Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris’ office will host a “Southern Justice Summit Awards Ceremony” this Friday to honor leaders in criminal justice reform. This year’s virtual summit, which is free to attend, will feature a keynote address by trial lawyer Ben Crump. Honorees include Innocence Project Director of Special Litigation Vanessa Potkin, state Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, attorney Michael Scholl, and Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn.

Gov. Bill Lee late Friday signed several bills passed during the recent state legislative session. The first allows the state to temporarily replace local district attorneys when they "peremptorily and categorically" refuse to prosecute certain cases. The second bill allows candidates for local school boards to run in partisan races. The Tennessean notes that the effort follows a national push to bring partisan politics to local school boards. Finally, Lee declined to sign a bill that takes local control away from county health departments. It will still become law next week. Lee returned the county health bill to the General Assembly without his signature but called on the legislature to make "necessary updates" in the upcoming January session. The Tennessean reports on each of these measures.

Jeff Harmon has announced that he is seeking reelection as the 12th Judicial District public defender, the Herald News reports. Harmon began his legal career as an assistant public defender in 1992, and was appointed public defender in 2011. He has since been elected twice to the position, which serves Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie counties, and has served as president of the 12th Judicial District Bar Association and the Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference. Harmon says he is seeking one final term before retirement.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee will present “Stand Against Racism: Mental Health and People of Color” on Nov. 30 from noon to 1 p.m. CST. The program will explore the challenges that people of color face when seeking mental health care. Speakers include Sharon Roberson, president and CEO of the YWCA; Dr. Tiffany Williams, Tennessee State University assistant professor; mental health practioner Dr. Bearlyn Ash; and public health specialist Dr. Desiree Kelly. Register to attend.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday reaffirmed its decision to block an order by President Joe Biden requiring companies with 100 or more workers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing for their employees. In the 22-page opinion, the appeals court said the mandate issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is "fatally flawed," The Hill reports. It also prohibited the agency from enforcing the mandate pending review of a motion for permanent injunction. The ruling mirrors an earlier decision from Nov. 6.

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw yesterday blocked a new law that would limit the ability of schools to enact mask mandates but set an expedited hearing on the issue for today, WPLN reports. At today’s hearing, Crenshaw declined to clarify whether his ruling applies only in the Middle District or statewide, causing confusion for several school districts, the Tennessean reports. He set the next hearing date for Friday. Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law last Friday, enacting more stringent conditions for requiring face coverings among students and staff. Immediately after the bill’s signing, families from Knox, Williamson and Shelby counties filed a lawsuit asking the courts to halt the law to protect the health of their disabled or medically vulnerable children.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold two clinics this week. A phone clinic will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. to provide general advice. The first 15 callers will be accepted. On Wednesday, a clinic will be held specifically for veterans from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S. Nashville 37203. All times central. To volunteer contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all November clinics.

The TBA’s 2021 Health Law Primer, offered virtually last month, is now available for on-demand viewing as a 1-Click offering. The four-hour program, designed especially for newer health law practitioners, provides a general overview of health law, explores several hot topics in the practice area, and offers practical tips for avoiding the pitfalls of this heavily regulated industry.

Retired Judge Donn Alan Southern died Thursday. He was 87. A native of Knoxville, Southern moved to Memphis after graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1957. He was in private practice until 1989 when he was appointed to the Shelby County Probate Court. Southern served on the court for more than 17 years, including two terms as presiding judge. He was also active in the Memphis Bar Association, serving two terms on the board of directors and as president in 1982, and was part of a group that began offering legal services to those in need. That effort later resulted in formation of Memphis Area Legal Services. A celebration of life service and reception will be held Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. CST at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave., Memphis 38104. Burial will be private. Memorial donations may be made to the church; The Trezevant Foundation, 177 N. Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111; or the W.H.H. Southern Scholarship Foundation at the University of Tennessee, 1502 Cumberland Ave., Knoxville, TN 37922.

Gov. Bill Lee’s chief of staff Blake Harris will leave the office to work on Lee’s reelection and other Republican campaigns after the first of the year, the Nashville Post reports. Harris was a strategist on Lee’s successful 2018 campaign and executive director of his transition team. Replacing him will be Joseph Williams, currently director of the governor’s Office of External Affairs. Deputy Chief of Staff Alec Richardson will add the position of director of external affairs to his portfolio.