ATJ Commission to hold Faith Based Pro Bono Summit April 7th

The first-ever statewide gathering of faith-based organization and pro bono lawyers will bring together individuals and groups with a common interest in assisting Tennesseans with civil legal problems.

The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission is hosting the Faith-Based Initiatives Summit in April and will highlight the Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance (TFJA) launched by the Court and commission in 2013.

The TFJA is an alliance of faith-based groups in Tennessee that commit to providing legal resources to their congregations and communities.  The TFJA was created to align needs seen at the local level with possible legal resources that are nearby, perhaps in the same congregation.

The Faith-Based Initiatives Summit will be held on Monday, April 7, at the Ezell Center at Lipscomb University in Nashville.  Religious leaders are encouraged to attend and learn more about the TJFA and while connecting with legal professionals who are motivated by their faith to help their fellow Tennesseans.  Religious leaders are also encouraged to invite members of their faith community who are either attorneys or who are interested in finding a way to partner with the TFJA.

The notion of the TFJA is to connect with people in need at a place they already go to seek help with a problem. That place is quite often their place of worship.  The TFJA also provides avenues for attorneys who have not otherwise participated in organized pro bono, but are motivated to serve their church, synagogue or mosque through their pro bono program.

For more information or to register for the event, please contact Pro Bono Coordinator Christina Magráns at 615-741-2687 or Christina.Magrans@tncourts.gov. You also can find information about the TFJA on the Supreme Court’s access to justice website, www.JusticeForAllTN.com.