Lead Stories
Bloomberg: EFH May Scrap Initial Reorganization Plan
(July 18) – Lawyers for Energy Future Holdings Corp. told a bankruptcy judge in Delaware today that the Dallas power company may abandoned its pre-negotiated restructuring and reorganization plan it proposed when it filed for Chapter 11 in April.
Fifth Circuit Rules for UT in Race Admissions Case - Updated
By Mark Curriden – (July 15) – A federal appeals court ruled 2-1 late Tuesday that the University of Texas’ use of affirmative action is a fair and constitutionally permissible approach to admitting students. Judge Patrick Higginbotham wrote in Fisher vs. the University of Texas at Austin, that UT's policy "is compelled by the reality that university education is more the shaping of lives than the filling of heads with facts — the classic assertion of the humanities.”
Get Wall Street Out of the Practice of Law
By Chrysta Castañeda – (July 14) – The Texas Bar's ethics opinion that Big Law can no longer give their non-lawyer administrators titles like Chief Operating Officer because it implies that those folks have managerial control over the firms they support. Why? Because non-lawyers actually now control Big Law and the Big Titles are the proof. The expensive legal rates and rising profits per partner are the result.
Locke Lord Closes $800 Million Sale of TGI Fridays
Mounds of attorneys from the firm's Dallas office helped Carlson Restaurants sell the franchise to two private equity firms. …
Bloomberg: EFH May Scrap Initial Reorganization Plan
(July 18) – Lawyers for Energy Future Holdings Corp. told a bankruptcy judge in Delaware today that the Dallas power company may abandoned its pre-negotiated restructuring and reorganization…
Weil Leads Closing of PetroLogistic’s $2.1 Billion Sale to Flint Hill Resources
The Houston-based propylene producer was acquired by Kansas-based Flint Hills Resources, which is a subsidiary of the giant private multinational corporation, Koch Industries.…
Andrews Kurth, Hogan Lovells and Bracewell Advise in $1 Billion JV
The companies, NRG and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration, claim the JV will build the world’s largest cost-combustion carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) facility on an existing…
Baker Botts Advises in Noble Spinoff of Paragon Offshore
Following the spinoff, Noble will own and operate one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. …
Energy Future Holdings: Valuation Issues Hover Over Bankruptcy Proceedings
By Don Erickson and Bryce Erickson – (July 10) – Valuation issues are front and center of the EFH bankruptcy. A few of the critical existing and potentially…
Exclusive: M&A in Texas Hits 10-Year High During H1 2014 - UPDATED
By Mark Curriden – (July 7) – Texas companies were involved in 255 mergers and acquisitions during the first half of 2014 – a 30 percent increase over H1 2013 and more than any two consecutive quarters over the past decade, according to mergermarket media. The Texas Lawbook has the list of the top 20 law firms and investment banks for deal-making so far this year.
DMN: Ex-Recognition Equipment CEO Loses Trial to End 25 Years Battle
By DMN Writer Michael Lindenberger – WASHINGTON (July 21) — A nine-member federal jury just ended former Dallas CEO William Moore’s 25-year journey to punish the postal inspectors he claims conspired — unsuccessfully — to send him to prison in the 1980s, and he’ll have to be satisfied with having had his day in court. The unanimous verdict was in favor of the five former postal workers he sued, and Moore will not collect any of the $231 million he had sought.
Quinn Emanuel Opens in Houston with David Gerger
By Mark Curriden – (July 14) – Another new week, another national law firm opens in Texas. Prominent Houston white-collar criminal defense attorney David Gerger, who represented Enron CFO Andy Fastow and now defends BP rig supervisor Robert Kaluza in the Deepwater Horizon explosion, will lead Quinn Emanuel's new Houston office.
Coffee with Squire Patton Boggs: Merger Means “Getting to Know Each Other” in Texas
By Mark Curriden – (July 14) – Squire Patton Boggs doesn’t roll off the tongue quite yet, but leaders in the newly merged firm's Dallas and Houston offices say the combining of their forces is going very well. The Texas Lawbook takes a peek inside.
Hugh Tanner Becomes Second MP of Morgan Lewis’ Houston Office
Oil and gas litigation partner Hugh Tanner became the office’s second managing partner July 1.…
Veteran Jackson Walker Partner Selected to Lead Dallas CASA
Kathleen LaValle is taking on leadership of the nonprofit during a $37 million fundraising campaign.…
Hilda Galvan Named Dallas Partner-in-Charge at Jones Day
Galvan is the second Hispanic woman to be partner-in-charge of one of Jones Day's Texas…
Gaining a Competitive Edge in Hiring
By Linda Katz, Kristin Johnston and Susan Pye – (July 7) – Whether it is…
Stephen Porter Settling in as New GC at Mortgage Contracting Services
By Mark Curriden – (July 7) – Stephen Porter told his partners at Barrett Daffin…
New Incubator Space Helps Attorneys Launch a Solo Practice
By Sheila Sheley – (July 10) – Attorneys looking to go out on their own face two big decisions: where to office and how to develop business. Pearlstone Suites offers a first-of-its-kind solution to address both of those concerns.
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Firms in the News
Andrews Kurth
Baker Botts
Bracewell
Canterbury Communications
Dallas CASA
Erickson Partners
Hogan Lovells
Jackson Walker
Jones Day
Morgan Lewis
Pioneer
Quinn Emanuel
Sheley Marketing
Squire Patton Boggs
Stutzman, Bromberg
T&K
V&E
Weil
