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.

Resilient Justice: Building Resilience, Ensuring Justice

EJU Goes VIRTUAL! September 9 - 10, 2020

Back by popular demand: Basic Skills and Paralegal Tracks

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.  Nominations are now being accepted. 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

Thank you to our sponsors!

Co-Sponsor: Tennessee Bar Association

Leaderboard Sponsor: Mutual of America

Program Track Sponsor: Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability

Plenary Sponsors: First Horizon and Tennessee Human Rights Commission

Session Sponsor: Tennessee Disability Coalition 

EJU Ambassadors: Chazin & Company, LawDroid

EJU Supporter: Cherry Bekaert

Prize Sponsor: DELL

Click here to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities.

2020 Conference Planning Committee:

Chair: Sheri Fox, Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Committee:

Kevin Balkwill, TN Board of Professional Responsibility

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

Cathy Clayton, West Tennessee Legal Services

Ben Danford, Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Cindy Ettingoff, Memphis Area Legal Services

Charles Ferguson, Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability

Sheri Fox (Chair), Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Rita Gibson, Memphis Area Legal Services

Ashley Holliday, West Tennessee 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

Quiteka Moten, Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability

Lisa Primm, Disability Rights Tennessee

Nikki Smith-Bartley, Asurion

Liz Todaro, Tennessee Bar Association

DarKenya Waller, Legal Aid Society of Middle TN & the Cumberlands

Anne-Louise Wirthlin, Administrative Office of the Courts

Deb Yeomans-Barton, Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Photos from EJU 2019

Photos from EJU 2018