Attorneys for Justice
To increase the number of attorneys and law offices providing pro bono services to those who cannot afford legal costs, the Tennessee Supreme Court has an extensive recognition program. The Court honors all attorneys providing at least 50 hours of service annually, to increase statewide pro bono work to 50 percent participation. We are now in the second decade of recognizing Attorneys for Justice.
In the program, attorneys meeting the Court’s minimum goal of 50 pro bono hours annually will be named “Attorneys for Justice” by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The program is entirely voluntary and based on self-reporting. Attorneys will be considered for recognition if they voluntarily report the pro bono work done in the previous calendar year when you renew their legal license with the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). To be considered for the program, all service must have been provided under the provisions of Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Responsibility, which includes delivery of a substantial portion of legal services without fee or expectation of fee and delivery of legal services at no fee or a substantially reduced fee to recognized groups and individuals.
Attorneys who have already renewed their legal license with the BPR but did not report their pro bono work may apply for recognition directly to the AOC. Attorneys who have not yet renewed with BPR for the 2024 renewal year may also apply for recognition directly to the AOC. Attorneys who wish to apply for recognition as 2024 Attorneys for Justice for pro bono work completed in 2023 should complete the application here.
Law offices are eligible to be recognized for pro bono work done by their attorneys by applying for recognition directly to the AOC. The 2024 law office application is available here.
2023 Attorneys for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2023 Attorneys for Justice Honor Roll is available here
Recognition Updates
The Tennessee Supreme Court and Access to Justice Commission are partnering with local and regional partners for the 2024 recognition events. Attorneys will be invited to attend the event in their area. The event calendar will be updated as events are added.
The Tennessee Supreme Court is expanding its recognition program to recognize attorneys that go above and beyond and report 100 or more hours of pro bono service. The first cohort of attorneys to be recognized under the expanded pro bono recognition program will be announced in October 2024, as part of Celebrate Pro Bono Month. Stay tuned for more details.
Mediators for Justice
Beginning in 2021, in an effort to increase the number of mediators providing pro bono services to those who cannot afford dispute resolution costs in the judicial system, the Tennessee Supreme Court adopted a new recognition program. The Court honors all actively listed Rule 31 Mediators providing at least 50 hours of service a year, with a goal of increasing statewide pro bono work.
In the program, mediators completing the Court’s minimum goal of 50 pro bono hours annually will be named “Mediators for Justice” by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The program is entirely voluntary and based on self-reporting. You will be considered for recognition should you report the pro bono work you did the previous calendar year before you renew your listing for the upcoming calendar year.
To be considered for the program, all services must have been reported in the ADR Portal using the “Submit a Rule 31 Report” tool on the home screen. Please file all mediations conducted for that year before you submit the renewal form online, regardless of the disposition status. Then, please select “Yes” in response to the question “Do you wish to be recognized in the pro bono mediation program?” on the renewal form. Rule 31 Mediators who have already renewed their listing(s) for the new calendar year will be directly notified if they meet (or are close to meeting) the 50 hour threshold.
Mediators for Justice will be formally recognized at the Advanced Mediation Techniques Workshop held annually every October. Each honoree will also receive a Certificate of Recognition and be permanently inducted into the honor roll below.
2020 Mediators for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2020 Mediators for Justice Honor Roll is available here.
2021 Mediators for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2021 Mediators for Justice Honor Roll is available here.
2022 Mediators for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2022 Mediators for Justice Honor Roll is available here.
2023 Mediators for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2023 Mediators for Justice Honor Roll is available here.
Law Students for Justice
The Tennessee Supreme Court and Access to Justice Commission are re-energizing the Law Students for Justice pro bono recognition program. The program acknowledges any student at a Tennessee law school who performs 50 or more hours of pro bono work during their law school career as a “Law Student for Justice.” To be considered for the program, all service must have been provided under the provisions of Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Responsibility,
which includes delivery of a substantial portion of legal services without fee or expectation of fee and delivery of legal services at no fee or at a substantially reduced fee to recognized groups and individuals. Clinic work and other experiential learning courses where students receive course credit will not count towards pro bono work for recognition purposes. Each school is responsible for verifying students’ participation in the pro bono activities and reporting it to the Administrative Office of the Courts for consideration. Law School Administrators should send the full name, e-mail address, and mailing address for eligible graduates to ATJInfo@tncourts.gov.
2024 Law Students for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll
The 2024 Law Students for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll will be available in the Fall of 2024.
Supreme Court Pro Bono Recognition
The program is the result of a recommendation by the Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission, which is tasked with making such recommendations to the Supreme Court regarding projects and programs necessary for enhancing access to justice. For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact Anne-Louise Wirthlin, Director of Access to Justice, at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at ATJInfo@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687.