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Welcome to the Chattanooga Bar Association!
Welcome to the Chattanooga Bar Association,
a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys established in 1897.
The Chattanooga Bar Association provides education, professional development,
and service programs for both the legal profession and the community.
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Chattanooga Bar Foundation names "Class of 2009" Fellows
Douglas M. Campbell, Sr.
C. Douglas Dooley
Cynthia D. Hall
Andy D. Lewis
William S. McGinness, Jr.
Tom H. O'Neal
Herbert A. Thornbury
Flossie Weill
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LAW DAY 2009 Highlights
"A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial"
Liberty Bell Award Recipient for 2009
C. Wayne Keylon
Wayne Keylon's passion for seeing lives changed began shortly after God began changing his own life over 30 years ago. In the mid-70's, Wayne resigned from his job at DuPont after 13 years to co-pioneer the Teen Challenge of the Mid-South ministry in Chattanooga. With a heart full of gratitude for growing up in a country that provides opportunities for everyone to realize their dreams, Wayne's passion fueled by a desire to see people overcome the bondage of drugs and alcohol to live a life of freedom, often working with the courts to offer an opportunity for rehabilitation instead of incarceration to young men and women. In 2001, Wayne was approached by former Chattanooga Police Chief Jimmy Dotson and District Attorney Bill Cox and presented that fact that drugs in our community were rampart and crime was increasing to a level that if something was done to get the local churches and Christian community involved "we would not recognize our city in 10 years," as Jimmy Dotson warned. As a result of that meeting, in 2002 the Transformation Project was founded as a faith-based alternative sentencing and rehabilitation program. Since 2004, the Transformation Project has ministered to thousands of inmates and their families, with a small percentage of those inmates being released to the Transformation Project's Post-Release program. 57 individuals have graduated from this Project. As the participant's have experienced a life change of their own, they have embraced the process of accountability and structure to the point that 15 of those graduates have completed the training to work as a volunteer in the program.
The purpose of the “
Liberty
Bell Award” is to recognize community service that has strengthened the
America system of freedom under law. In selecting the recipient of this award, the Chattanooga Bar Association considers such service as including activities which:
(1) promotes better understanding of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights;
(2) encourage a greater respect for the law and the courts;
(3) stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility so that
citizens recognize their duties as well as their rights;
(4) contribute to the effective functioning of our institutions of government; and
(5) foster a better understanding and appreciation of the rule of law.
Lawyers and judges are not eligible for the award; however, all other fields of endeavor are intended
for the inclusion, namely education, business, sciences, communications, labor, government, religion,
professions and youth organizations.
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS FOR 2009
DIVISION I of the LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
First Place
Ajay Makwana
of Ooltewah High School
9th Grade
(Ajay Makwana's Essay) Throughout his lifetime, Abraham Lincoln’s selfless morals and principles established a legacy of liberty that is the foundation of the
America that we have come to know today. Abraham Lincoln is considered by many to be the best president that our nation has known for excellent reasons such as: ending slavery in the
United States, and maintaining the
Union in times of civil war. Although these are important achievements that
Lincoln accomplished during his lifetime, often overlooked are the many other reasons that made Abraham Lincoln the greatest president in the history of the
United States of America. His legendary honesty, superior leadership skills, and overall outstanding principles are truly the reasons for which
Lincoln was an exemplary president. Genuinely peaceful and wise leaders are difficult to come by, therefore we must continue to cherish and implement the honorable qualities that were the core ideals of our sixteenth president as well as the legacy of liberty that he created for the benefit of Americans.
Abraham Lincoln’s legendary honest personality is his most defining character trait.
Lincoln’s honesty displayed that he had tremendous respect for others as well as his own morals and beliefs. The pressures of being commander-in-chief during the Civil War and acting as one of the key contributors to the victory of the
Union were far too great to keep bottled up inside and withheld from his generals, cabinet members, and even the American people. He believed that a man is nothing without honesty and that if you were untruthful your opinions would lose value to your colleagues and people in general. If one should learn anything from Abraham Lincoln’s legacy of liberty it is that honesty is definitely the best policy.
Another constantly overlooked quality of Abraham Lincoln is his superior leadership skills. Aside from being “Honest Abe”, our sixteenth president held many awesome leadership abilities. Abraham Lincoln was a firm and strong president that positively voiced his own ideas while being open to other suggestions. He was an excellent public speaker, and most importantly, President Lincoln worked for the good of the whole rather than for personal fame or glory.
Lincoln’s strong leadership skills were crucial to keeping the Northern and Southern states a single entity during the Civil War as well as delivering awe-inspiring speeches to increase morale in the North when things looked bad for the
Union.
Lincoln’s strong leadership qualities can be an example to anyone that aspires to step up to the plate and make a positive change in their community or household. These qualities serve as excellent contributors to the legacy of liberty that Abraham Lincoln established.
Finally,
Lincoln’s high more standards prove to be exemplary traits that should continue to be cherished along side the memory of Abraham Lincoln and the great things he did for
America.
Lincoln’s peaceful ideals showed Civil War era
America that a strong leader could be trusted to be truly involved in the betterment of his or her nation amidst times of war and deception. Before he declared the inevitable civil war against the Confederate states, Abraham Lincoln’s true wish was to be able to settle the dispute with compromise and negotiation rather than violence. However, when it seemed that negotiation was out of the picture, Abraham Lincoln made the decision to protect his fellow Americans and keep the
United States together as a whole.
In conclusion, the memory of Abraham Lincoln and his tremendous legacy of liberty that has indirectly aided so many past and present Americans does not have to be entirely defined by his major accomplishments and achievements. The simple characteristics that define the sixteenth president are ultimately the foundation upon
Lincoln’s legacy of liberty resides.
Second Place
LAUREN ELIZABETH OAKES
of Ooltewah High School
DIVISION II of the LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
First Place
SAMUEL WEBB
of McCallie School
11th Grade
(Samuel P. Webb's essay) Throughout American history, one ideal that has consistently shaped who we are as a nation is the concept of liberty. However, for such a prominent notion, its origins are often misidentified. To many people, the seeds of liberty were originally sewn in
Jefferson’s iconic “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” line in the Declaration of Independence. In reality however, this was a pseudo-liberty, a freedom directed only towards white males. True liberty came almost a century later through the acts of Abraham Lincoln. For through his actions, liberty was able to mushroom forth into a way of life that encompassed all Americans, and not just the elite few.
Some of
Lincoln’s most overlooked accomplishments were the indirect result of the Emancipation Proclamation. Although it is most commonly known for setting the stage for the emancipation of slaves, it also led to the legal liberty of every individual American, no matter what race, religion, or sex. The main way in which this was accomplished was by breaking down the barriers of an idealized social order. For before the war, white males had been the only demographic category to receive the full benefits of civil liberty, most notably, both women and blacks had been denied the franchise. In fact, before the war, the only difference between the voters of the 1850’s and 1780’s was the addition of landless white males and non-protestant white males. However, when the slaves were finally freed, the entire social structure of the nation came into question and long held ideals were now marked with uncertainty.
For example, following their emancipation, Freedmen began to seek certain civil liberties, primarily, the ability to vote. In time, thanks to the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, these goals were accomplished.
Also, the voice of the American woman, white or black, was still being ignored. Beginning as early as the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, women had long been campaigning for their rights. Many had considered their plight for suffrage and the freedmen’s as one and the same. Therefore, after the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, a vast amount of women were understandably perturbed when they were not granted the right they so greatly coveted. Nonetheless, with suffrage now extended beyond white males, women were now motivated more than ever to have their voices heard. Eventually, through much rallying, women finally gained suffrage in 1920 with the Nineteenth Amendment.
The final victories for individual freedom came with the Civil Rights movement. Wishing to finish the job
Lincoln had started, thousands of people congregated for the sake of Civil Rights, no matter what race. Through monumental court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, and legislature such as the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, equality finally became enforced by the law.
In retrospect, although hundreds of people, all important in their own right, helped to carry out these crusades for liberty, each advance was only possible because of
Lincoln’s initial contribution. For it was Lincoln who, through acts such as the Emancipation Proclamation, led men and women all throughout
America to question their social standing, and, when seeing that they were not stuck in place, to fight for a better, more equal life.
It is hard to imagine that
Lincoln envisioned the progress his stance on slavery would spell out for future generations. Nevertheless however, this single man’s actions have shaped
America into the country it is today, showing that he has truly left a legacy of liberty.
Second Place
MARY MARGARET GROVES
of Girls Preparatory School
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STEPHEN P. PARISH
Recipient of the
2009 Inaugural Judge W. Neil Thomas, III Paralegal Utilization Award
presented by the
TENNESSEE PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION
Southeastern Chapter
The purpose of the Judge W. Neil Thomas III Paralegal Utilization Award is to recognize an attorney who has encouraged and promoted the paralegal profession through their commitment to the understanding of paralegal responsibilities and utilization, the delegation and oversight of substantive paralegal duties, and who sets an example of overall excellence in the legal profession. In selecting the recipient of this award,Tennessee Paralegal Association, Southeastern Chapter (SETPA) considers attorneys who continually advance the paralegal profession by (i) designating work assignments that correspond to the paralegal’s knowledge, training and experience, (ii) recognizing the value of a paralegal and their contribution to the overall legal team, (iii) setting an example to other attorneys through usage of the paralegal’s proficiency, (iv) encouraging continuing legal education for the paralegal, and (v) unselfishly sharing their knowledge of professional responsibility, the law, and its various rules and procedures with paralegals. This inaugural award will be presented annually by SETPA and will be selected from nominations received from SETPA member paralegals and submitted to the SETPA Nomination Committee identifying the attorneys who fulfill these qualities.
Nomination for the 2009
Judge W. Neil Thomas, III Paralegal Utilization Award
An attorney's greatness cannot be measured simply by how well he is known. My nomination for the 2009 Judge W. Neil Thomas, III Paralegal Utilization Award is not for someone whose name is commonly in the public limelight, but rather for an attorney who quietly does his work behind the scenes in commercial real estate law. His name is Stephen P. Parish, and he is without question one of the most exceptional attorneys in our area.
When I began working directly with Steve five years ago, I immediately recognized and appreciated his character, expertise, and mastery at effectively using his entire legal team, including my skills as a paralegal. Right away he gave me quality assignments that challenged me to tackle new problems and issues, and as I have grown in ability, he has continued to increase the complexity of my projects. However, he has never left me feeling abandoned to deal with everything completely on my own. He carefully provides all necessary background information, and his gift for explaining details clearly and succinctly, without condescension or irritation, makes him one of the greatest mentors I have ever known. Recognizing that I want to learn and expand my abilities, Steve takes his role as a teacher seriously. He does not "put me in a box" but rather considers my potential and, with encouragement and instruction, challenges me to rise to the next level, thereby advancing my career and also improving our client services. In addition, Steve supports continuing legal education and professional development activities, including my participation in paralegal associations and acceptance of speaking engagements, even though they might involve time away from the office.
As a team, Steve and I have built an efficient and productive working relationship based on respect, trust and loyalty. He keeps me informed about active cases, and I know that I can depend on him to take the lead in handling sticky issues, without placing blame on my shoulders. This creates a loyalty which compels me to do whatever I can to make him look good in every situation. Together, we are all about the business of attending to our clients' needs, and each of us is willing to take on whatever task may be necessary to do so. For example, in the chaos of large real estate closings, Steve often offers to help with even menial tasks such as copying and sorting, when other attorneys may be tempted to feel like their part of the project is over. He is never a dictator, but rather a true team leader.
Whenever I face challenges, Steve is always available to assist. His door is open to discuss any issue, whether related to a client situation, an office policy or even a personal matter, and if he can take any steps to help, he never hesitates. He willingly answers all questions and actively works to resolve problems. As necessary, he will get down in the trenches and help with even the most routine task. At the end of each day, he is always appreciative of my efforts, which encourages and inspires me to work even harder the next day.
Steve Parish is definitely one of the "good guys," and it is easy to see why other attorneys eagerly follow his leadership, both in client matters and in law firm administration. Always the epitome of professionalism, Steve is also patient and tactful in every situation. Most importantly, he strives to do the right thing, and his character can be summarized by the word "integrity." I have the utmost respect for Steve Parish and trust that in every situation, he will discern the best course of action and strive for the highest and best outcome for everyone. The trust and respect he gives to others make each paralegal and staff member who work with him know that he or she is truly a valued member of the team. I am confident that I am a much better paralegal today due to the opportunity to work with and learn from Steve Parish, and he is the ideal candidate for this award.
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AWARDS PRESENTED at the
111th ANNUAL MEETING
of the
CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
2008 President's Award
BARRY ABBOTT and PHILLIP A. NOBLETT
2008 Ralph H. Kelley Humanitarian Award
JEFFREY M. ATHERTON
2008 Harry Weill Zealous Practice of Law Award
G. MICHAEL LUHOWIAK
2008 Albert L. Hodge Volunteer Award
MICHAEL N. ST. CHARLES
2008 Young Lawyers Division Volunteer of the Year Award
M. CRAIG SMITH
Business
Vote to Amend the CBA Bylaws on the Biennial Judicial Poll from every 2 years to every 4 years passed.
ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORED BY
FIRST TENNESSEE Hamilton County Herald IPSCO
SERVICE to the Community . . . SERVICE to the Clients
CLIPS is your legal source for finding the right attorney for you!
What is CLIPS?
CLIPS is “ Chattanooga Lawyers Information Provider Service”, a Service provided by the Chattanooga Bar Association. CLIPS exists to connect consumers to local attorneys in a straightforward and friendly way. CLIPS can help prepare consumers and small business people to hire an attorney by providing general information and frequently asked questions about law and legal issues.
CLIPS is made up of a group of attorney members of the Chattanooga Bar Association who have legal practices appropriate to consumer and small business needs and who have met CLIPS Qualifications and agreed to abide by the Commitments to Clients. Additionally, attorneys listed on CLIPS pay an annual fee to be listed there.
Within "Find an Attorney", CLIPS provides site visitors a randomized ordering of attorney names. No particular emphasis should be assumed about attorneys based on the location of their name on the list or feature appearance. Additionally, no attorney has paid additional fees for a particular position within a list or a feature appearance.
"WHEN YOU BECOME 18"
This booklet "When You Become 18 in Tennessee" (click here or on the title of the booklet to view entire booklet) has been prepared for you by the CBA Auxiliary to make you aware of your rights and responsibilities as useful contributors to society. The booklet contains chapters on subjects such as voting, jury duty, marriage, divorce, child support and date rape, consumer protection, contract obligations and establishing credit. The Auxiliary would like to thank Renee MacCoon and Missy Elliott for all their hard work in the publication and distribution of this latest edition (May 2008).
A special "thank you" to the following attorneys and firms who supported the Auxiliary and this wonderful booklet which is given to ALL seniors in the Hamilton County area.
Pamela B. Bracher
Scott N. Brown, Jr.
Thomas A. Caldwell
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel
Robert & Ann Dann
Steve Dobson
Gearhiser, Peters, Lockaby, Cavett & Elliott
Shelby & Lynne Grubbs, In Honor of Flo Summitt
Ginger Kachline
Allison Ulin Lynch
John & Renee MacCoon
McKoon, Williams & Haun
Miller & Martin
Selma Cash Paty
Virginia Anne and Hugh Sharber
Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams
Robert M. Summitt
Thornbury & Morgan
UnumProvident - matching Gift
Patricia Best Vital
Wilson & Caroline Von Kesler
If you would like to make a donation to help in future publications of "When You Become 18",
send all donations to:
CBA AUXILIARY
Attn: "When You Become 18" Booklet
P. O. Box 4225
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Make all checks payable to the CBA AUXILIARY
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