Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association upcoming events

TDLA 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting with Kentucky Defense Counsel (23 Sep 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association is proud to celebrate 60 years of service to the civil defense bar at our Annual Meeting, held this year jointly with the Kentucky Defense Counsel in beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Chattanoogan Hotel on September 23-25, 2026.

Join colleagues from across both states for two days of outstanding CLE programming (Thursday morning & Friday morning), networking, and celebration as we mark this milestone anniversary.

Meeting Highlights

CLE sessions covering current trends in civil defense litigation (CLE hours TBA)
Joint programming and networking with the Kentucky Defense Counsel
60th Anniversary celebration dinner and reception
Exhibitor showcase and sponsor recognition

Agenda

Agenda as of Sept 4.

Registration

Registration fees and registration link may be seen to the left. If you are having trouble registering please contact Mary Gadd at office@tdla.net or 423-314-2285.

Questions: Please contact office@tdla.net

Venue & Lodging

All meeting activities will take place at The Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 South Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 except the Thursday night 60th Celebration Gala which will take place at the 2nd American event hall. A discounted room block is available for attendees — reservation details are below.

Room rate is $159/ night.

Listed below are the available reservation methods for the Chattanoogan Hotel.

Call the hotel directly at (423) 756-3400. Provide the front desk the arrival date and group name - 9.23.26 TN Defense Lawyers Assoc. & KY Defense Counsel or group code - GDEF

- OR -

Click this link to begin the reservation process: TN Defense Lawyers Assoc. & KY Defense Counsel

The room block deadline EXTENDED to August 31, 2026! Reservations must be made prior to the cutoff date and/or before the block is full, whichever comes first, in order to guarantee availability of the rooms and discounted group rate that was contracted. Reservations made after the cutoff date will be accommodated based on availability, at the best available rate and at the discretion of the hotel.

Chattanooga, with its riverfront, mountain vistas, and scenic hiking trails,
is the perfect backdrop for celebrating this milestone anniversary.

2nd American event hall

Insurance Defense Billing Program presented by MDLA (30 Sep 2026)

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Presented by Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA) President-Elect Chris Dunnells of Chartwell Law in Ridgeland, Mississippi, this webinar is designed for attorneys and paralegals new to the world of insurance defense, as well as experienced civil defense attorneys looking for a fresh perspective. We’ll tackle one of the most important aspects of our practice that is rarely, if ever, taught in law school: Billing.

From 30,000 feet concepts to ultra-specific tips and tricks, we will address common mistakes in billing time, how to properly capture all of the time spent on a task, and suggest phrasing and tools to incorporate into your everyday law practice.

This webinar will take place Wednesday, September 30th at Noon CST/ 1pm EST for one hour. **This is an informational webinar only, no CLE**

TO REGISTER for this event CLICK HERE to be directed to the MDLA website. Webinar link will be circulated by Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association prior to the webinar.

The Parallels of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct and the Rules of Golf (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Please join us for this TDLA Free Webinar presentation by TDLA Past President Steve Dix with Dix and Massey in Murfreesboro on Wednesday November 4th at Noon CST/ 1pm EST.

This engaging presentation explores the parallels between the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct and the Rules of Golf, using real-world stories and video clips to illustrate key ethical principles. Topics include attorney competence, client communication, advocacy, supervision, and the unique ethical considerations facing insurance defense attorneys, with practical lessons drawn from both the courtroom and the golf course. Attendees will gain valuable insights into professional responsibility while enjoying a creative and memorable comparison between the practice of law and the game of golf.

TDLA will apply for one hour of TN Ethics credit. Zoom webinar link will be distributed to registrants prior to the webinar.

6th Annual Southeastern Women Litigators Summit (04 Mar 2027)

Thu, 04 Mar 2027 05:00:00 GMT

Save the Date! Women litigators in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee are teaming up again to support, educate and advance women civil defense litigators at the 6th Annual Southeastern Women Litigators Summit (SEWL) from March 4-5, 2027 in Chattanooga, TN.

TO REGISTER: Registration will open soon. More information will be on www.sewl.org

AGENDA: Agenda coming soon!

Location

Westin Chattanooga
801 Pine Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402