The Tennessee Supreme Court today announced that Michele Wojciechowski will begin on January 31, 2022, as the new Executive Director of the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. Former Executive Director Judy Bond-McKissack recently retired after serving in the role since 2011.
The CLE Commission was created by the Supreme Court in 1987 by Supreme Court Rule 21. It approves and tracks continuing legal education for the approximately 24,000 attorneys licensed to practice law in Tennessee. Each year, the CLE Commission tracks over 250,000 hours of CLE for attorney compliance, course accreditation, attendance reporting and accounting, and it reviews over 9,000 continuing legal education courses across the country for CLE credit.
While Wojciechowski most recently served as the director of communications at the Nashville School of Law, this will not be her first time working with the Tennessee Supreme Court. From 2012 to 2016, Wojciechowski was the director of communications for the Tennessee Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts. In that capacity, she oversaw media for the courts, crafted news releases related to opinions and court initiatives, and supported educational conferences for judges at all levels of the court system.
During her tenure at the Nashville School of Law, Wojciechowski’s duties were wide-ranging. She planned and implemented a major curriculum overhaul; launched a new website; created and executed a two-day orientation program; and revived NSL’s Continuing Legal Education program. She revamped the career development process, more than doubling job listings for students and alumni, and served as faculty advisor as the School launched its first Legal Aid Society.
“The practice of law is changing at a rapid pace,” said Justice Holly Kirby, the Supreme Court’s liaison to the Commission. “Michele Wojciechowski is up to the challenge of making sure the CLE Commission meets the changing needs of Tennessee lawyers and CLE providers. Her experience in the court system, legal education, management, and communications, make her well-suited to take on this important role. Plus, given her background in communications, she’s a great listener, and Tennessee lawyers will find she’s a pleasure to work with. We’re excited to welcome her as Executive Director.”
In addition to her previous work with the judiciary and the Nashville School of Law, Wojciechowski held a variety of management positions with the Tennessean over a 13-year career, including service as the Communications & Customer Service Director. She was directly involved in managing staff and budgets, strategic planning, project management, and launching new campaigns and products.
“It is an honor to be part of an organization that facilitates a commitment to learning and development for attorneys,” Wojciechowski said. “I look forward to working with the Court and the Commission and serving Tennessee’s lawyers and providers as we strive to play a vital role in the continuous improvement of the legal profession.”
Wojciechowski is a graduate of the Nashville School of Law and Northwestern University. She is a regular speaker at CLE events and also serves as an adjunct professor at NSL. She was selected to participate in the LEAD Tennessee State Government Leadership Program. As Executive Director of the CLE Commission, Wojciechowski will manage a team of five and work directly with the Commission’s 11-person board.