Supreme Court Names Three New Members To ATJ Commission

The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed three new members to serve on the Access to Justice Commission beginning on April 1, 2020.  The three new members are Monty Burks, Ph.D., Amber D. Floyd, Esq., and Professor Joy Radice. 

“The Tennessee Supreme Court is honored these individuals have agreed to serve on the Access to Justice Commission,” said Justice Cornelia Clark, Supreme Court Liaison to the Commission.  “They have demonstrated their commitment to helping Tennesseans in need and we are excited to see what opportunities they will bring to the Commission.”

Burks serves as the Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  Burks has been instrumental in developing the partnership between his department and the Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance (TFJA), a program of the Access to Justice Commission.  As a result of this partnership, the TJFA is able to share information on existing legal resources with faith leaders at Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse training events across the state.  Burks’ appointment expands the Commission’s connection and partnership with the executive branch.

Floyd is the Senior Assistant City Attorney in Memphis.  She is a dedicated advocate for access to justice.  She has received the President’s Award for Public Service from the Memphis Bar Association.  In 2018, Floyd received the Justice Janice M. Holder Award from the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services in recognition of her work to advance the quality of justice statewide by ensuring that the legal system is open and available to all.  Floyd previously has worked with the Access to Justice Commission to help develop expungement clinics across the state. 

Radice is an Associate Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs at the University of Tennessee College of Law.  She specializes in access to justice, criminal law, and procedural law and has dedicated her legal career to serving those who cannot afford legal representation.  She facilitated the first multi-county expungement clinic in the 10th Judicial District in 2018, including recruiting law students from University of Tennessee College of Law to gain hands-on experience working with clients.  Radice is instrumental in introducing law students to pro bono opportunities.

“The Tennessee Supreme Court has selected a talented and dedicated group of professionals to join the Commission.  They each have helped the Commission in successful projects and programs and I know they will bring the same level of enthusiasm to their new roles,” said Gail Ashworth, current Chair of the Access to Justice Commission.

The new appointees will replace Ashworth, Ann Pruitt, and Sharon Ryan, whose second three-year terms expire on March 31, 2020, and therefore are not eligible for reappointment. 

The Access to Justice Commission is an initiative of the Tennessee Supreme Court.  Its mission is to provide collaborative leadership to create solutions and resources that address and eliminate barriers to access to justice for all.  For more information, go to http://www.tncourts.gov/programs/access-justice or call 615-741-2687.