David McDowell TBA YLD President Announces Pro Bono Service Project

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott, & Cannon, PLLC

David G. McDowell is serving as the 2013-2014 President of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Division.    Under David’s leadership, the TBA YLD will focus its service activities on one specific project: training librarians across the state how to use free resources to help members of the public in need of legal information and advice. These tools include OnlineTNJustice , LIFT and 1-888-aLEGALz.

The goal of the Tennessee Library Education Project is to educate at least one librarian in each county, and have at least one library in each county equipped with a computer the public may use to access these free legal resources. David also is challenging colleagues to make pro bono activities a priority by volunteering to answer questions posted on OnlineTNJustice, volunteering at legal aid clinics across the state and taking pro bono cases from their local legal aid agency.

David McDowell was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fellows

July 10, 2025
At the 144th Annual Tennessee Bar Association Convention, David McDowell was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fellows, and began another term of service as the East Tennessee Governor on the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors.

Longtime Legal Leader Sam D. Elliott Takes Helm of Tennessee Bar Foundation

July 10, 2025
On July 1, 2025, Sam D. Elliott, a member of the firm, assumed the chairmanship of the Tennessee Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. A member of the Board since 2019, Sam will serve a one-year term as chairman. The Tennessee Bar Foundation was established in 1982. Its mission is to administer Tennessee’s IOLTA (Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Accounts) program, honor distinguished attorneys as "Fellows," and support law-related public interest projects. The IOLTA program supports Tennessee’s Legal Aid programs and other non-profit organizations which provide legal services to the poor and/or work to improve the administration of justice. Sam is a former president of the Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations and also currently serves as Chairman of the Tennessee Historical Commission.