• Subscribe
  • Log In
  • Sign up for email updates
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

  • Appellate
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corp. Deal Tracker/M&A
  • GCs/Corp. Legal Depts.
  • Firm Management
  • White-Collar/Regulatory
  • Pro Bono/Public Service/D&I

Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: Jury Convicts All Four UDF Execs of Securities Fraud

The CEO of North Texas-based residential real estate development lender United Development Funding and three of his colleagues were found guilty late this afternoon on securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy charges. After nearly two days of deliberation, the jury convicted UDF CEO Hollis Greenlaw, CFO Cara Delin Obert, director of asset management Jeffrey Brandon Jester and partnership president and committee member Benjamin Lee Wissink on all counts. Dallas Business Journal reporter Bill Hethcock was in the courtroom every day and has the details on the verdict.

January 21, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: Fate of UDF Execs in Jury’s Hands as Closing Arguments End

After a week-long trial, the fate of United Development Funding CEO Hollis Greenlaw and three other top executives at the North Texas-based residential real estate development lending firm is in the hands of the jury.

January 20, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: Prosecution Rests, Defense Starts Calling Witnesses in UDF Trial

The Dallas Business Journal is providing continuous coverage of the trial. The defense put on its first witness yesterday and may call one of DFW’s largest developers of residential and mixed-use communities to the stand Wednesday.

January 19, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ Reporter’s Notebook: An Inside-Baseball Look at the UDF Trial Going Into Week 2

The Dallas Business Journal’s Bill Hethcock reviews what’s happened so far (and been left unsaid) in the criminal securities fraud trial of four United Development Funding executives, including a certain phrase that starts with a “P” and a Twitter feud between one of the defense lawyers and a certain hedge fund manager. Jurors return Tuesday for Week 2.

January 17, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: Former Director of UDF Fund Says Money Transfer Shouldn’t Have Occurred

On Day 3 of the United Development Funding trial, prosecutors called a former board member to the stand who said shifting money from one investment fund to another is improper. The Dallas Business Journal reviews that testimony the testimony of two other witnesses who took the stand Friday.

January 14, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

UDF Auditor: ‘I Had a Number of Questions’ that Went Unanswered

Prosecutors attempting to send four executives of a North Texas-based real estate investment trust to prison called witnesses Thursday to build their case that transfers between the REIT’s funds are illegal. The Dallas Business Journal is providing continuous coverage of the trial.

January 14, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: UDF Trial Kicks Off

A “snag” in North Texas-based residential lender United Development Funding’s business model caused the firm to careen off the path of profitability, and the company’s executives then launched an illegal scheme to try to recover and to enrich themselves, a federal prosecutor told jurors in opening statements of a white-collar trial in Fort Worth. The Dallas Business Journal is providing continuous coverage of the trial.

January 13, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: UDF Securities Fraud Trial Begins Today

Six years after the FBI stormed the offices of United Development Funding in Grapevine, CEO Hollis Greenlaw and three other controlling executives of the firm are in trial this morning on fraud and conspiracy charges in federal court in Fort Worth. The allegations, which the executives deny, involve dollar figures high enough to rank it among the nation’s largest financial fraud cases. The Dallas Business Journal is there for the trial and will have continuous coverage.

January 12, 2022 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: Trial Postponed in Vast Conspiracy, Fraud Case Against UDF Execs

According to court filings, the case against the Dallas-Fort Worth-area firm involves “hundreds of residential developments across North Texas and Austin,” millions of pages of documents and real estate investment funds involving billions of dollars.

November 17, 2021 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

DBJ: New Judge, Filings in High-stakes Case Charging UDF Execs with Cheating Investors, Banks

The criminal case against four United Development Funding executives has a new judge overseeing the case in Fort Worth federal court. Plus, new documents in the case shed light on how federal prosecutors plan to try to prove their case and how lawyers for the accused executives plan to defend them.

November 8, 2021 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Features

  • P.S. — Lawyers and Volunteers Deliver ‘Small Bit of Miracle Working’ at Pasadena Legal Clinic - In this issue of P.S., we highlight an example of pro bono collaboration as volunteers from Baker Botts, Koch and The Beacon provided wide-ranging legal assistance at a Pasadena driver’s license restoration clinic. We also report on the bestowment of The Center for American and International Law’s highest award to legal trailblazer Harriet Miers for her decades of leadership and advocacy for justice. Also, the Texas Bar Foundation renewed its support for youth-focused nonprofit One Heart Project, helping continue programming for incarcerated youth. Plus, the Texas Access to Justice Commission is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award and The Texas Lawbook is seeking stories about your pro bono cases or public service projects involving veterans.   May 16, 2025Krista Torralva
  • With Ivett Hughes at the Helm in Houston, ‘Baker Hughes is a Corporate Leader in Pro Bono Service’  - In the first quarter of 2024, Baker Hughes launched a global legal and compliance diversity, inclusion and belonging counsel with the mission of infusing those values into the legal department through internal and external engagement. Led by Ivett Hughes in Houston, a regional team of lawyers and staff partnered with Houston Volunteer Lawyers to represent four clients — roughly one pro bono case per five lawyers. They blew past their goal by 500 percent. The Houston Association of Corporate Counsel and The Texas Lawbook have selected Hughes and Baker Hughes as its 2025 Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service award recipient.  May 14, 2025Krista Torralva

GCs, Lawyers & Firms

  • Barnes & Thornburg Lands Veteran Louisiana Litigator for its Dallas Office - Barnes & Thornburg has hired veteran Louisiana litigator Kelly E. Brilleaux as a partner in its Dallas office, the firm announced in a news release Thursday. 
  • Condon Tobin Hires Team from Libby Sparks
  • Sorrels Law Launches Beaumont Office with Veteran Maritime Litigator David James
  • Sidley Strengthens Dallas Office by Hiring David Monteiro
  • SBSB Eastham Adds Veteran Trial Lawyer In Corpus Christi
  • Jackson Walker Hires Former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht
  • Trade and Tariffs Specialist Joins V&E
  • Sheppard Mullin Adds Tax/Executive Comp Partner in Houston from Kirkland
  • Troutman Pepper Locke Bolsters Energy Regulatory Practice in Austin
  • GT Taps Bill Katz to Co-Chair Antitrust Practice
More GCs, Lawyers & Firms

Lawyers in the News

Hover right to see full list

Reem Abdelrazik
Doug Bacon
Harry Beaudry
Jonathan Benloulou
Gene Besen
Doug Bland
Jacqui Bogucki
Vera De Brito de Gyarfas
David Buck
Nora Burke
T.J. Campbell
Wayne Chan
Michael Considine
Mogan Copher
James Cowen
Kevin Crews
Samantha Crispin
Dawud Crooms
Shamus Crosby
Clint Culpepper
Brock Degeyter
Nick Dhesi
William Eiland
Austin Elam
Miles Emery
Bill Finnegan
David Gail
Adam Garmezy
Sami Ghubril
Breen Haire
Kim Hicks
J. Dean Hinderliter
Nicole Islinger
James Johnston
Atma Kabad
John Kaercher
Erin Kaufman
Paul Kukish
Thomas Laughlin
Oscar Fernando Leija
Emily Lichtenheld
Rob Little
Ryan Logan
Bryan Loocke
Katy Lukaszewski
Ryan Lynch
Ryan Maierson
Benjamin J. Martin
Madeline McCune
Sean McFarlane
Richard McGee
Sarah McLean
Sameer Mohan
Andrew Monk
Charlie Ofner
Stephen Olson
Joe Orien
Zach Parker
John Pitts
Benjamin Potter
Brendan Quigley
Kevin Richardson
Alex Robertson
Jason Rocha
Julian Seiguer
Mark Sloan
Chad Smith
Lande Spottswood
John Stribling
Vanessa Sutherland
Tanner Sykes
Martha Todd
Michael Vardanian
Thomas Verity
Douglas Warner
Kyle Watson
Luke Weedon
John Wetwiska
Sean Wheeler
Debbie Yee

Firms in the News

Hover right to show full list

Akin
Baker Botts
Bracewell
Haynes Boone
Holland & Knight
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Morgan Lewis
Pillsbury
Porter Hedges
Sheppard Mullin
Sidley
Simpson Thacher
V&E
Weil
White & Case
Willkie

Footer

Who We Are

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Submit a News Tip

Stay Connected

  • Sign up for email updates
  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Premium Subscriber Editorial Calendar

Our Partners

  • The Dallas Morning News
The Texas Lawbook logo

1409 Botham Jean Blvd.
Unit 811
Dallas, TX 75215

214.232.6783

© Copyright 2025 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.