Did Six-Month Delay Doom Insurer’s Appraisal Demand?

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 14, 2018

FCS LEGAL This story is reprinted with permission from FC&S Legal, the industry’s only comprehensive digital resource designed for insurance coverage…

News

'Unauthorized' Removal in Asylum Case Draws Judge's Ire, Sparks Procedure Review

Ellis Kim | August 13, 2018

“While we were in the air, no one told me anything about what was happening. It was not until we landed in my home country that an official asked me my name and whether I was appealing my case," the plaintiff recounted in a declaration filed Monday.

Commentary

Tips for Protecting Confidential Documents and Records

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| August 13, 2018

Attorneys learn client confidences as part of the attorney-client relationship. An attorney who discloses client confidences and secrets may face discipline…

News

McGuireWoods Lands a Couple (Literally) of New Litigators

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 10, 2018

Meghaan Madriz and Yasser Madriz, who practiced together at Haynes and Boone, have moved to McGuireWoods' Houston office.

News

State Bar of Texas Subcommittee to Interview Five President-Elect Hopefuls

Mary Alice Salmon| August 10, 2018

Five applicants for State Bar of Texas president-elect will have an opportunity later this month to convince a bar panel that they should be nominated…

News

Billion-Dollar Energy Deals Fuel More Work for Firms

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 10, 2018

Baker Botts, Davis Polk, Latham and Vinson & Elkins are among the law firms fueling up on Gulf of Mexico and Permian Basin energy deals announced this week.

Commentary

Mitigating Energy Litigation Where Gaps in Jurisprudence Exist

Dan Donovan, Ragan Naresh and Alexandra Caritis| August 10, 2018

While oil and gas litigation is now back on the Appalachian court dockets, gaps in the jurisprudence could lead to potential pitfalls for the unwary.

Podcast

Think Like a Waiter … and Other Tips for Making It in Big Law

Vanessa Blum | Leigh Jones | August 10, 2018

Legal recruiter Richard Hsu, host of the podcast Hsu Untied, shares his takeaways for getting hired, finding mentors and handling rejection.

Commentary

This One Psychological Term Could Be Responsible for a Lot of the Strife in Law and Life

James H. Dolan| August 10, 2018

Lawyers would do well to grasp the process of splitting, because law practice is based on it. It is so thoroughly ingrained in the legal mindset that it becomes habitual, and is applied to all problems, not just those in legal work.

News

EEOC Accuses United Airlines of Enabling Pilot's Sexual Harassment

Erin Mulvaney | August 09, 2018

"Employers have an obligation to take steps to stop sexual harassment in the workplace when they learn it is occurring through cyber-bullying via the internet and social media," an EEOC lawyer said in a statement.

News

Texas AG Teams With Baron & Budd to Recover $123M in Medicaid Fraud Settlements

John Council | August 09, 2018

“The politics really didn’t matter,” Baron & Budd partner Scott Simmer added. “This was about protecting the Texas Medicaid program.”

Commentary

Perspective From the Ground: Many Immigrant Families Are Fleeing Violence, Not Pursuing Economic Opportunity

T. Clark Weymouth and Amy Roma| August 09, 2018

To suggest that most migrants are coming to the United States for economic reasons is both uninformed and dangerous.

News

RBG Action Figure Launched Through Copious Crowdfunding

Angela Morris| August 09, 2018

The doll's features include the justice’s signature jabot, righteous robe and a hardwood gavel "to bring order to your life."

News

Houston Judge Issues Order Granting Pregnant Lawyers Automatic Trial Stays

John Council | August 08, 2018

Judge Ravi Sandill said he came up with the idea after reading about a pregnant Florida lawyer whose motion for continuance sparked controversy last month after her opposing counsel objected to it.

News

Houston Attorney Settles Suit Alleging He Mishandled Divorce

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 08, 2018

The lawsuit against Houston criminal defense lawyer Paul Nugent had been pending since 2015.

Expert Opinion

It’s Never Too Early for Associates to Build a Personal Brand

Jay Harrington| August 08, 2018

Before a lawyer ever has a chance to meet prospective clients face-to-face, those potential clients will have vetted their options based upon what they learn online.

Want to Improve Your Trial Skills? Be Cognizant of the Clock

David K. Bissinger| August 08, 2018

Lawyers, penned up in their offices, are poor candidates for entertaining twelve strangers when those strangers have become accustomed to the instant gratification every juror has available on a mobile device.

News

After a Century in Dallas, Muni Bond Firm Tacks on Houston Office

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 07, 2018

Leading U.S. municipal bond firm McCall, Parkhurst & Horton said it finally found the "right lawyers" for a Houston launch, including a 40-year veteran of Norton Rose Fulbright.

News

Ninth Circuit Allows Mexican Mother to Sue US Border Patrol Agent Over Cross-Border Killing

John Council | August 07, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled in a split decision that a U.S. Border Patrol agent can be sued after he shot and killed a Mexican teenager while standing on American soil.

News

In Hot Lateral Market, Some Lawyers Forced to Cool Their Heels

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 07, 2018

It's not just Kirkland & Ellis. Contractual 'hold' provisions have recently delayed lateral moves in Texas to Gibson Dunn, Sidley Austin and Shearman & Sterling.

News

Mikal Watts Wants One-Third of Expected $500M Fee in Corn Settlement

Amanda Bronstad | August 06, 2018

Texas plaintiffs attorney Mikal Watts is asking for at least $150 million in legal fees from the $1.5 billion settlement with Syngenta AG, citing his firm's “unique position in this litigation.”

News

Appeals Court Allows Paralegal to Sue Houston Lawyer Over BP Oil Spill Case Work

John Council | August 06, 2018

After ruling that a paralegal’s alleged deal to split fees with a Houston lawyer for clients he brought in connection with the 2010 BP Deepwater…

News

New Houston Law Center Program Seeks to Ward Off Common Post-Hurricane Legal Problems

Angela Morris| August 06, 2018

Students will get a chance to represent some clients seeking to resolve their legal issues. The program also includes community workshops and presentations aimed to get the public prepared for future disasters.

News

Dallas Firm to Close Its Doors As Akerman Advances

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 06, 2018

Akerman's latest hires in Dallas mean the end of the line for 30-year-old McElree Smith.

What Practitioners Need to Know About Arbitration Class Waivers

Alan Bush| August 06, 2018

Both President Donald Trump and #MeToo swung for the fences on the same issue: employee arbitration. Here’s the box score.

News

Cuomo: NY State Files Motion to Dismiss NRA Bid to Upend Insurance Edict

Dan M. Clark | August 03, 2018

The new motion to dismiss is in response to an amended complaint filed by the NRA last month.

The Texas Top 100: Firms Moving Into Texas Market Grow Significantly in 2017

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 03, 2018

Winston & Strawn, which added a Dallas office in 2017 to its existing Houston office, grew by 120.5 percent in Texas last year.

News

Objector Should Get Fees in Southwest Airlines Drink Voucher Settlement, Appeals Court Says

Amanda Bronstad | August 03, 2018

A federal appeals court sided with an objector who sought fees in a settlement over drink vouchers on Southwest Airlines—but issued a stern warning to the lawyers to end the case.

News

Probate Judge's Alleged Affair With Opposing Lawyer Exposes Estate Judgment to Challenge

John Council | August 03, 2018

The Texas Court of Appeals has ruled that the losing party in a multimillion-dollar estate dispute can challenge the final judgment in that case based on allegations that the Dallas probate judge who presided over it had an “undisclosed personal relationship” with an opposing lawyer during the litigation.

News

Deal Wrap: Texas Energy Deals Keep Big Firms Busy This Summer

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 03, 2018

Three multibillion-dollar energy deals involving Texas companies are expected to close by year-end.

Podcast

Why This Quinn Emanuel Litigator (and His Corporate Clients) Are Fighting for LGBT Workers

Vanessa Blum | Leigh Jones | August 03, 2018

While the movement for marriage equality captured the public’s attention, New York litigator Todd Anten says the push for workplace equality is unfinished business.

Newsmakers: Week of August 6, 2018

Mary Alice Salmon| August 03, 2018

Paul Leslie has rejoined Dallas-based Estes Thorne & Carr as a partner focused on health care regulatory compliance and litigation. Leslie was…

News

Lawyer's $100 Million Defamation Case May Force Texas Anti-SLAPP Law Shakeout

John Council | August 02, 2018

For nearly seven years, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has managed to avoid answering a vital First Amendment question: Can Texas’ Anti-SLAPP statute be used to defeat defamation claims filed in federal courts?

Commentary

A Texas 2L and His 3-D Guns + More Summer Fun!

Vivia Chen | August 02, 2018

Look what you can do while you're in law school: Develop weaponry! Also, Don McGahn apparently is in the dumps. And, the dimwitted need not apply to law school right now.

Can Collusion Create Insurer’s Duty to Defend? In Texas, Apparently So.

Steven A. Meyerowitz, Esq., Director, FC&S Legal| August 02, 2018

An appellate court in Texas has issued a decision that suggests that an insured actually can collude with others for the purpose of requiring the insured’s insurance carrier to provide a defense to a lawsuit against the insured.

News

Kean Miller Expands With Acquisition of Dupuis & Polozola

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 01, 2018

New Kean Miller partner Jimmy Dupuis said the work Dupuis & Polozola lawyers handle for energy clients is very complementary to Kean Miller's practice.

News

Appellate Lawyer of the Week: Houston Attorney Revives Legal Malpractice Case

John Council | August 01, 2018

Houston legal malpractice lawyer Lance Kassab says he’s a regular customer at Texas’ courts of appeal for one big reason: Trial court judges tend…

Expert Opinion

Busy Schedule, Counselor? Just Add Water (and Veggies and Protein)

Jonathan Jordan| August 01, 2018

Most of us don’t realize how poor our diets really are. And the hard truth is that even if you are finding time to exercise, you can’t exercise away a poor diet.

News

AT&T Case 'Will Shape the Future,' DOJ Tells DC Circuit in Opening Brief

Ellis Kim | August 01, 2018

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday filed its opening brief in the D.C. Circuit. Here’s a look at the Justice Department team fighting to revive its legal challenge to the AT&T-Time Warner merger.

August 2018 Issue

Texas Lawyer| August 01, 2018

August 2018

Lawyers Aren't Immune to Those 'Wanna Get Away' Moments

John G. Browning| August 01, 2018

Remember the Southwest Airlines advertising campaign featuring people caught in embarrassing or awkward situations calling for a quick exit—followed…

Commentary

5 Practical Strategies to Bring Discovery Costs Under Control

Eric Willis| August 01, 2018

Corporate law department management is quickly changing into a business process. General counsel and team need to accommodate tightening budgets and…

Cautious Optimism Over the Increasingly Prevalent Alternative Fee Arrangements

Edward M. Slaughter, S. Christopher Collier and Michael Arndt| August 01, 2018

While we celebrate the innovation and look forward to working under alternative fee arrangements more often, the death knell for billable hours hasn’t sounded yet.

News

NRA Claims Economic Hardship in Complaint Over Cuomo's Directive to Insurers

Dan M. Clark | July 31, 2018

The NRA said in a recent filing that without injunctive relief, it could soon be forced to cut services for its members, like the group’s livestream television channel or various print publications.

News

Retirement? Not for Houston Trial Lawyer Ken Tekell and Former Exxon Mobil GC Jack Balagia

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 31, 2018

Jack Balagia, who retired from Exxon Mobil Corp. in November 2016, and Ken Tekell, who practiced at Tekell, Book, Allen & Morris in Houston for 52 years, are together at Balagia & Tekell.

News

Federal Judge to Consider Temporary Restraining Order on 3D-Printed Guns

Dan M. Clark | July 31, 2018

A federal judge in Washington is expected to rule on a request for a TRO from nine state attorneys general, including New York AG Barbara Underwood, who sought in a lawsuit on Monday to permanently stop those files from being shared online.

Commentary

Employing Healthy Billing Practices

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| July 31, 2018

Lawyers often complain about the business side of running a law practice, particularly when it comes to issuing invoices and collecting fees. Some…

Houston Law Grads Discuss Juggling Classes While Raising Families

Angela Morris| July 31, 2018

Texas Lawyer spoke with Brown and emailed Champs for advice for other law students about juggling a strict schedule, coping with overwhelming demands, and tapping into their inner strength and resiliency.

News

ABA to Overhaul Law School Accreditation Process With Major Reorganization

Karen Sloan | July 31, 2018

The ABA's Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar plans to dissolve its accreditation and standards review committees in a bid the streamline law school accreditation and save money.

News

Why You Should Take a Vacation From Your Phone. And Why You Probably Won't.

Angela Morris| July 31, 2018

There's a wider recognition within the legal profession that true downtime for lawyers is crucial. The trick is to actually take it.

The Stories Behind Two Houston-Area Law Graduates Whose Social Posts Went Viral and Inspired a Country

Angela Morris| July 31, 2018

Two Houston-area mothers defied tough odds to succeed in law school—and inspire the country.

Five Golden Opportunities That Come Only With Experience

Michael P. Maslanka| July 31, 2018

This month, I turn 65. At this milestone, I’d like to share five beliefs I now hold. Let me add: This is not, I hope, my "Last Lecture." Those decisions are well above my pay grade. So, join me in looking in life’s rear-view mirror.

Should Jerry Be Worried?

Micah Dortch and Maryssa Simpson| July 31, 2018

The recent Reggie Bush injury award in Missouri raises interesting questions about premises liability claims and athletes as plaintiffs.

Meet the CLO at USAA, Deneen Donnley

Kristen Rasmussen | July 31, 2018

The top lawyer at the Fortune 100 company that provides a full range of financial products and services to U.S. military members and veterans talks with Texas Lawyer about everything from the make-up of her department to what she does when she's not in the office.

News

Weil Holding Departing Dallas Counsel to 6-Month Notice Period

Roy Strom | July 30, 2018

A newly promoted counsel at Weil, Gotshal & Manges is effectively on “garden leave” as the firm takes the unusual position of enforcing a notice period that exists in its employment agreement with certain lawyers.

News

Houston In-House Lawyer Jumps to Foley Gardere

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 30, 2018

Neal Bakare, who worked in-house at Macquarie Bank in Houston for seven years, joined Foley Gardere to do finance and energy work.

News

Texas Appeals Court Rules Georgia Hip-Hop Artist Can Be Sued in Houston

John Council | July 30, 2018

A Texas Court of Appeals has ruled that a music production company can sue an Atlanta-based hip-hop artist for breach of contract in a Houston state…

News

Number of Law School Applicants Surges, Especially Among High Scorers

Karen Sloan | July 30, 2018

At the same time, the Law School Admission Council is increasing the number of LSAT test dates from six to 10 and will move to a computerized version of the exam in the spring of 2019.

Expert Opinion

California Consumer Privacy Act Elevates Austin as Prime Tech Destination

Ryan McConnell and Meagan Baker| July 30, 2018

Companies doing business in California turn their nose at the CCPA at their own peril.

News

Oil and Energy Company Ziyen Taps New GC

Kristen Rasmussen | July 30, 2018

Dean Holter also will serve as the chief financial officer at the Scottish-American company, which is focused on "delivering 100 percent energy independence to the U.S."

Newsmakers: Week of July 30, 2018

Mary Alice Salmon| July 30, 2018

Russell Gips has joined Copeland & Rice in Houston as a partner.

News

Akerman Poaches Dallas-Based Cybersecurity Partner from Greenberg Traurig

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 27, 2018

Lori Nugent has handled more than 1,000 data breaches since 2003.

News

Baker Botts, Locke Lord, Foley Gardere Handling $10.8B Energy Deal

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 27, 2018

BHP Billison has agreed to sell its U.S. shale assets in the Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Permian and Fayetteville shales.

Analysis

Two Paths in Court Emerging for Women Suing USC Over Sexual Abuse

Amanda Bronstad | July 27, 2018

So far, nearly 50 lawsuits have been filed against USC and Dr. George Tyndall, the campus gynecologist for more than two decades.

News

Quinn Emanuel Sues Stanford on Behalf of Philanthropy Education Nonprofit

Ross Todd | July 27, 2018

The nonprofit organization behind The Philanthropy Lab, an experiential learning program for college students, has sued Stanford University, one of its first participating schools.

Commentary

In Defense of a White, Middle-Aged Male

Vivia Chen | July 26, 2018

Comparing pregnancies to illnesses and questioning the necessity of a 90-day-plus leave were boneheaded moves for the Shook Hardy partner placed on leave over opposing counsel's continuance request, but they shouldn't make him the poster boy for bad male behavior.

News

Team of 23 Lawyers Mobilized, Helping Hurricane Victims in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 26, 2018

About 200 lawyers applied for 23 positions as fellows working at legal aid organizations assisting victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

News

Look What You Made Him Do: Taylor Swift Sued Over App’s Alleged IP Infringement

Zach Warren | July 26, 2018

Patrick Bénot, CEO and owner of Long Island-based computer consulting services company SwiftLife, says the singer's app The Swift Life infringes upon his company's trademark.

News

Kasowitz, in News Again, Sees Real Estate Litigator Jump to Haynes and Boone

Miriam Rozen | July 25, 2018

“I’ve been here seven business days, but I hit the ground running,” said Emilie Cooper about Haynes and Boone's New York office, which she joined last week after leaving Kasowitz Benson Torres.

News

Austin Lawyer Who Worked for Texas AG Joins Dykema Cox Smith

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 25, 2018

Michael Toth, a former special counsel in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, is also a candidate for a Texas appeals court seat.

News

Attorney Advertising Rule Changes Among Proposals on ABA's Agenda

Scott Flaherty | July 24, 2018

As the American Bar Association gears up for its annual meeting in August, it's set to consider proposed updates to its model ethics rules on lawyer advertising, alongside closely watched proposals related to legal education and the bar group's membership structure.

A Week at the Port Isabel Detention Center

Abiel Garcia, Patricia Herold, Rachel Robertson, and Jordan Rux| July 24, 2018

As part of a nationwide effort by the legal community to provide pro bono legal representation to the parents and children at the southern border, a team of attorneys detail a week at Port Isabel.

News

Greenberg Traurig Adds 2 Corporate Lawyers in Dallas

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 24, 2018

The lateral hires in Dallas add to Greenberg Traurig's strength in private equity and investment management practices.

News

Kirkland Throws Wrench Into $6 Million Patent Judgment

Scott Graham | July 24, 2018

The firm persuaded Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer to reconsider a claim construction originally adopted by her late predecessor on the case.

News

Del. Judge Dismisses Challenge to $325M Energy Industry Merger

Tom McParland | July 23, 2018

The Delaware Court of Chancery has dismissed a shareholder challenge to Earthstone Energy Inc.'s $325 million acquisition of a Texas oil and gas firm in 2016, finding that the deal met business-judgment protections for a conflicted transaction.

News

Bradley Arant Nabs 3 Energy Litigators From Foley Gardere in Houston

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 23, 2018

The lawyers said Bradley Arant is a better fit for their practice, which is rate-sensitive.

News

A Week in South Texas Aiding Refugees: Hogan Lovells Sends Team to an ICE Detention Center

Dan Packel | July 23, 2018

The team of Hogan Lovells professionals spent a week in Dilley, Texas, preparing women and children who fled Central America for their asylum hearings.

News

ABA Doomed to 'Wither on the Vine,' Without Dues Overhaul: Memo

Karen Sloan | July 23, 2018

The American Bar Association hopes that lowering its costs for membership, adding free CLE and curating content to members' individual interests will convince more lawyers to sign up, reversing an ongoing revenue slide.

News

No Tribal Immunity in PTO Proceedings, Federal Circuit Rules

Scott Graham | July 23, 2018

Judge Kimberly Moore's decision ends—at least for now—Allergan's arrangement to shield its patents using the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's immunity.

Brett Kavanaugh's 'Friends': Inside Ex-Kirkland Partner's SCOTUS Briefs

Tony Mauro | July 23, 2018

Kavanaugh was counsel of record in 2000 for a petition on behalf of family members of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez who wanted to keep him in Miami. He also wrote two amicus briefs supporting religious expressions and activity in public places.

Newsmakers: Week of July 23

Mary Alice Salmon| July 23, 2018

  Dick Sayles, co-founder of Sayles Werbner in Dallas, has been named the 2018 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Dallas Bar Association. The…

News

Deal Wrap: Foley Gardere Completes Life-Cycle Representation of Rubber Manufacturer

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 20, 2018

In another recent deal, a Houston-based provider of fracturing services, U.S. Well Services, will go public through a merger with a New York publicly traded special acquisition company.

News

State Bar of Texas Members Being Surveyed on Bar’s Efforts at Transparency

Mary Alice Salmon| July 19, 2018

A survey emailed July 18 to State Bar of Texas members asks them to weigh in on the bar’s transparency efforts after a task force appointed last year to study the issue was allowed to expire in June.

News

Hunton Andrews Kurth Grabs Two Energy Regulatory Lawyers from Vinson & Elkins

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 19, 2018

Myles Reynolds and Tab Urbantke said they were drawn to Hunton Andrews Kurth because the recent merger that created the firm brought together one of the top electric and power practices and one of the top oil and gas practices in the nation.

Texas Supreme Court Clarifies the Need for Separate Jury Questions

Shain Khoshbin and Robin Bechtold| July 19, 2018

Breach-of-contract and fraudulent-inducement claims are ubiquitous in complex business litigation. However, when concurrently seeking relief for breach of contract and fraudulent inducement, the “devil’s in the details” as to how to prepare the jury charge.

News

Winstead and Troutman Sanders End Merger Talks

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | Meredith Hobbs | Christine Simmons | July 18, 2018

A combination of the two firms would have created a firm with almost 1,000 lawyers and gross revenue of $725 million. But too many obstacles stood in the way, sources said.

News

Attorney Responds to Allegations That He Revealed Confidential Information About Ex-Client

Angela Morris| July 18, 2018

A Dallas attorney who has defended himself in a bevvy of attorney disciplinary cases has denied the allegations in two cases filed this year. Eric…

MoFo Energy Lawyers Head to Baker Botts on 2 Coasts

Dan Packel | July 18, 2018

A year after landing MoFo's energy and environment practice group chairman, Baker Botts continues to tap the firm for energy talent, picking up attorneys in San Francisco and New York.

News

Senate Approves Andrew Oldham for Fifth Circuit Seat

Ellis Kim | July 18, 2018

The former clerk for Justice Samuel Alito was approved 50-49.

Commentary

Practicing in Multiple Jurisdictions Ethically

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| July 18, 2018

The modern law practice has provided an opportunity for many attorneys to expand or experiment with niche practices across multiple jurisdictions.…

News

Haynes and Boone Lawyers Convince Federal Judge to Issue TRO to Delay Client's Deportation

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 17, 2018

The lawyers' unusual strategy could be used by other lawyers trying to stop expedited deportations in asylum cases.

News

Federal Housing Finance Agency, 'Not Accountable to the President,' Deemed Unconstitutionally Structured

John Council | July 17, 2018

“The structural insulation of the FHFA Director—who may be appointed by a former President, who cannot be replaced at-will, and who is insulated from Executive Branch oversight—interferes with the President’s ability to fulfill his duties under the Constitution,” the Fifth Circuit majority wrote.

Commentary

Protecting the Privilege of Pre-Merger Communications

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| July 17, 2018

When Company A acquires Company B, in many cases it will also come to share in the attorney-client privilege formerly belonging to Company B. This…

Commentary

How This Fortune 500 GC Is Strengthening Her Law Firm Panel Relationships

A. Verona Dorch| July 17, 2018

Peabody Energy's chief legal officer gives behind-the-scenes insight into what she learned from creating a roster of panel firms and what she thinks of AdvanceLaw's findings on panels through its GC Thought Leaders Experiment.

News

Federal Circuit Cracks Down on RPX Activity at PTAB

Scott Graham | July 16, 2018

The appellate court, in a patent case involving Salesforce, says the PTO is not looking closely enough at whether RPX clients are real parties in interest in inter partes reviews. That could prevent the defensive patent aggregator, and maybe other third parties like it, from bringing IPRs.

News

Dallas Trial Boutique to Close as Munsch Hardt Hires Its Lawyers

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 16, 2018

Four lawyers from McDole Williams of Dallas will join Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr on Aug. 1, adding trial strength as well as patent litigation expertise.

Newsmakers: Week of July 9

Mary Alice Salmon| July 16, 2018

Brian Singleterry, an associate with Cantey Hanger in Fort Worth, is the new chairman of the Tarrant County Bar Association’s Law School. The Bar…

News

Former ABA President Takes on New Diversity Role at Locke Lord

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 16, 2018

Paulette Brown, a senior partner based in Princeton, N.J., has been named Locke Lord's first chief diversity and inclusion officer.

News

Split Court Reverses Order Forcing Catholic Church to Turn Over Documents in Fetal Burial Case

John Council | July 16, 2018

A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has reversed an order that would have forced the Catholic Church to turn over third-party discovery to abortion providers who are challenging a new controversial Texas law requiring fetal burials.

News

Will the $4.7B Talc Verdict Hold Up on Appeal?

Max Mitchell | July 13, 2018

The nearly $4.7 billion verdict that a St. Louis jury handed down Thursday against Johnson & Johnson over its talcum powder was by far the largest verdict seen out of a litigation that has already produced several eye-catching wins for plaintiffs.