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.

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

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.

News

Federal Judge: Prosecutor 'Absurd' for Using Deportation As Reason for Denying Bond in Criminal Case

Angela Morris| September 19, 2018

“Yes, you read that correctly. The government contends that the defendant poses a serious risk of flight because if the undersigned releases him on conditions, the government will remove him from the country,” Magistrate Judge Andrew Austin wrote in the order.

Glassdoor Inc. Urges Texas Justices to Protect Online Anonymity

Erin Mulvaney | September 19, 2018

Major internet technology companies and advocates were backing Glassdoor's arguments urging the Texas Supreme Court, which heard argument Wednesday, to protect the anonymity of online reviews.

News

Walmart's In-House Counsel Tells How the Retail Giant Is Changing Its Legal Ops

Dan Clark | September 18, 2018

Alan Bryan, senior associate general counsel of Walmart Inc., told lawyers at the 15th Annual Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Symposium in Philadelphia why and how the legal department developed its legal operations function to control spending.

News

After 15 Years In-House, Lawyer Jumps to Holland & Knight

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 18, 2018

Toni Nguyen, who joined Holland & Knight in Austin, said she is utilizing her in-house experience and corporate contacts.

News

Is Kirkland Raiding the Big Four?

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 17, 2018

Kirkland & Ellis has picked up two KPMG tax lawyers for its new Dallas office in the past few months.

News

Death Row Inmates Alleging Judge Was 'Impaired' at Trials Lose on Appeal

John Council | September 17, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has turned down the appeals of two death row inmates who argued their convictions should be overturned because their trials were presided over by a disgraced former federal judge whom they allege was “impaired” during their proceedings.

News

Multistate Bar Exam Scores Sink to 34-Year Low, Pass Rates Sag

Karen Sloan | September 17, 2018

Upticks in the average MBE scores in July 2017 and 2016 had fueled hopes of a recovery in bar exam pass rates, but the latest figure indicate otherwise.

News

Deal Wrap: Activity in Shales Keep Lawyers Busy

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 14, 2018

Several of the big Texas deals announced in September involve companies operating in the Permian Basin and other shales.

News

Law Firms Evacuate, Safeguard Data Ahead of Hurricane Florence

Victoria Hudgins | September 14, 2018

As North and South Carolina brace for Hurricane Florence, law firm CIOs and lawyers said preparation and practice for inclement weather are key in protecting client data and law firm tech.

News

Without Ed Hochuli, Who Is the Most Recognizable NFL Lawyer-Referee?

Roy Strom | September 14, 2018

The buff-looking former official and Phoenix litigator retired earlier this year. In order to crown a new champion, we must go to the replay booth.

News

Third Circuit Affirms Reversal of $275M Break-Up Fee in Del. Bankruptcy Case

Tom McParland | September 13, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Thursday upheld a Delaware Bankruptcy Court's decision to block a Florida-based energy company from collecting a $275 million merger termination fee against the bankruptcy estates of Energy Future Holdings Corp. and a subsidiary.

News

Dallas Attorney Kicked Off NRA Case for Failure to Disclose $177K Sanction

John Council | September 13, 2018

A Virginia federal judge has prevented prominent Dallas attorney William Brewer III from representing the NRA in a contract dispute with an insurance company after the lawyer failed to disclose to the court that he was sanctioned for ethical violations in Texas.

News

After Nearly Three-Month Wait to Move, Dallas M&A Lawyer Says He's Hard at Work at Kirkland

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 13, 2018

Kevin Crews had to wait nearly three months after he gave notice to leave Weil, Gotshal & Manges and join Kirkland & Ellis' Dallas office.

News

Nashville-Based Transactions Lawyer Takes Reins at Bradley Arant

Scott Flaherty | September 13, 2018

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings has selected a new leader: Nashville-based Jonathan Skeeters, a transactional lawyer who will now guide the Am Law 200 firm's direction.

News

Higher Law School Tuition Actually Boosts Enrollment, Study Finds

Karen Sloan | September 13, 2018

New research shows that having to pay more for law school doesn't deter applicants and new students. In fact, the opposite is true.

Civil Rights Groups Question DOJ's 'Drastically Changed' Stance in EEOC Case

Erin Mulvaney | September 13, 2018

“It bears emphasizing that the department’s abrupt shift in position on disparate impact liability is exactly that: abrupt and in tension with its own recently held views, including in this very case,” civil rights lawyers said in an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit.

News

Legal Industry Admits It Has a Substance Abuse Problem, But Recovery Won't Come Easy

Ryan Lovelace | September 12, 2018

A new ABA effort suggests more law firms at least acknowledge substance abuse and mental health problems among lawyers.

News

Courthouse Asbestos Claim by Trial Judge's Widow Rejected on Appeal

John Council | September 12, 2018

The case, Jefferson County v. Farris, concerns the death of James Farris, who served as judge of the 317th District Court from 1977 until his retirement in 1996.

News

Gibson Dunn's Ted Olson Registers as Foreign Agent for Saudi Arabia

C. Ryan Barber | September 12, 2018

A three-lawyer Gibson Dunn team discloses their advocacy for Saudi Arabia under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Video

Donald Trump's Tax Returns Get Their Day in the DC Circuit

Mike Scarcella | September 12, 2018

Well, not the returns themselves. Because Trump hasn't released them. But there is a public-records case, set for argument Thursday in the D.C. Circuit, that seeks to force the IRS to disclose the records.

Commentary

Settlement Should Never Be the Only Option

Jonathan Rauchway and James Henderson| September 11, 2018

When confronted with a significant lawsuit, every company, no matter the size or industry, must make a careful assessment of the risks involved in taking the case to trial.

News

Immigration Lawyer Cindy Ansbach Moves to Prominent Dallas Boutique

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 11, 2018

Like the other lawyers at corporate immigration firm JMA Firm, Cindy Kang Ansbach spent years doing immigration work at big firms in Dallas.

Commentary

Conflicts Can Come From Unexpected Places

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| September 11, 2018

Most attorneys are well-versed in navigating traditional conflicts. However, there can be potential conflicts created outside the traditional attorney-client relationship that create greater risks because sometimes they may go unnoticed.

News

Texas Lawyer-Lawmaker, Eyeing Legislative Session, Headed to Jail on Barratry Charges

John Council | September 11, 2018

Five years after his initial indictment for illegally soliciting cases as a lawyer, Texas state Rep. Ron Reynolds recently entered the Montgomery County Jail and began serving a one-year sentence for barratry, though he has vowed to continue fighting the charge.

Newsmakers: Week of Sept. 10, 2018

Mary Alice Salmon| September 11, 2018

Tommy Fibich, founding partner of Fibich Leebron, Copeland & Briggs, will be honored as one of Texas Watch’s heroes at the Houston Champions of Justice luncheon on Nov. 2 at Brennan’s of Houston.

News

Midlevel Associates in Texas More Likely Than U.S. Peers to Stay at Firm the Next Two Years

Ben Hancock | September 10, 2018

Midlevel associates in Dallas and Houston seem more confident about their immediate futures compared to their U.S. peers, according to ALM Intelligence's 2018 Midlevel Associate Survey.

News

Dallas' White Wiggins & Barnes Makes Moves in Africa

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 10, 2018

The expanding Texas firm has opened an office in Johannesburg and inked an affiliation with a Nigerian firm.

News

Appellate Lawyer of the Week: Austin Lawyer Wins by Losing at the Fifth Circuit

John Council | September 10, 2018

“I didn’t think I’d ever have to stand up there and argue that my client should lose,” Kurt Kuhn said.

News

Baker Botts Hires Texas Solicitor General, Moves SCOTUS Practice to DC

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 10, 2018

Baker Botts has hired former Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller, who during his tenure argued 11 appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court.

News

How Lawyers Would Advise the Anonymous NYT Op-Ed Writer (and the White House)

Erin Mulvaney | September 10, 2018

The Trump administration's hunt for the identity of the anonymous NYT op-ed writer raises a host of workplace issues. Should the person lie if he or she is confronted? Are there whistleblower protections?

News

M&A Lawyer Back at Haynes and Boone After Stints as GC and at Small Firm

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 07, 2018

Christina Marshall left Haynes and Boone in early 2015, shortly after she was promoted to partner.

Fewer Legal Jobs for Second Consecutive Month as US Economy Continues Growth Streak

Scott Flaherty | September 07, 2018

The U.S. government's jobs report for August showed a decline in legal services employment for the second straight month.

News

Trump Biographer: Job Security Not Good for Sessions or Mueller

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 06, 2018

David Cay Johnston, a biographer of Donald Trump, and Houston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky talked to Democratic lawyers in Houston about Trump, the U.S. Constitution, and impeachment.

News

Federal Judge Voids Texas Fetal Burial Law

John Council | September 06, 2018

A federal judge has blocked a controversial Texas law from going into effect—one that would have required health care providers to cremate or bury fetal remains—because of the restrictions it would impose on a woman’s legal right to obtain an abortion.

CFPB Suffers Another Appeals Court Loss Over Investigative Authority

C. Ryan Barber | September 06, 2018

"Providing and using public records are not violations of federal law, and the CFPB fails to explain how these activities violate federal consumer law,” the Fifth Circuit said Thursday.

US Justice Department Opens New Front Against EEOC

Erin Mulvaney | September 06, 2018

The U.S. Justice Department told the Fifth Circuit that the department disagrees with a part of the guidance from the EEOC that confronts employer consideration of the criminal histories of job applicants. The clash is the latest between the agencies.

Inside the Kavanaugh Hearing Room, Legal Luminaries and Protests Grab Attention

Ellis Kim | September 05, 2018

The nominee continued to avoid acknowledging most of the protests on Wednesday, looking ahead to directly address the senators.

News

Litigator of the Week: A Rare Murder Conviction of a Police Officer

John Council | September 05, 2018

“I can’t overemphasize this,” Dallas County First Assistant District Attorney Mike Snipes said. “To me ... the case was never a political case. It wasn’t about white vs. black or Democrat vs. Republican. I didn’t do it because of that. I did it for the kid. If you knew the kid like I did, you would love him.”

News

Locke Lord Nabs International Arbitration Partner From Norton Rose Fulbright

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 05, 2018

New partner Paul Neufeld will be based in Houston but will frequently work out of the firm's London office.

News

Dentons Launches New Threat Protection Practice, Citing Global Risks

Dan Packel | September 05, 2018

The international firm's new intelligence and strategic services group draws on over 50 attorneys and security experts and will be led by its chief global security officer.

News

Not Quite 'Just Say No,' but SEC Warns of Risk in Marijuana Investing

C. Ryan Barber | September 05, 2018

“If you are considering investing in a company with operations relating to the marijuana business industry, understand that the company may be criminally prosecuted and this may impact the value of your investment,” the SEC said in a new advisory Wednesday.

News

Litigator Jumps to McKool Smith From Smyser Kaplan & Veselka

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 05, 2018

Anthony J. "Tony" Phillips specializes in compliance and investigations work.

News

From Interior Department to Legal Department: New GC Joins Cox Oil

Kristen Rasmussen | September 05, 2018

Dallas-based Cox Oil announced earlier this week that Vincent DeVito has been named executive vice president and general counsel. He comes to the position from the U.S. Department of the Interior, where he had served as counselor to Secretary Ryan Zinke since April 2017.

Expert Opinion

Beware the ‘Vanity Metric’ When Building Your Professional Network

Jay Harrington| September 05, 2018

In a world in which we’re told to chase more Facebook friends, Instagram and Twitter followers, and LinkedIn connections, it’s easy to lose sight of your network's purpose.

News

Sanctions Climate Forces High-Billing Russian Team to Leave Akin Gump

Dan Packel | September 05, 2018

Ilya Rybalkin, who reportedly had some $20 million in business last year, is launching a 13-lawyer independent firm as a result of a tightening international regulatory landscape.

News

White & Case Hires Tax Lawyer in Houston From Kirkland & Ellis

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | September 04, 2018

Tax lawyer Chad McCormick joined White & Case's new Houston office after practicing for two years at Kirkland & Ellis in Houston and before that at Baker Botts.

News

Ex-Inmate Sues Texas Defense Attorneys After Pleading Guilty on Voided Criminal Statute

John Council | September 04, 2018

A former Texas prison inmate has filed a legal malpractice case against his former criminal defense attorneys, claiming he spent nearly two years in…

News

Weil Relents on 6-Month Holding Period as Counsel Prepares to Join Kirkland

Roy Strom | September 04, 2018

Kevin Crews' dispute with Weil, Gotshal & Manges is over and he will join Kirkland & Ellis this week.

News

Grand Jury Declines to Indict Judicial Candidate Chantal Eldridge

Angela Morris| September 04, 2018

Eldridge faced allegations from a man who claimed she had sex with him back in 2006 when he was 16 and a foreign exchange student living in her home.

Newsmakers: Week of Sept. 3

Mary Alice Salmon| September 04, 2018

  Laura Lee Prather, an Austin partner in Haynes and Boone and head of its media law practice, will receive the 2018 James Madison Award from…

September 2018 Issue

Texas Lawywer| September 01, 2018

September 2018

News

A Year After Harvey, Orrick Public Finance Lawyers Help Prevent Future Flooding in Houston

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 31, 2018

A team of public finance lawyers from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in Houston did pro bono work to help Harris County put on a special bond election that raised $2.5 billion for flood-prevention projects.

The Ironies of Lawyers Getting Ensnared by the Law

John G. Browning| August 31, 2018

With all due respect to Alanis Morissette, the legal system may not be quite like a person who overcomes a fear of flying—only to have his plane crash,…

Commentary

Time is Ticking on International Talent Acquisitions

Stephen P. Pazan| August 31, 2018

For many people, merit-based immigration is most closely associated with the polemic H1-B visa program. There is another proven job creating merit-based…

Commentary

Safeguarding the ADA and Those It Protects

Michael P. Maslanka| August 31, 2018

The Americans with Disabilities Act is broken. As the sportscasters intone, let’s go to the stats.

News

Destroying Evidence Gets Houston Sanctioned in Prisoner-Rights Class Action

Charles Toutant | August 31, 2018

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt found that the city intentionally destroyed evidence and made deliberate mischaracterizations to the court. He ruled that the putative class, consisting of thousands of individuals formerly detained in the city jail, is now entitled to an adverse inference at trial.

News

Texas Judge Wants to Spike DACA, But He Won't Enjoin It

Ellis Kim | August 31, 2018

In declining to issue a preliminary injunction against DACA, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen said he believed the plaintiff states have shown a likelihood to succeed on their claims that DACA violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

News

Deal Wrap: More Billion-Dollar Texas Energy Deals, More Work for Lawyers

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 31, 2018

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is working on another deal for longtime Midland-based Diamondback Energy.

News

State Bar Panel Recommends Nominating Two Applicants for President-Elect

Mary Alice Salmon| August 31, 2018

The 2019 election cycle is about to start for the State Bar of Texas. After interviewing six president-elect applicants, the State Bar’s Nominations…

Profile

2018 Texas Lawyer Professional Excellence Awards

ALM Staff| August 31, 2018

Texas Lawyer is proud to honor our Lifetime Achievers, Attorneys of the Year, On the Rise, Most Effective Dealmakers, Top Woman in IP and Best Mentors recipients. Also,meet the legal teams recognized as recipients of our Litigation Department of the Year and Legal Department of the Year awards.

News

Texas Immigration Law Professors Take Action to Help Reunite Families Seeking Asylum

Angela Morris| August 31, 2018

Summer didn’t stop Texas immigration law professors from taking action, and in the coming school year, they’re planning opportunities for law students in their schools’ immigration clinics to help reunited families seek asylum or fight deportation.

Profile

Meet the GC at Aggreko, David Bouchner

Kristen Rasmussen | August 31, 2018

The top lawyer at the power-generation and temperature-control equipment company's North American division spoke with Texas Lawyer about everything from whom he uses for outside counsel to what he enjoys when he's not in the office.

News

Houston Lawyer Michael Pohl Files Suit Alleging 3 Lawyers Stole His Trade Secrets

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 30, 2018

Michael Pohl, who faces litigation in Houston alleging he engaged in barratry, sued a former public relations consultant and three lawyers and their firms, alleging they misappropriated his confidential information and used it for their own gain.

Commentary

Managing Cross-Border Data Protection Amid an Evolving Privacy Landscape

Deana Uhl| August 30, 2018

Modern conventions of privacy date back only as far as the industrial revolution, when society adopted the concept of individual and familial privacy,…

News

Texas A&M's New Law Dean Discusses Rankings, Importance of Diversity

Angela Morris| August 30, 2018

"At this law school, there is a great deal of passion for being part of A&M in every sense. In the practical, functional sense, but also in the sense of the community and the network and the family that our law students are becoming a part of," Bobby Ahdieh said.

News

Entertainment Litigator, Nightclub Owner Jumps to Carlton Fields

Xiumei Dong | August 30, 2018

Steven Weisburd, a former partner at Dechert and Munger, Tolles & Olson, has joined the Florida-based firm in Los Angeles, where he co-owns a trendy new cocktail bar.

Commentary

Discovery Pitfalls in Cross-Border Litigation

Brian Boyle| August 30, 2018

When it comes to obtaining foreign discovery in cross-border cases, the main takeaways are simple: Make a plan for such discovery early in the case, and get local counsel involved. Otherwise, the time-consuming process of foreign discovery may result in evidentiary holes that cannot be filled in time for trial.

Commentary

New Tools for Defeating Nonclient Suits Against Lawyers

Gregg Weinberg| August 30, 2018

Recent Texas Supreme Court rulings have supplied some tools for lawyers who find themselves having to defend themselves from malpractice lawsuits by pro se litigants.

Commentary

Good Client Communication Isn't Just Good Customer Service, It Can Also Help Avoid Malpractice Claims

Kelli Hinson| August 30, 2018

Good client communications can be the key factor in bringing a quick end to a malpractice claim or avoiding one altogether.

News

McKool Smith Wins $10.6M Verdict in 4G LTE Patent Case

Scott Graham | August 29, 2018

Huawei Technologies was found to have willfully infringed patents originally developed by Panasonic and Ericsson.

Commentary

Words Matter When Appearing Before a Judge

Shari Klevens and Alanna Clair| August 29, 2018

Any attorney who appears regularly in court knows the importance of being candid and direct with the Judge. However, sometimes an attorney can make…

Expert Opinion

Get Your Cardio On, Counselor

Jonathan Jordan| August 29, 2018

Tired of the treadmill? Sick of the elliptical? Try rowing.

News

‘Extreme Part-Time’ Lawyer-Moms Flock to Freelance Firms

Angela Morris| August 29, 2018

So-called "accordion law firms" have become particularly popular with lawyer moms who want to dramatically reduce their hours after they give birth, but who also want to stay in the legal game.

In New Ruling on Insurance in Bankruptcy, 5th Circuit Decides Proceeds Were Property of Debtor’s Estate

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 29, 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

NYCLU Breaks With ACLU Over NRA's Lawsuit Against Cuomo Administration

Dan M. Clark | August 28, 2018

Legal precedent may actually obstruct the NRA’s claims against Vullo and Cuomo, legal experts said.

Commentary

The Shrinking Reach of US Jurisdiction in Cross-Border Disputes

Brian Boyle| August 28, 2018

Cross-border disputes that played out in U.S. courts in the past have become more susceptible to jurisdictional challenges from foreign defendants hoping to avoid litigating in the United States.

Why 'Brown' Caused a Rift Between Chief Justice Warren and President Eisenhower

Lisa Helem | August 28, 2018

They "seemed to get along beautifully," author James F. Simon discusses. Then everything changed.

News

Newsmakers: Month of September

Mary Alice Salmon| August 27, 2018

Alistair Dawson Alistair B. Dawson, a partner in Beck Redden in Houston, has been elected the 2018-2019 Fellows chair of the Texas Bar Foundation, the…

News

Starr, Lanier Talk About Teaming Up in Texas

Meghan Tribe | August 27, 2018

"We now have added an all-star with two R’s [in] Judge Ken Starr,” said Mark Lanier about his longtime personal friend and newly named counsel at The Lanier Law Firm.

News

Survey Shows Midlevel Associates Sure Like Akin Gump A Lot

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | August 27, 2018

The American Lawyer's annual Midlevel Associates Survey asks third-, fourth- and fifth-year associates to weigh in on various kinds of job satisfaction.

News

Federal Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Sharing 3-D Gun Files

Dan M. Clark | August 27, 2018

U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik of the Western District of Washington granted a preliminary injunction on Monday from a coalition of state attorneys general who are suing the Trump administration over 3-D printed guns.

Newsmakers: Week of Aug. 27

Mary Alice Salmon| August 27, 2018

Amanda Woog is the new executive director of the Texas Fair Defense Project’s board of directors. Woog recently completed a research fellowship at…

News

Ken Starr Returns to Private Practice at Texas Trial Boutique

Meghan Tribe | August 27, 2018

"This was not a responsibility I was actively seeking, but is a natural outgrowth of our common interests and the good we believe we can do together," said a statement from the former U.S. solicitor general, independent counsel and federal judge.

News

ACLU Supports NRA's Free-Speech Argument in Suit Against Cuomo Administration

Dan M. Clark | August 24, 2018

In a proposed filing with U.S. District Judge Christian Hummel of the Northern District of New York, the ACLU said the gun lobby’s lawsuit against the state should continue because it addresses the free speech rights of the association.

Podcast

Are Wall Street Law Firms Losing the Talent War?

Leigh Jones | Vanessa Blum | August 24, 2018

The small group of just 15 firms historically has attracted all the very best talent. But that’s changing.

News

ConocoPhillips Hires Baker Botts Energy Deal Star as New Top Lawyer

Dan Clark | August 24, 2018

Kelly Rose of Baker Botts has worked on major energy transactions over the course of her career, including a few involving her new employer.

News

Texas Tech System Hires New Legal Boss From U. Houston System

Kristen Rasmussen | August 23, 2018

In addition to being named general counsel, Eric Bentley also will serve as the system’s vice chancellor, effective Sept. 10.

News

Lawyer Convicted of Crimes Related to a Diamond Resell Scheme Facing Disbarment

Angela Morris| August 23, 2018

The Commission for Lawyer Discipline is seeking to disbar a Houston solo who was convicted of crimes related to a scheme that purported to take investors’ money to buy and sell diamonds, but really used the funds for other, concealed purposes.

News

How Tech Companies Can Prep for Possible Loss of H-1B Spouse Work Permits

Caroline Spiezio | August 23, 2018

A Trump policy discontinuing at least some H-4 visa work permits for the spouses of foreign-born workers has advanced another step through the rulemaking process.

News

Recruiter's Suit Sheds Light on Fierce Lateral Market in Texas

Christine Simmons | August 23, 2018

A dispute involving a legal recruiter and another recruiting firm provides a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes moves of several national law firms that have swooped into the Lone Star State to launch and expand local offices.

Insurance Policy’s Animal Exclusion Barred Coverage of Suit Stemming from Accident Involving Horse

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 23, 2018

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

Commentary

Great Ideas for Law Firm Newsletter Content

Amy Boardman Hunt| August 22, 2018

We’re big fans of law firm newsletters. They’re an unobtrusive way to stay in touch with your clients, prospective clients, and referral sources. A…

Commentary

How We Built a Mentoring Program that Actually Works

Tiye Foley and Kristine Roberts| August 22, 2018

Since its inception in 2005, the Baker Donelson Women's Initiative has included a mentoring component for the firm's women attorneys. Over the years,…

Insurer Was Immune to Insured’s Contract and Bad Faith Claims After Paying Appraisal Award

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 22, 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

Former Texas Judge Fails in Bid to Overturn Bribery Conviction

John Council | August 21, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected former Texas judge Angus McGinty’s attempt to overturn his federal bribery conviction, dismissing the argument that his own criminal defense attorneys had a conflict because they were allegedly suspects in the same corruption investigation that lead to McGinty's conviction.