Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann’s Mary Goodrich Nix looks back on her early years as a trial lawyer. She also shares advice she would give to young lawyers and discusses trends she sees impacting the practice.
Texas Instruments turned to the Texas Business Court last month to sue a former employee and his new employer, GlobalFoundries, for allegedly stealing trade secrets. The Texas Lawbook was in Fort Worth Monday morning for the temporary injunction hearing, but the courtroom was sealed shortly after Vartabedian Katz Hester & Haynes partner Marc Katz began his opening statements for Texas Instruments.
In a case where three Jane Does alleged Dallas developer Bill Hutchinson sexually assaulted them, a jury agreed with two of the women Thursday night after 11 hours of deliberation. The two women who prevailed alleged that Hutchinson raped them. The third plaintiff alleged Hutchinson groped her, a claim the jury rejected.
The jury awarded the prevailing women a combined $860,000 in damages, but the plaintiffs were seeking an award of $79.8 million.
Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor heard opening statements from counsel Monday morning in Fort Worth on whether Maritime Research & Recovery should keep the treasure it recovered from a ship that sank off the coast of the Bahamas and if Allen Exploration committed defamation.
In this edition of Asked & Answered, FBFK’s Solomon Wisenberg talks about how he got involved in the Whitewater-Lewinsky investigation and what trends he is seeing in his white collar criminal defense practice. While the Texan has spent the majority of his career in Washington, D.C., he returned home to the Lone Star state a few years ago and joined FBFK in December.
Following a weeklong trial, the 12-member jury awarded no damages Thursday morning after deliberating for nearly four and a half hours. A group of 13 investors had sued a Houston lawyer claiming he breached his fiduciary duty when he sold a property that formerly housed an LA Fitness for $8.5 million instead of a higher value.
Jerry Jones’ neighbor, reality TV show actor and Dallas developer Bill Hutchinson, has been sued by three anonymous plaintiffs claiming he sexually assaulted them. The women also sued Virgin Hotel Dallas, of which he used to be a minority owner, alleging it was negligent and aware of his behavior toward young women but failed to act. Counsel gave opening statements Thursday morning.
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Third Court of Appeals Justice Rosa Lopez Theofanis shares how she sees AI impacting the appellate process and dishes on what lawyers practicing before her shouldn’t do. Justice Theofanis, who is the first sitting judge to participate in Asked & Answered, joined the all-female panel in January 2023.
A jury trial began in Dallas County Judge Maria Aceves’ courtroom Wednesday in a breach of contract and fiduciary duty case over two men whose business partnership soured. The property at the center of the suit was once an LA Fitness next to the old Valley View mall, which the Dallas Mavericks have announced will be their new arena and an entertainment district.
Morgan Mayne is the newest addition to Winston & Strawn’s litigation and intellectual property practice. She makes the move to the other side of Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas from Baker Botts, where she spent the first 12 years of her career.
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