Nashville lawyer Gail Vaughn Ashworth (class of 1983) recently took office as the Tennessee Bar Association's 127th president, pledging to continue helping those in need obtain access to justice and working to improve diversity in the profession.

She received the oath of office from Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Janice Holder on June 19 during the TBA's annual convention in Memphis. In her keynote address, Ashworth also outlined plans for encouraging civics education, launching a "green" initiative for the legal community and helping members use technology more effectively in the practice of law.
 
Taking office with Ashworth was Memphis lawyer Danny Van Horn (class of 1997), who was elected vice president of the association in the spring. He will assume the office of president-elect in 2010 and serve as president during the 2011-2012 bar year ­ becoming the youngest president ever to serve the organization.

In speaking about plans for his year as president, Van Horn says he would like to educate more people about the state's legal system, improve the juror experience, create a system to connect volunteer attorneys with those in need of free legal advice, increase the association's use of social media, and launch a mock trial program for new and young lawyers to hone their litigation skills.

Contact: Stacey Shrader, (615) 383-7421 or (800) 899-6993 
sshrader@tnbar.org