LAET Knoxville Hosts Pro Bono Project Celebration
KNOXVILLE – Legal Aid of East Tennessee will host its Annual Celebrate Pro Bono evening, Tuesday, July 28th at The Square Room in Knoxville’s Market Square. The event will celebrate local attorneys who have donated time and civil legal services during the past year to aid those who otherwise could not afford an attorney. Those donating at least 25 hours to LAET’s Pro Bono Project will be recognized.
Other awards will be presented to the Law Student of the Year, The Pro Bono Advocate, The Pro Bono Partner, and The Law Firm of the Year. U.S. District Judge Pamela L. Reeves will make these presentations.
A highlight of the evening will be the induction of Bernard E. Bernstein into the Donald F. Paine Memorial Pro Bono Hall of Fame. Mr. Bernstein, a long-time Knoxville attorney, was one of the original incorporators of the Knoxville Legal Aid Society (LAET’s predecessor). “Mr. Bernstein was chosen as our inaugural Hall of Fame inductee because of his 50 years of leadership and commitment to maintaining access to civil legal services for low-income residents,” reflected Terry Woods, LAET’s Pro Bono Project Director. “We wanted to recognize the extraordinary career of someone who reflects the highest standards of our profession and who has succeeded in advancing justice for us all.”
Douglas A. Blaze, retired Dean of the University of Tennessee College of Law, will serve as Master of Ceremony. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a dinner buffet, complimentary beverages, and a silent auction. Tickets are $25 per person. All proceeds from the event benefit the programs of Legal Aid of East Tennessee. For tickets or more information, visit www.laet.org, or call (865) 637-0484.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee’s mission is to ensure justice for elderly, abused, and low-income people by providing a broad scope of civil legal assistance and advocacy. LAET serves eligible persons in 26 counties through offices in Chattanooga, Cleveland, Knoxville, Johnson City, Maryville, and Morristown.