Following news of a negative audit for state prisons last week, House Minority Leader Karen Camper says the legislature should revive a correction oversight committee to hold the Department of Corrections accountable, the Daily Memphian reports. Others are going a step further suggesting an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or criminal prosecution may be necessary. Department of Correction Commissioner Tony Parker said the department concurs, or concurs partially, with all of the findings but contends it operates “safe and secure” prisons and “provides effective community supervision.” In a statement, he said the department is dealing with the problems raised in the report.

Six months after quietly setting up shop in Nashville, Atlanta-based law firm Fisher Phillips has made its Music City debut with a move into a 4,000-square-foot space at 3310 West End Ave., the Nashville Business Journal reports. Joe Shelton, an East Tennessee native and graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, has been spearheading the expansion and now serves as the office’s managing partner. He is joined by Courtney Leyes, who relocated from the firm’s Memphis office. Fisher Phillips is the third national firm practicing exclusively in labor and employment law to set up shop in Nashville. It joins Ogletree Deakins and Littler. The firm can be reached at 615-488-2900.

The 2019-2020 edition of the Tennessee Blue Book is now available and it honors the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Secretary of State Tre Hargett said the commemorative edition recognizes the steadfast efforts of Tennessee suffragists and the pivotal role Tennessee played in ratifying the amendment. The cover of the book — yellow — also honors the symbolic color of the national women’s suffrage movement. Published every two years, the Blue Book is the definitive manual on Tennessee state government featuring biographies of elected and appointed state officials, census data, election statistics, state history and more. Read more from Hargett's office or order your free copy by calling 615-741-2650 or emailing publications.information@tn.gov.

The Administrative Office of the Courts announced today that it has hired Brandon L. Bowers as its chief technology officer and Scott Liput as IT systems architect. Bowers previously served as deputy director of data center services at the state’s Strategic Technology Solutions and director of production support services for the Tennessee Department of Health. He will focus on increasing efficiency, transparency and accessibility to the courts while overseeing four departments. Liput most recently served as an enterprise solution architect with Strategic Technology Solutions supporting the Tennessee Department of Health. Read more about these new hires and the technology projects currently underway at the AOC.

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) has announced a revised date for its 2020 Equal Justice University conference. The event now will take place Sept. 9-11 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro. Watch for more details to come.

A portrait unveiling of former Nashville judge Seth Walker Norman will take place Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 Second Ave. North, Ste. 6100, Nashville 37201. A brief dedication ceremony will take place prior to the unveiling and a reception will follow. All Tennessee lawyers are invited to attend. RSVP at unveiling@klineprestonlaw.com. Norman was a criminal court judge in the 20th Judicial District for 28 years and founded the state’s first drug court. He stepped down from the seat in 2018. View the invitation or read more about the artist.

The Knoxville YWCA will host its 25th Annual Race Against Racism and Diversity Day on Jan. 18 at the Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruz St., Knoxville 37915. The event will begin at 11 a.m. EST and include a 5K race route, a one-mile walk and a race for children. Breakfast, entertainment and inspirational speeches also will mark the day.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold its monthly legal help clinic at the Gallatin Civic Center tomorrow from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The center is located at 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., Gallatin 37066. The clinic is staffed by the Sumner County Bar Association but residents from all Middle Tennessee counties are welcome.

Government law is an ever-changing practice area with a unique blend of constitutional, statutory and case law. This year’s Local Government Forum, set for March 5, will address intangible aspects of this practice area, along with topics such as legislative updates, open records, small cells, Robert’s Rules of Order, and legal ethics in a government setting. A total of six credit hours (two dual, four general) are available.

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Days before the start of the new legislative session, House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s chief of staff Scott Gilmer is stepping down, the Tennessean reports. A legislative employee since 2007, Gilmer has served as chief of staff to three House speakers including former Rep. Beth Harwell and Rep. Glen Casada. His resignation is effective today. He will join the Path Company as vice president for business development. Taking over for Gilmer on an interim basis will be Holt Whitt, who most recently served as the speaker’s director of legislation.