From The President | Bahar Azhdari

June marks many things. It’s the beginning of a new season and a month full of celebrations, like Father’s Day, Juneteenth, Pride, and Flag Day. It’s also a halfway mark where we can pause and reflect on the first six months of the year and look forward to what we can do during the remaining six. As I take time to reflect on what the NBA has done, I am excited at what we have accomplished.

We offered at least thirteen CLEs, including an international trip to Holland. We provided practical advice to practitioners, including ethics training for attorney lobbyists, an overview of new procedures for minor settlement approvals in Davidson County, business litigation case management best practices, and tips for acting as a conservator or guardian. We gave individuals new perspectives on issues ranging from wildlife and hunting to cannabis law and the role of immigration nonprofits. We also learned what it was like to bring employment claims against Robert De Niro and how to negotiate like an FBI crisis negotiator.

We connected 1L students with prospective employers through the 2024 Damali Booker 1L Minority Job Fair an event that has launched the careers of many NBA members. We gave our members and interested parties spaces to socialize and to connect through meetings and happy hours, as well as a beautiful green course to be appropriately competitive at the NBA + NBF Golf Tournament. We celebrated Tennessee’s first woman admitted to the Tennessee State Bar and the first African American woman to practice law in Kansas at the Lutie Lytle Plaque unveiling at the Justice A.A. Birch Building. We also took time to commemorate members who have passed at the Spring Memorial Service.

The YLD continued its tradition of supporting the next generation of attorneys through the Davidson County High School Mock Trial Tournament, as well as reinforcing the important role the arts play in society through its annual Arts Immersion event. Future bar leaders completed the NBF Leadership Forum. We reformatted our beloved Nashville Bar Journal. We searched for and hired a new Executive Director.

In these seemingly divided times, we also came together, bringing with us different views, perspectives, and ideals, to celebrate “Voices of Democracy,” the theme of this year’s Law Day. In democracies, people rule, and our speaker, Professor John Geer, helped us remember and reaffirm the role we each play in our democracy. We confirmed more connects us than separates us.

We have done so much in such a short amount of time, and I am thankful to you, our members, for showing up, committing your time, and supporting the NBA. I also know that none of this could have happened without our incredible staff. They work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our events happen, our concerns are addressed, and our questions are answered. They stepped up when we needed an interim executive director, and they all jumped in to support the NBA, the Board, and me as we navigated the first half of the year. I am indebted to them for their service and dedication, and I am looking forward to seeing what we do the rest of the year.