Knoxville Bar Foundation Inducts DA Charme Allen Into 2015 Fellows Class
In 1992, twelve trailblazing attorneys in the Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) determined that the legal community needed to serve the greater Knoxville community in a more tangible way. To that end they founded the Knoxville Bar Foundation (KBF), a 501(c)(3) organization that allows lawyers in its Fellows Program the opportunity to make tax-deductible contributions that are then used to support local law–related programs. Through its Fellows Program the KBF also honors lawyers who have achieved prominence in their practices and who have gone above and beyond in their service to the Knoxville community.
Over the past 18 years the KBF has awarded grants to fund local projects and programs seeking to improve the justice system and legal profession, as well as to enhance the public’s understanding of and confidence in the legal system. According to current Board of Directors Chairman Michael Haynes, Jr., this year’s grants totaled $24,000, which makes a grand total of $350,000 the KBF has provided for community grants since 1997.
On June 2nd of this year, the KBF announced its 2015 Grant Recipients and presented the 2015 Fellows Class at its Annual Dinner at Cherokee Country Club. Chairman Haynes kicked-off the evening by greeting the dinner attendees, followed by KBA President Tasha Blakney offering the invocation. During the first portion of the program the eight very deserving Grant Recipients were announced as follows: Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Inc., the Knoxville Bar Association for its Community Law School and Law Talk Programs, the YWCA for its Victim Advocacy Program, Knox County Juvenile Court A.S.I.S.T. (Adolescent Services Intervention Support Team) Program, Catholic Charities of East Tennessee for their Children’s Emergency Shelter, the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) Office of Aging – Grandparents as Parents Program, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of East Tennessee, and the Archives Committee of the KBA for its video interviews of Senior Attorneys.
The evening culminated with the recognition and induction of District Attorney General Charme P. Allen and eleven other esteemed members of Knoxville’s legal community into the 2015 Fellows Class. As explained by the KBA, “The Fellows represent quality men and women practitioners in our community who have distinguished themselves in the practice of law and service. The Foundation’s board of directors reviews numerous nominations, and determines the inductees who have demonstrated superior legal skills and high ethical standards and service to the community.”
General Allen is honored to be one of the twelve inductees of the 2015 KBF Fellows Class. Making up less than one percent of the active bar association, the highly regarded group joining General Allen in this year’s Fellows Class includes Robert L. Bowman (Kramer Rayson LLP), Christi W. Branscom (City of Knoxville), J. Anthony Farmer (Law Offices of Tony Farmer & John Dreiser), J. Chadwick Hatmaker (Woolf, McClane, Bright, Allen & Carpenter, PLLC), Debra L. House (Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Inc.), Donald D. Howell (Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP), Stephen A. McSween (Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davies, P.C.), Angelia Morie Nystrom, J. Gregory O’Connor, Leslie Shields (Kramer Rayson LLP), and Andrew R. Tillman (London & Amburn, P.C.).
Click here to learn more about the Knoxville Bar Foundation and how it generously serves our community.