice for all citizens;

To take an active interest and responsibility in the affairs of government;

To increase the public’s understanding of the legal system, the legal profession, and its role in the system;

To use the Bar’s collective resources to improve the well-being of the community and its citizens, especially the youth;

And to identify and support the needs of a diverse membership and foster an environment in which members experience a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in the practice of law.

For Lawyers

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is where lawyers come together to build important professional relationships. It's where lawyers just starting out learn the basics from seasoned attorneys. It is one of the few places where advocates and adversaries come together in a spirit of collegiality and common purpose. It is where you will hear judges, regulators, and policy-makers speak candidly to the bar about where the law and the profession are going. It's a place that offers lawyers exposure to the wider legal community and helps them grow into positions of leadership. The KBA is the place where lawyers build extraordinary professional lives and careers.

What is it you’re looking for in your career?
• Access to the cutting-edge knowledge and information you need to succeed.
• The chance to introduce your talents and abilities to influential colleagues and enhance business development.
• Balance and fulfillment derived from shared friendships and life experiences that reach beyond the practice of law.
• A network of peer support you can always rely on.
• A sense of belonging rooted in pride and accomplishment.

At the Knoxville Bar Association, you’ll find these and more.

 

For the Public

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is a non-profit professional association that operates several programs in the public interest. There is a Lawyer Referral & Information Service which is operated to make legal services available to individuals who do not have an attorney. LawLine OnLine is a free public service program of the Knoxville Bar Association designed to help members of the community understand the law by means of information in easy-to-understand language. More than 70 different messages are available which help the public understand common legal problems, recognize potential legal problems and understand how the justice system works.

The Knoxville Bar Association Speakers Bureau is offered as a free public service of the Lawyer Referral & Information Service. Presentations may be scheduled at local schools, colleges, community and civic clubs, church organizations and businesses for presentations to groups with 10 or more attendees.

Our public education programs, like Community Law School and the Law Talk series (Law Talk on Wills and Protection for Elders & Their Caregivers, allow participants eager to learn about the law to benefit from a broad overview of the legal system and information about specific areas of the law that concern every citizen. The basic objective of the programs is to create better-informed citizens who understand and fully appreciate our remarkable system for administering justice. 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. Law related education programs permit members of the Knoxville Bar to become "adjunct professors of law". The Pro Bono Project is a joint program of the KBA and the Knoxville Legal Aid Society that helps meet the legal needs of indigent clients.

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.