TALS' Equal Justice University Conference

About EJU

Equal Justice University (EJU) is the annual gathering of approximately 200 lawyers, advocates, social worker professionals, and pro bono attorneys involved in providing civil legal assistance across Tennessee. EJU provides a unique opportunity for this community to gain up to 14 hours of Continuing Legal Education credit (CLEs/CEUs) as well as networking through task force meetings and social functions. EJU also provides dynamic speakers that express the value in being a part of the access to justice community. The EJU experience not only renews the civil legal service community’s commitment to equal access to justice in Tennessee; it also introduces new pro bono lawyers, community advocates, and law students to this important mission.

Save the Date: September 9 - 11, 2020 at Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro, TN

Click here to view the 2019 agenda.

Access to Justice Awards

Each fall, TALS presents the Access to Justice Awards to recognize individuals who have contributed to Tennessee's equal justice community.  Click here to learn more about the awards and the nomination process.

The following 2019 Access to Justice Award recipients, were honored at Equal Justice University on August 28-30, 2019:

Janice M. Holder Access to Justice Award: Deborah Taylor Tate, Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts

B. Riney Green Access to Justice Award: Jeannie Kosciolek, Memphis Area Legal Services

New Advocate of the Year Award: Lucy Boateng, Community Legal Center, and Benjamin Danford, Legal Aid of East Tennessee

2019 Conference Planning Committee:

Sheri Fox, Chair - Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Sonya Bellafant - Legal Aid Society of Middle TN & the Cumberlands

Cathy Clayton - West TN Legal Services

Rita Gibson - Memphis Area Legal Services

Linda Hall - Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Ashley Holliday - West TN Legal Services

Deb House - Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Patricia Jones - Legal Aid Society of Middle TN & the Cumberlands

Jeannie Kosciolek - Memphis Area Legal Services

David Kozlowski - Legal Aid Society of Middle TN & the Cumberlands

Crystal Lugo - Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Lauren Meeker - TN Commission on Aging and Disability

Lisa Primm - Disability Rights TN

Ann Pruitt - TN Alliance for Legal Services (staff)

Joy Reed - TN Alliance for Legal Services (staff)

Joshua Thomas - Legal Aid Society of Middle TN & the Cumberlands

Liz Todaro - TN Bar Association

Anne Louise Wirthlin - Administrative Office of the Courts

Deborah Yeomans-Barton - Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Photos from EJU 2019

Photos from EJU 2018