News

Texas Malpractice Suit vs. K&L Gates Claims Firm Abandoned, Then Sued, a Client

John Council | Lizzy McLellan | October 17, 2018

A short-lived client relationship in Texas has K&L Gates facing conflict claims, though the litigators involved, including one who is now a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, have already left the firm.

News

Survey: Corporate Execs Optimistic About M&A Market in 2019

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 17, 2018

While optimistic about the M&A market, survey respondents said most deals will be valued at $100 million or less.

Commentary

Uncharted Waters: Navigating Recent US Tariffs and Future Trade Actions

Frank Samolis and David Stewart| October 17, 2018

With November mid-term elections quickly approaching and the results of the Trump Administration’s ongoing Section 232 investigation into auto imports expected in the coming months, 2019 is likely to be another year of significant changes for trade.

News

Del. Judge Upholds $4M Award Over Spacecraft Tech Contract

Tom McParland | October 16, 2018

U.S. District Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark of the District of Delaware on Monday declined to roll back the Jan. 12 verdict, which awarded Intuitive Machines cash and equity in Moon Express Inc. as a result of Moon Express' failure to complete work on the software underpinning its project.

News

Time Off to Train a Puppy? That's Actually a Thing at Susman Godfrey

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 16, 2018

Neal Manne, a managing partner of Houston-based litigation firm Susman Godfrey, said the firm's unlimited vacation policy for associates includes time off to train a puppy.

Commentary

3 Must-Dos for Conducting Internal Investigations in the #MeToo Era

Cristina E. Rodriguez and Jillian C. Beck| October 16, 2018

In the #MeToo era, the energy sector is especially susceptible to harassment claims. In order to minimize liability and do right by their employees, companies must conduct well thought-out and thorough investigations.

Newsmakers: Week of Oct. 15

Mary Alice Salmon| October 16, 2018

Michael D. Pegues, a shareholder in the Dallas office of Polsinelli and vice chair of the firm’s intellectual property technology litigation practice,…

Commentary

Why Are Women Lousy Negotiators? Hint: They Don't Lie Enough

Vivia Chen | October 16, 2018

Men are outgunning women at the negotiation game. And that negative repercussion carries over to what women earn, contributing to that gender gap in pay.

We Should Double Year-End Associate Bonuses

Hugh A. Simons| October 16, 2018

The case for preempting another round of salary increases with something smarter

News

V&E Picks Up Former Head of DOJ Environmental Division as Partner in DC

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 15, 2018

Ronald Tenpas, who comes from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, joined Vinson & Elkins as a partner. He spent 12 years at the DOJ and worked on President Trump's transition team.

News

Litigation Boutique Spins Off From McKool Smith, Promising Innovative Model

Christine Simmons | Xiumei Dong | October 15, 2018

Reichman Jorgensen, with offices in Silicon Valley, Atlanta and New York, is promising to eschew hourly billing and to pay associates on a scale higher than Cravath's.

News

Judge Rejects DeLorean Estate's Claim for 'Back to the Future' Royalties

Charles Toutant | October 15, 2018

A federal judge found the estate for John DeLorean signed over rights to proceeds of the contract with Universal when it settled an earlier lawsuit.

Expert Opinion

Pawternity Leave: Are Employers Barking Up the Wrong Tree With Pet-Based Leave?

Danielle Krauthamer| October 15, 2018

While pawternity leave might have some wondering if employee benefits have gone too far, many employers are embracing the newest trend in employee leave. And this trend may have more legs than initially thought: four to be exact.

News

Four Firms on Combination of Two Offshore Drilling Companies

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 12, 2018

Ensco, based in London, is using Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Slaughter and May, while Houston-based Rowan Companies turned to Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins.

Podcast

One Big Law Attorney’s Journey with Depression, One Firm’s Response to the Profession’s Problem

Leigh Jones | Vanessa Blum | October 12, 2018

A Baker Hostetler lawyer discusses her depression, and Latham & Watkins' COO talks about what her firm is doing to dispel the stigma of mental health challenges.

News

Haynes and Boone Partner Confirmed as Eastern District Federal Judge

John Council | October 12, 2018

The U.S. Senate has approved the nomination of Haynes and Boone partner Jeremy Kernodle as a U.S. district judge in Tyler, bolstering an Eastern District of Texas bench that is loaded with complicated civil cases but doesn’t have nearly enough jurists to hear all of them.

News

Vinson & Elkins Adds Another Leverage Finance Lateral Partner in London

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 12, 2018

Lucy Jenkins, who joined Vinson & Elkins on Wednesday, is the second leveraged finance partner the firm has hired in London recently.

5th Circuit Refuses to Revive Shareholder Lawsuit Against Whole Foods

Michael Booth | October 11, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said that the Employees' Retirement System of the State of Hawaii could not demonstrate that it suffered financial harm when it invested in Whole Foods.

News

'Ever Argue With a Woman?' Florida and Texas Lawyers Fight Over Trademarked Slogan

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 11, 2018

Florida lawyer Melissa Wilson sued San Antonio lawyer Heather Clement Tessmer and her firm over use of a slogan that's similar to the trademarked one that Wilson holds.

News

Intel Targeted Over Alleged Misuse of Sanyo Patents in Del. Lawsuit

Tom McParland | October 11, 2018

A dispute over a cross-licensing agreement between two major electronics manufacturers has spilled over into the Delaware Court of Chancery, with Sanyo Electronic Co. accusing Intel Corp. of improperly claiming the rights to its intellectual property.

News

Insurance Litigation Balloons in Insurer-Friendly Federal Courts, Report Finds

Greg Land | October 11, 2018

A new report found major increases in homeowner, automobile and most other types of insurance disputes filed in federal court, where insurers are significantly more likely to prevail over claimants.

News

SureShot Whiffs at 5th Circuit in Antitrust Case Against Topgolf

John Council | October 11, 2018

SureShot, a Texas-based company formed in 2014, had hopes of competing with Topgolf by opening a golf-focused sports bar entertainment facilities.

News

Think Big Law Is Your Ticket to Success? These 4 Big-Company GCs Came From a Midsize Firm in Texas

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 11, 2018

The general counsel of General Motors, Chevron Phillips Chemical, LyondellBasell Industries, and American Air Liquide Holdings all once worked at the now-shuttered litigation boutique Beirne, Maynard & Parsons.

News

Jury Awards $10.6M to Mother Who Lost Arm in Minivan Crash

Max Mitchell | October 11, 2018

The jury awarded the money as compensatory damages last week after eight months of trial before Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Lisa Rau.

When it Comes to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Support in Legal, What About the Staff?

Erin Hichman | October 11, 2018

While law firm staff are a part of the same “toxic” environment as attorneys, mental health and substance abuse support and resources available to them are not.

News

Complaining About Justices' Campaign Contributions Gets Lawyer Referred for Bar Discipline

John Council | October 10, 2018

Dallas' Fifth Court of Appeals has referred a McKinney attorney to the State Bar of Texas for possible disciplinary action after he filed a recusal motion against two justices questioning the timing of campaign contributions they received from two political action committees.

News

Labaton Agrees to Pay $4.8M to Settle Special Master's Overbilling Inquiry

Amanda Bronstad | October 10, 2018

Labaton acknowledged it should have disclosed a $4.1 million referral payment and agreed to make several internal changes.

Expert Opinion

An Inside Job: Business Development for Associates

Jay Harrington| October 10, 2018

Instead of focusing on solving the problems of someone outside of the firm, find opportunities to serve someone within the firm and impress an influential partner.

News

Federal Circuit Judge Wants to Rethink 'Natural Phenomena' Case Law

Scott Graham | October 10, 2018

Judge Kathleen O'Malley says the court has been too broadly applying the Supreme Court's Myriad decision for the last four years.

Commentary

Stopping Problem Representations Before They Start

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| October 10, 2018

The practice of law is also a business. Attorneys have to attract and retain clients who pay their bills in order to keep the practice afloat. Sometimes,…

News

Fort Worth Judge Sues Fellow Jurist Over Facebook Posts

John Council | October 09, 2018

Diane Scott Haddock alleges that she was subjected to “public and private badgering, threats, back-biting, undermining and maligning” because she refused a direct command from Fort Worth's 360th District Court Judge Patricia Baca-Bennett to prevent her husband from engaging in political activity.

News

Even as President, Trump May Face Civil Suit in NY Courts, Law Professors Aim to Argue

Dan M. Clark | October 09, 2018

A group of law professors who argued two decades ago that former President Bill Clinton should not be immune to a civil lawsuit in federal court are now asking to make the same argument against President Donald Trump in New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood’s lawsuit against the Trump Foundation.

News

Women-Owned Law Firms Surge Amid Gender Disparity in the Profession

Angela Morris| October 09, 2018

By founding their own firms, women are crafting new game rules that provide for fair compensation, equal promotions, full inclusion and better career development opportunities.

News

Facebook, 3 Other Social Networks Hit With Patent Suits

Scott Graham | October 08, 2018

An IP Valuation Partners affiliate is asserting patents recently acquired from Intellectual Ventures against Facebook, Instagram, Snap and Foursquare Labs.

News

Dallas Appellate Boutique Hankinson LLP Ends 10-Year Run

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 08, 2018

Founding partner Deborah Hankinson, a former justice on the Texas Supreme Court, and four other lawyers at the firm have gone their separate ways.

News

Litigator of the Week: Dallas Attorney Convinces Houston Federal Judge Not to Grant Class Cert Against AT&T

John Council | October 08, 2018

And to win that ruling, Thad Behrens had to best Tony Buzbee, one of Texas’ most successful trial attorneys, who represents the plaintiffs in the case.

News

Suits Against Harvard and NYU Law Reviews Claim Racial, Gender Preferences

Karen Sloan | October 08, 2018

A Texas-based group called Faculty, Alumni, and Students Opposed to Racial Preferences argues the diversity policies of the schools' law reviews violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

News

Texas Judge Overturns Landmark Law Favoring Indian Tribes in Native American Child Adoptions

John Council | October 08, 2018

A Texas federal judge has declared that the Indian Child Welfare Act, a landmark law that places preference in the adoption of Native American children…

Newsmakers: Week of Oct. 8

Mary Alice Salmon| October 08, 2018

Billy Edwards, a partner in the Edwards Law Firm in Corpus Christi and counsel with the Davis Law Firm in San Antonio, has been inducted into the International…

Commentary

Well, That Was Awful

Jenna Greene | October 08, 2018

The fight over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court was stomach-churning and angry and sad, and it’s left the high court further politicized.

Infographic

Data Snapshot: Is Big Law Boosting Its Pro Bono?

Nicholas Bruch, Director, ALM Intelligence | Ben Hancock | October 08, 2018

Attorneys at the nation's largest law firms gave more of their time to pro bono matters than ever. Jenner & Block led the way.

News

Sidley, Kirkland Score Roles on Two Big Corporate Bankruptcies

Brian Baxter | October 05, 2018

American Tire and Mattress Firm have turned to both Am Law 100 firms for counsel on their restructuring efforts.

News

Trio of Health Care Partners Unite at Katten's Dallas Office

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 05, 2018

Three Dallas health care lawyers who worked at separate firms but have known each other for years planned their move together.

Commentary

Addressing #MeToo Transgressions Begins By Admitting We Have a Problem—A Problem That Implicates All of Us

Jim Dolan| October 05, 2018

"We" are the men who are not #MeToo transgressors, but who still refuse to the see the problem. We try to absolve our responsibility by saying things like "boys will be boys." We minimize complaints. We avert our gaze.

News

US Lawyers Spend Only 30 Percent of Workday on Billable Hours, Report Says

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 05, 2018

So what are they doing the rest of the day?

News

Baker Botts Nabs Herbert Smith Freehills Partner in Saudi Arabia

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 04, 2018

Euan Pinkerton, a project finance specialist with experience in energy, joined Baker Botts as a partner in Riyadh.

News

Brace Yourselves, PACER-Like Systems Are Coming This Winter

Angela Morris| October 04, 2018

The Texas Supreme Court took the next step in expanding re:SearchTX, which grants access to state court records electronically filed anywhere in Texas.

News

Houston Man Gets Life in Prison for Scheme Involving Attempted Murder of Austin Judge

John Council | October 03, 2018

A Houston man has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a racketeering scheme that involved the attempted assassination of an Austin state…

News

Jenny Martinez Moves to Dallas Trial Firm Munck Wilson Mandala

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 03, 2018

Jenny Martinez leaves Godwin Bowman & Martinez, where she was a name partner, to join 65-lawyer trial firm Munck Wilson Mandala in Dallas.

News

Texas Appeals Court Rules Attorney Did Not Waive Arbitration by Delaying Litigation With Ex-Clients

John Council | October 02, 2018

Dallas' Fifth Court of Appeals has reversed a decision denying arbitration to a lawyer in a lawsuit brought by two ex-clients who allege the attorney…

News

Susman Godfrey to Give All Associates Unlimited Paid Parental Leave

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 02, 2018

The firm, which often has led Big Law with its generous wage and benefit plans, is now offering associates a longer paid parental leave policy that is gender-neutral.

News

When Considering Pay, GC Jobs at Big Texas Companies Were a Good Bet in 2017

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | October 02, 2018

Pay packages for general counsel at 52 large Texas companies in 2017 increased on average by 9.9 percent compared with 2016.

Ex-Novak Druce Associate Sues Polsinelli in Standoff Over Fees

Ryan Lovelace | October 02, 2018

Dueling lawsuits in Washington and Texas pit former associate Jose Antonio Arochi against a quartet of Polsinelli partners, including former name partners at Novak Druce.

News

Fifth Circuit Reverses Part of Lawyer's Sanction Because It Would Force His Return to Law School

John Council | October 01, 2018

“To do this, he would presumably need to take the LSAT, apply, and be admitted to a law school,” the Fifth Circuit wrote in a per curiam decision. “He would then likely need to suspend his law practice—12 hours of classes would almost make Luttrell a fulltime student.”

News

New-to-Texas Health Care Network Names Its Next GC

Kristen Rasmussen | October 01, 2018

Steward Health Care, which touts itself as the nation’s largest private, for-profit physician-led health care network, announced Monday that longtime Boston health care and employment law attorney Herb Holtz will lead the company’s legal department and serve on its leadership team.

Analysis

Big Law Leaders Say Stress Is Main Cause of Addiction and Mental Health Problems

Patrick Krill| October 01, 2018

Stress is a common experience for lawyers, and if the go-to solution for coping with it is drinking or using drugs, they are setting themselves up for trouble.

Newsmakers: Week of Oct. 1

Mary Alice Salmon| October 01, 2018

Shannon H. Ratliff, a shareholder in Davis, Gerald & Cremer in Austin, was recognized by the State Bar of Texas board of directors with a resolution.…

News

Meet the CLO at Waste Management, Charles Boettcher

Kristen Rasmussen | October 01, 2018

The top lawyer at the national waste management environmental services company based in Houston talks with Texas Lawyer about everything from the make-up of his department to what he does when he's not in the office.

Newsmakers: October 2018

Mary Alice Robbins| October 01, 2018

Biggest legal moves and honors around the state for October.

Infographic

Data Snapshot: Big Law Made Millions in Foreign Lobbying Last Year

Ben Hancock | October 01, 2018

Newly aggregated data show that two dozen firms in the Am Law 200 raked in big sums lobbying for Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and entities from a host of other countries.

Commentary

5 Oral Communication Clichés Re-Imagined

Michael P. Maslanka| September 30, 2018

I strive to transform clichéd and tired sounding truths—made so by well-meaning yet constant repetition—into vibrant and accessible ones. So here are five truths re-imagined.

Texas Law Schools Ranked by Affordability

Angela Morris| September 30, 2018

As a new crop of prospective law students studies vigorously for the Law School Admission Test in pursuit of high scores, there’s another set of…

Commentary

More Disorder in the Court

John G. Browning| September 30, 2018

Our courts deal with the most serious of issues every day, making what in some cases are literally life or death decisions. So you can imagine how welcome…

News

Half-Dozen Big Law Firms Advise on Chemical, Beverage Deals

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 28, 2018

Wachtell, Weil, V&E, Skadden, Gibson Dunn and Cleary Gottlieb are handling a pair of big transactions with Texas ties.

News

Attempt to Recover Attorney Fees for Loss of Dogs Rebuffed by Appeals Court

John Council | September 28, 2018

In Palfreyman v. Gaconnet, Houston’s Fourteenth Court of Appeals focused on § 38.001 (6) of the Texas Civil Practices & Remedies Code, an obscure law that allows people to recover attorney fees if their claim concerns “killed or injured stock.”

Podcast

Beyond the Buzzwords: Getting Real About Law Firm Innovation

Leigh Jones | Vanessa Blum | September 28, 2018

Law.com senior reporter Karen Sloan talks with Michele DeStefano, author of  “Legal Upheaval: A Guide to Creativity, Collaboration, and Innovation in Law," about the ways that law firms need to evolve, and how they can get there.

October 2018 Issue

Texas Lawyer| September 28, 2018

October 2018

News

Kavanaugh Classmate Mark Judge Willing to Cooperate With FBI, His Lawyer Says

Ellis Kim | September 28, 2018

“If the FBI or any law enforcement agency requests Mr. Judge’s cooperation, he will answer any and all questions posed to him,” said Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder, an attorney for Mark Judge, a former classmate and friend of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Task Force to Study How to Develop, Implement Statewide Courthouse Security Access Badge

Mary Alice Salmon| September 28, 2018

  Lawyers tired of standing in long lines to pass through metal detectors to enter county courthouses around Texas can take heart. On Sept.…

Commentary

What Does Asylum Look Like in a Changing World?

Amber Gracia| September 28, 2018

The recent changes to asylum law, both on the books and on the ground, are driving the current state of U.S. asylum policy even further away from the spirit of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

News

Were San Antonio Lawyers Conflicted Out of Representing Convicted Judge?

John Council | September 28, 2018

On appeal the government argued that even if Angus McGinty’s attorneys were constitutionally deficient, he waived his right to nonconflicted counsel.

News

Winston & Strawn Names New Houston Head, Aims to Expand Energy Transactional Practice

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 27, 2018

Douglas Atnipp, who joined the firm in January, is the new managing partner of its Houston office.

News

Excessive Force Claims Over Teen's Shooting Withstand Second Trip to Fifth Circuit

John Council | September 27, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has declined for a second time to dismiss excessive force claims against two Sachse police officers accused of wrongfully shooting a teenage boy.

News

Atlanta, Austin Lead the Way for Legal Industry Jobs, Study Says

Dan Packel | September 27, 2018

Real estate giant CBRE also thinks the time is ripe for firms to revive moves to consolidate administrative functions at what it calls "centers of excellence."

News

IP at the Supreme Court: A Quiet—but Possibly Busy—Year

Scott Graham | September 26, 2018

Teasing out the America Invents Act continues to be a focus. But don't be surprised if trademark and copyright figure prominently in the mix.

News

Energy Companies Continue to Recover from Downturn, Law Firms Stand to Gain

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 26, 2018

Haynes and Boone's Latest Energy Roundup says the number of bankruptcy filings by energy companies has declined.

News

Decision in ABA's Fight Over Texas Pro Bono Loan Forgiveness Yet to Come

Karen Sloan | September 26, 2018

The American Bar Association and the U.S. Department of Education were in court Wednesday, but a federal judge did not issue a ruling on whether or not ABA employees qualify for public service loan forgiveness.

News

Texas Supreme Court to Weigh Ethics of Lawyer's Role in Elderly Woman's Guardianship Case

John Council | September 26, 2018

The Texas Supreme Court will soon decide whether a lawyer should be disqualified from a contested guardianship case involving an 88-year-old woman because he helped his legal assistant get a $350,000 loan from the woman, wrote her will, and later helped his employee be appointed as her guardian.

News

Winging It No Longer, Law Firms Bring in the Diversity Professionals

Meghan Tribe | September 26, 2018

With prominent partners leaving to start their own inclusion-focused ventures, and more law firms adding chief diversity officers to their management ranks, advancing diversity is becoming serious business.

Commentary

5 Things You Need to Realize About Your Realization Rate

Alexander M. Geisler| September 26, 2018

Don't ignore your realization rate, take control. Need a reason? It matters a lot to the people who determine your pay.

News

Lawyer Sues Pagel Davis for Nonpayment of Referral Fees

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 26, 2018

Houston lawyer John Lunstroth sues Pagel, Davis & Hill, alleging the Houston firm stopped paying him a share of fees generated by clients he brought to the firm.

News

ABA, Dept. of Education Battle Over Loan Forgiveness

Karen Sloan | September 25, 2018

The American Bar Association says a pro bono project that represents detained immigrants in Texas is facing problems after the U.S. Department of Education said ABA employees don't qualify for public service loan forgiveness.

Commentary

Partners and Associates Have Obligations

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| September 25, 2018

These duties can be particularly complex when one attorney has concerns about whether another attorney at the firm is acting ethically.

Newsmakers: Week of Sept. 24

Mary Alice Salmon| September 25, 2018

Jonathan R. Smith recently joined Cherry Petersen Landry Albert in Dallas as a partner.

Commentary

When Worried About Collusion, Insist on Independent Counsel

Syed S. Ahmad and Cary D. Steklof| September 25, 2018

A recent Fifth Circuit case highlights significant coverage implications for insureds that can arise under these circumstances

News

Sheppard Mullin Bags 3-Lawyer IP Team From Baker Botts

Xiumei Dong | September 24, 2018

After stints at three other Am Law 100 firms, Harper Batts is leading a team to Sheppard Mullin in Silicon Valley.

News

Video Game Companies in Copyright Battle Royale

Scott Graham | September 24, 2018

Sidley and Quinn Emanuel square off in a high-stakes fight that could make new law on the look and feel of games.

News

4 Texas Firms Among the Highest Grossing in the World

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 24, 2018

The American Lawyer's 2018 Global 100 includes the 100 top law firms from around the world ranked by gross revenue.

News

5th Circuit Tosses $2.3 Million Award to Former Inmate Over 'Brady' Violation

John Council | September 24, 2018

The decision involves the 2005 detention of George Alvarez, a 17-year-old special-education student who had been arrested by Brownsville police for public intoxication and burglary of a motor vehicle.

News

UK Firm HFW Makes First U.S. Lateral Hire—a Houston Energy Lawyer

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 24, 2018

Holman Fenwick & Willan, based in the United Kingdom, moved into the U.S. market in January 2017 by merging with Houston's Legge, Farrow, Kimmitt, McGrath & Brown.

Research

Big Law Leaders Say Stigma Comes With Addiction and Mental Health Problems

Patrick Krill| September 24, 2018

The challenge for firm management is to increase lawyers' and support staff's comfort with seeking help.

Nearly 2,000 Female Lawyers Voice Support for Christine Blasey Ford

Tony Mauro | September 24, 2018

Mothers in the legal profession from Big Law and other firms, government agencies and higher ed joined en masse to support the Kavanaugh accuser.

Infographic

Data Snapshot: Is Big Law Making Progress On Gender Diversity?

Nicholas Bruch, Director, ALM Intelligence | Ben Hancock | September 24, 2018

There may have been some change in the representation of women at major law firms over the past five years, but it has been slow going.

News

GCs May Want to Take a Page From Mark Cuban's Playbook on Handling Crisis

Sue Reisinger | September 21, 2018

An independent investigation's 43-page report on the Dallas Mavericks could hold important lessons for GCs, along with at least one key piece of advice for company owners - hire a general counsel.

News

Litigator of the Week: Houston Attorney Wins $44M Verdict in Refinery Accident Trial

John Council | September 21, 2018

Pretrial settlements in industrial accident cases can work against plaintiffs when it comes time to try a case before a jury, making it easier for the defense to shift blame to a party that has already left the litigation. That dynamic is what Houston lawyer Vuk Vujasinovic was up against recently as he convinced a Jefferson County jury to hit a Beaumont crane company with a $44 million verdict in a wrongful death case.

Commentary

The Alphabet Soup of Regulators in the Crypto Space Just Added a Few More Letters

Robert Long and Ross A. Williams| September 21, 2018

OFAC, the Office of Foreign Asset Control, appears to be getting in on the crypto regulatory action. OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.

News

Amid Kavanaugh Clash, Law Profs Say Appearance Has No Place in Clerkship Recruiting

Karen Sloan | September 21, 2018

If Yale Law professor Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld really did counsel students that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh prefers female clerks with conventional good looks, then the professors failed in their role to look out for students' best interests, academics said.

News

Blank Rome Adds Bankruptcy and Restructuring Practice in Houston

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 20, 2018

James Grogan, who spent nearly a decade at Paul Hastings, said he is hoping to add more lawyers in Houston and expand the practice there.

News

ABA Guidance Details Obligations After Hurricanes, Other Disasters

Scott Flaherty | September 20, 2018

The bar association's standing committee on ethics and professional responsibility published a formal ethics opinion related to disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and fires, reminding lawyers of their specific ethical obligations when severe weather hits.

News

Jay Edelson Rejects Objector Lawyer's Offer to Stop Practicing Law

Amanda Bronstad | September 19, 2018

The opposed motion goes before U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer at a hearing on Thursday in Chicago.