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The M&A-focused partner at Sidley is pleased with her choice. Duran recently gave The Texas Lawbook an in-depth look into her journey and her experience as a woman working as a Texas dealmaker. February 17, 2025Nick Peck
CDT Roundup: 12 Deals, 13 Firms, 134 Lawyers, $12.1B - The phrase "Drill, Baby, Drill," may be short code for the new administration's energy policy, but according to a recent analysis by S&P Global, don't expect the slogan to characterize the short-term CapX plans for major O&G producers. Stalled by stubborn market prices, fossil fuel production by the world's largest energy producer has plateaued for the moment, a situation that is likely to characterize all of 2025. The CDT Roundup takes a look at the numbers for the U.S. and Texas, as well as the usual summary of Texas-driven transactions reported last week. February 17, 2025Nick Peck & Allen Pusey
Judge By Day, Director By Night: How Judge Christine Weems Balances the Bench and Backstage - Judge Christine Weems of the 281st Civil District Court in Harris County is ruling on cases by day and acting and directing by night. Weems’ new show, The Five Minute Mile, put on by a 13-person ensemble cast, is slated to open Feb. 15. February 14, 2025Janet Miranda

Other national firms had previously entered the Texas market. However, with Latham — the second most profitable law firm in the world — something felt different. In less than a year, Latham had achieved what no other national firm had managed to do: it instilled a sense of fear in the long-established Texas firms that had previously dominated corporate law in the Lone Star State.
Fifteen years later, this is the story of how Latham changed the game in Texas. February 13, 2025Allen Pusey
New SCOTX Justice Sullivan Once Ran Afoul of the Fifth Circuit for Tone of Rehearing Petition - As an assistant attorney general, James P. Sullivan saw his petition in a habeas case struck for its tone and lack of respect. He says he apologized and learned from the incident. Gov. Abbott in January elevated Sullivan from his general counsel to the Supreme Court. Relatively unknown in the Texas legal community, Sullivan’s judicial application sheds some light on his judicial philosophy. Most of his litigation experience was in federal court, the document shows, with only 20 percent in state appellate courts. February 12, 2025Janet Elliott
Conservative Group Targets American Airlines’ Diversity Contracting Program in New Lawsuit - The American Alliance for Equal Rights, headed by political conservative Edward Blum, has filed a lawsuit against Fort Worth-based American Airlines and its supplier, alleging the airline’s diversity policy for awarding certain contracts violates civil rights law. Blum, who took down affirmative action in college admissions, has recently been targeting diversity programs in law firms and corporations, including Southwest Airlines in a lawsuit last year alleging a charitable program that provided free tickets to low-income Hispanic students flying home to visit their parents is illegally discriminatory. February 12, 2025Krista Torralva
CPS Energy Hit with $109.5M Verdict in Residential Explosion Trial - A cap on damages agreed to by CPS Energy and Robert and Virginia Rymers in advance of trial means the utility will only owe $60 million. The Rymerses suffered burns, and lost two pet dogs as well as all possessions inside their rental home as a result of the blast. February 11, 2025Michelle Casady
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Expert Voices
Master your Next Mediation: Advice for Attorneys - Crowded court dockets mean the interest in, and need for, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) continues to grow throughout Texas. How can you set the stage for successful mediation? When is the right time to mediate a case? What should you do before you arrive at the mediation? And why is having a settlement range important? February 13, 2025Ron Bankston, Wiley George, & Felicia Harris Hoss
The Truth About the TCPA - While the law is by far the most significant safeguard of free speech rights for Texas citizens — with protections that must be jealously guarded — that fact often gets lost (or blocked) from the public discourse as powerful interests call for “reforms” that would gut the TCPA. February 6, 2025Professor Robert Sherwin & Laura Prather
Stories You Might’ve Missed
- Texas Business Bankruptcies Skyrocket in DFW, Decline Slightly in Houston - For the fifth consecutive year, Texas led the nation in business bankruptcy filings, cementing its position as the premier destination for corporate restructurings. However, Delaware closed the gap significantly in 2024, surpassing Texas’ Southern District as the top venue for business bankruptcies.
Despite a tumultuous year marked by scandal in the Southern District, Texas' three other federal court districts experienced significant increases in bankruptcy filings, ensuring the state maintained its dominance in this critical legal sector. The Northern District, in particular, emerged as a rising star, with its Chapter 11 caseload more than doubling.
The Texas Lawbook's Mark Curriden has the details on these trends and more. January 7, 2025Mark Curriden