Amanda L. Bradley, Attorney at-law

Day 3 of trial we got moved to the historic courthouse, now named after the late Justice Connie Clark. After 3 solid days of trial, and all that preparation, the judge did not give us a ruling for the bench, which means that tonight after all that, my client has no idea how his/her parenting plan may change, even after a full blown trial. Sometimes the judges tell us immediately, and sometimes they wait to rule.

Wrapping up day, two of a three day post-divorce trial today. One thing law school does not prepare you for is how much time you spend as an attorney trying to stay OUT of court rather than file stuff to go to court!

Clients often don’t understand this. Many want to run before the judge every time the other person does something they feel is wrong. It’s my job as their attorney to explain why crafting some sort of middle of the road settlement that everyone can live with and you have control over is usually far better and far less expensive than going to court.

But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you cannot reach a settlement and hence we find ourselves in a 3 day trial.

Flowers from an appreciative client’s garden today. The judge ruled in her favor in enforcing a reconciliation agreement that I drafted. It made a huge impact and her case going forward.

I am so proud of the NOOK founders and volunteers for celebrating their 6 year anniversary of helping FSSD and WCS students. I was sad to miss the celebration, but am honored to do my small part by volunteering once a month with this amazing organization.

We had 14 attorney volunteers who were able to help 42 first responders and their spouses from the City of Brentwood get wills done this weekend. Stay tuned for a similar will clinic being hosted for our City of Franklin first responders!

This is an interesting article about recent divorce trends. As a divorce attorney and divorced parent myself, I will reiterate that if you have minor children, you should always try to keep your kids' best interest in mind to help bring perspective to any issue you may have with your co-parent.

The bright side of divorce, according to experts | CNN Divorce doesn’t have to only be heartbreak, custody battles and bitter ex-spouses. Experts explain how you can work toward building something new in the wake.

Today’s T-BALL speakers were probably the best group yet. I think I speak for all my classmates when I say we left Knoxville challenged and inspired.

I’m in Knoxville today and tomorrow for T-BALL and staying right near UT and the World’s Fair sphere. The topic for this week is issues in community leadership. The standout speaker from this afternoon was Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, Dwight Tarwater. Looking forward to dinner at Calhoun’s on the river tonight - a Knoxville tradition!

“Don’t think about making women fit the world — think about making the world fit women.” – Gloria Steinem
Happy International Women's Day to all you boss ladies out there💪

It’s a good day to get my client divorced 💔 Here’s to new beginnings, and getting a prenup the next time around! 😆

Today our T-BALL class got to spend the day up at the Capitol meeting with legislators, lobbyists and state attorneys learning how the different pieces fit together, and getting to observe some of the committee meetings.

One bill of interest to me in my practice would change the requirement for physician’s affidavits needed for conservatorships and would instead allow doctors to sign under penaty of perjury (no notary required). It passed in rhe child and family subcommittee today.

It is a privilege to volunteer for such a great organization as the N.O.O.K. The N.O.O.K. has been in existence for 5 years and is entirely run by volunteers. You would be humbled and amazed at the impact the N.O.O.K. is able to have on a day to day basis for the students in FFSD and WCS schools.

A few weeks ago on my volunteer-on-call day I was able to purchase tights, dress shoes and a sweater to go along with a sparkly dress that had been donated so that an elementary student was able to attend a father-daughter dance that night. When you donate time and money to the N.O.O.K you are making real-time impacts on the lives of the recipients.

Volunteer leaders like Christy Pauley and Molly Brewer make it happen, and I was so proud to see them honored at last night's Volunteer awards sponsored by Franklin Tomorrow.

Attention All High School Students in Middle Tennessee:

The 2024 Law Diversity Essay Contest, presented by the Lawyers’ Association for Women’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee, is now accepting applications for 2024.
Click here for information on the contest:https://www.law-nashville.org/resources/Essay%20Contests/diversity%20essay%202024.pdf

Entries must be submitted by March 15, 2024.

www.law-nashville.org

Channel that loathing of your ex to a good cause this Valentine’s Day with the WCAC “fix your ex” program 😉❤️ this would make a great gift for your single friends, too!

Hey lovely singles, bitter bachelors, and survivors of heartbreak! This Valentine's Day, we've got a purr-fect way to turn your romantic fiascos into something positive. 🌹 Want to make your ex rue the day they crossed your path? Look no further!

Williamson County Animal Center will "Fix Your Ex" for Valentine's Day! We'll name a feisty feral cat after your ex and make sure they never leave their mark on the dating scene again by spaying or neutering them! 🙀 Because let's face it, the only thing your ex should be spreading is the word about how they got outsmarted by a cat.🐾

For a $50 donation, we'll give you the purr-fect revenge plan! Because let's face it, some things just shouldn't breed.

💌 HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Email your ex's first name only (no last names please) with the best number to reach you to: [email protected].

Shannon will be in touch to get more information and will send a link to your mobile phone to process payment.

(You may also stop by WCAC in person.)

Sit back, relax, and revel in the sweet, sweet revenge knowing your ex won't be causing any romantic mischief in the future.

We will even make it official and send you a postcard to certify when your Ex has been fixed.

💝 BONUS: All proceeds go towards funding our spay and neuter program. 😺 Not only will you be helping control the cat population, but you'll also be celebrating the end of a chapter that probably should've ended sooner.



Shout out to Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center for this genius idea!

I’m excited and ready to be at the T-BALL kickoff retreat!

I’m excited to share that I have been chosen to participate in the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program for 2024.

36 attorneys from across the state were selected for TBALL which is designed to equip Tennessee lawyers with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders in their profession and local communities. We kick off in January and spend the next six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policymaking in state government and the importance of community service.

36 Selected for 2024 TBALL Leadership Law Program - TBA Law Blog The Member Center is your gateway to the wealth of benefits and services that come with the TBA Complete Membership. Log in to make sure you have full access to all of the services and benefits available to members. Not a member yet, join now! And if you have any questions, feel free to contact TBA....

If you visit my office during the holidays you’ll see my beautiful pink Christmas tree. It brings me joy, and I love finding new, unique, pink ornaments to add to the tree every year.

Student Applications Open for Diversity Law Week
Do you know a high school student interested in learning about the practice of law? If so, please encourage them to apply for the TBA Young Lawyers Division’s inaugural Diversity Law Week, which will take place March 11-16, 2024, across the state. During that week, high school students will have the opportunity to visit a local courthouse, shadow and engage with practicing attorneys, visit a college or law school campus, and participate in programming designed to expose them to the theory and practice of law. Diversity Law Week will offer participants a one-of-a-kind experience and an invaluable roadmap for becoming a lawyer. This opportunity is open to high school students of all grade levels throughout Tennessee. Interested students should apply here: https://memcentral.wufoo.com/forms/qg3hoet0o20ane/?utm_campaign=tba-young-lawyers-division-newsletter&utm_source=membercentralpublications&utm_medium=email&utm_content=november-15-2023

To clients, opposing counsel is often seen as the enemy, but for attorneys, we generally work with the same lawyers on cases over and over, and often these colleagues become friends.

I received these beautiful flowers last week from a friend/opposing counsel on a case to celebrate a case we settled, instead of having a two day trial. We definitely had to think outside the box on this one to find a creative solution that was good for both our clients.

I am so appreciative of the members of the Williamson County Bar who have been so collegial as I have built my practice here over the last four years.

Today on my birthday, I got to go to juvenile court and defend a father to get his parenting time reinstated. He stopped by afterwards to give me this hilarious notebook - it says Business bullsh!t and then this candle which is aptly called “boy smells”. We both have sons, which made this really special. I am so thankful to have helped this young father today!

Today I stepped out of my comfort zone and served as an attorney volunteer at an expungement clinic hosted by the legal aid society. I don’t do criminal law and have no experience with expungements. But after a quick crash course, I was able to assist two gentleman get old charges expunged off their records.

Expungements are available for certain offenses, but they can be a procedural quagmire. Today, attorneys, judges, members of the court clerk’s office, district attorneys, and public defenders all volunteered their time to have a one stop shop to process these expungements for people.

Without the benefit of a clinic like this, a person seeking to have an old charge expunged from his or her record would have to make individual appointments and stops at all of these places- which means that in reality many people never take the time to get this done.

Thank you to the Legal Aid Society, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, and Franklin First United Methodist Church for sponsoring this event.

How should clients prepare for mediation? The days are often long and grueling. (The one I had yesterday went 11 hours. We started at 9 and went until 8 pm. This is not uncommon). While it was fresh in my mind, I thought of some tips to share.

1. Prepare yourself mentally for it to be a long day, then you can be pleasantly surprised when it's not.

2. Bring snacks and drinks. Often the mediator or host office will provide these, and will order lunch in for everyone so that the mediation can continue without meal breaks. But when it gets late, those snacks and drinks can be a lifesaver.

3. Do not call or text friends and family members during breaks and seek their opinion on the latest offer. Those people aren't in the room with you and your attorney and the mediator, and can't appreciate the nuance of what is being offered in exchange for something else.

4. Dress appropriately. You will be sitting a LOT! If you're a female and you know you tend to be cold indoors, a skirt may not be the best choice. Dress in layers so you can be comfortable. There's no judge in the room, and no one to impress.

5. You will not see your spouse or the other attorney. We call this shuttle mediation. You and your attorney will be in one room, your spouse and his/her attorney will be in another room, and the mediator shuttles back and forth.

6. Mediation is confidential. It's like Vegas. Everything that happens at mediation STAYS at mediation. Your mediator can't be called to testify except in rare occasions, and offers made in mediation can't be discussed in court (you can't tell the judge, "well when we were at mediation he agreed to X," or "she said she would take this..." Nope. Doesn't come in. This allows people to be transparent and give their best offer of what they are willing to accept.

7. The goal of the mediator is to reach a settlement. That may not be what's in YOUR best interest - that's why you have an attorney there to guide you.

8. Take cues from your attorney. Some clients launch into commentary as soon as the mediator leaves the room. But rather than chat, your attorney may need to use the down time when the mediator is gone to work on drafting or editing documents. If you use this time to talk about what a horrible person your spouse is, your attorney can't get done what he/she needs to do. I promise we aren't dragging this day out to bill you more. We want to get out of here as much as you do. So be ready to chime in and answer questions when needed, but take your cues from your attorney and limit the chatter if you can see that he/she is working on something.

9. In a successful mediation, people rarely walk away happy. The documents are signed, but each of you had to give up things you might have gotten in court. The trade off is an agreement you can live with, you've had control over the outcome, and the case is over.

10. Be ready to pay the mediator at the end of the day. Read the mediation agreement ahead of time, and know and understand what forms of payment they accept. Nothing is more awkward than a mediator who hands the client the bill at the end than the client who forgot their checkbook. Many people now offer credit card or Venmo as payment methods, but be ready to make some form of payment before you leave.

Mediation is a sometimes-necessary step in the litigation process. It helps to have reasonable expectations going into it, and to understand how it works. I hope this is helpful!

I found myself with some time between court hearings today in Nashville so I stopped in at my old stomping grounds and worked from the NSL library for a while. ☺️⚖️

Happy national pink day! 💗 Yes, this is apparently a thing. Pink is my color and always has been.

I had a very tough divorce trial this week and wore pink three out of the four days. My client and her support people who were there all joined in and wore pink with me in solidarity throughout the week. Family law is tough, but it’s worth it to be able to give meaningful help to people going through what is usually a really stressful time.

Proud to serve another year on LAW’s board.

The LAW membership elected Amanda Bradley to the office of archivist at its Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet. Amanda’s practice focuses primarily on family law, representing clients in divorce, post-divorce, alimony, and child custody issues in Williamson, Davidson, and the surrounding counties. She is a 2017 graduate of the Nashville School of Law.

My coworker Laurie Parker and I were all matchy-matchy at last night's Inns of Court meeting. 💙🖤 It's crucial to find people you enjoy working with, and I am so lucky to consider Laurie not just a colleague but a friend.

Several years ago when I was wrapping up my time as a law clerk, I met Laurie at this very same Inns of Court meeting. I walked in knowing no one, and asked if I could join her at her table. We exchanged business cards, and several months later as I was beginning my job search, I reached out to Laurie. She graciously met me for coffee, we hit it off, and a few months later, I joined her here at Hartzog & Silva.

Estate planning tip: 💡be sure to designate a TOD (transfer on death) or POD (payable on death) beneficiary to all your bank accounts. 💰This can help your loved ones from having to open probate later on. ⚖️

Sometimes clients need to bring their kids with them to appointments. I get it. I’m a mom, too. That’s why we have this awesome box of crayons and art supplies to keep the little ones busy while mom or dad meet with us. We’ve got plenty of space for them to spread out safely nearby but out of earshot, and I’ve always got candy in my office to share. 🍭🖍️