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Janet Elliott

Janet has deep knowledge of Texas government, including the Texas Legislature and Texas Supreme Court. Her policy expertise includes public and higher education funding and policy, civil justice, pension and investment funds, and state budget. Janet's news media career has also included stops at the Houston Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal and Texas Lawyer.

Wallace Jefferson Reveals Clues to His Improbable Journey

The history-making justice and chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court recounts his personal and family history at a ceremony unveiling his portrait. The great-great-great grandson of a once enslaved man who served on the Waco City Council during Reconstruction, Jefferson remembers ancestor Shedrick Willis along with the judge who once held Willis in bondage but later joined him in guiding Waco into a new era. (Photo by Mark Matson)

September 12, 2024 Janet Elliott

SCOTX Hears Guardianship Divorce Case to Open Term

The $32 million estate of wealthy Laredo lawyer and businessman Carlos Benavides is at the center of the battle over a divorce initiated by his daughter and guardian. His fourth wife argues that her challenge to the divorce decree was not mooted by Benavides’ death amidst the appeal and that Texas law does not allow a guardian to petition for divorce on behalf of a ward. The daughter says that spousal lack of care for her mentally incapacitated father caused her to remove Benavides from his marital home. The Supreme Court this week is hearing other high-profile cases involving police immunity, defamation and professional discipline over a filing contesting the 2020 election.

September 11, 2024 Janet Elliott

Brister Readies for Curtain Rise on Fifteenth COA

Scott A. Brister is winding down his appellate practice as he prepares to once again don a black robe. Brister, who has served at all levels of the Texas court system, on Sept. 1 will step into his new role as chief justice of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals. He will be joined on the first and only intermediate appellate court given statewide jurisdiction by Scott K. Field, a Williamson County district judge and former Third Court of Appeals jurist, and April L. Farris of the First Court of Appeals. The trio will need their combined 30 years of judicial experience as they navigate some 70 state-related cases and prepare to develop jurisprudence for the new business trial courts. (Photo by Laura Skelding)

August 19, 2024 Janet Elliott

SCOTX Reverses Jury’s $26 Million Verdict for Woman Paralyzed in Minivan Crash

A 2003 tort reform law limits Honda’s liability because its ceiling-mounted detachable seatbelt system met federal safety regulations. The case presented novel questions about the interplay of state law and federal regulations. The large jury verdict was considered by some lawyers to be a so-called “nuclear verdict” ripe for reversal.

June 28, 2024 Janet Elliott

Landfill Dispute Returned to District Court Minus Fair Market Value Claim

The Texas Supreme Court kept alive the lawsuit filed by Travis Central Appraisal District over a landfill’s slashed property valuation but returned the case to the district court on substantially narrowed grounds. The court sided with Texas Disposal System in removing the appraiser’s fair market value claim but will allow market value evidence to be heard. The tax dispute centers on an unusual property that also houses exotic animals and hosts private parties.

June 21, 2024 Janet Elliott

Scott A. Brister to Lead New 15th Court of Appeals

Two others with intermediate appellate court experience were named to the appellate court by Gov. Abbott, who also announced appointments to the new Austin business court division. The governor still must name judges for business court divisions in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The Texas Lawbook‘s Janet Elliott has the details.

June 11, 2024 Janet Elliott

Business Court Applicants Pick Favorite Judges, Disliked Decisions

Answers to the governor’s questionnaire shed some light on the judicial philosophies of some 30 who have applied for the coming business trial and appellate courts. Generally, they like conservatives like Scalia and Thomas and shun SCOTUS decisions on Obamacare and the Chevron deference.  

Editor’s note: This article was written in advance of the governor’s announcements Wednesday.

June 11, 2024 Janet Elliott

Transactional Lawyers Fail to Materialize for Biz Court Positions

Litigators dominate the latest applications for the new business court judgeships, public records show. In the coming weeks, Gov. Greg Abbott will exercise his new power to select jurists to handle the new court’s docket of complex corporate governance and transactional disputes. A drafter of the legislation to create the specialized court system makes the case for ‘sit down’ lawyers to throw their names in the hat.

June 10, 2024 Janet Elliott

SCOTX: Trial Court Must Revisit Order Shutting Down Stinky Poultry Operations

Justices determined that two adjacent chicken farms were a nuisance but said less-drastic remedies to abate the odors are warranted. Agricultural interests are closely following the appeal, which attracted prominent lawyers for Sanderson Farms and its growers.

June 7, 2024 Janet Elliott

TxDOT to Face ‘Takings’ Claim Over Tree Removal, SCOTX Says

The Texas Supreme Court rejected the state transportation department’s claim that it thought the large oaks and elms were in its right of way when it directed a contractor to have them cut down. Such a ruling would “eviscerate our constitutional bulwark against uncompensated takings,” the court said.

May 17, 2024 Janet Elliott

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Features

  • P.S. — Texas Legal Advocates Earn State, National Awards; Attorney Group Dedicates Fundraising Year to Homelessness Prevention  - In this week’s P.S. Column, we highlight standout leaders and organizations who their peers are recognizing for making a difference. Texas Appleseed has named Travis Torrence, U.S. Head of Legal at Shell USA, as this year’s J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award recipient. The nonprofit will also honor Alston & Bird with its Pro Bono Leadership Award at its Nov. 4 dinner in Austin. Meanwhile, Attorneys Serving the Community announced Shared Housing Center as its next beneficiary, supporting efforts to prevent homelessness in Dallas. On that national stage, the American Bar Association is honoring the State Bar of Texas Law Practice Management Committee with a Solo and Small Firm Project Award. And in Houston, the Hispanic Bar Association welcomed eight new board members. August 8, 2025Krista Torralva & Elle Grinnell
  • My Five Favorite Books: Kelly Turner (Vice President & Senior Legal Director at Goldman Sachs) - After a very long hiatus from reading, I got back to it in 2023. In 2024, I finished 95 books. So far in 2025, I am up to 88 books. I am going to limit this list to books I have finished in the past two years. As you will see, I enjoy a wide range of genres. I hope you find your next great read!

    Editor’s note: The Texas Lawbook is pleased to offer this new column in partnership with Texas-based Half Price Books sharing our readers’ favorite reads.
    August 6, 2025Kelly Turner

GCs, Lawyers & Firms

  • Brandy Treadway Appointed CLO of Academy Sports and Outdoors - Treadway has significant experience in retail, having previously worked at JCPenney for a decade, where she ultimately became senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.
  • Bell Nunnally Bolsters IP Practice with Cheryl Leb
  • Holland & Knight Lands Healthcare Partner from K&S
  • Nachawati Law Group Launches New Practice Group
  • Northern District Civil Prosecutor Joins Vartabedian Hester & Haynes
  • Haynes Boone Welcomes Two-Time SCOTUS Clerk to Appellate Practice Groups
  • Thompson Coburn Adds Dallas Partner to its Real Estate Practice
  • Brink’s Recruits New CLO from 7-Eleven
  • Methodist Health Lawyer Moves to Serenity Healthcare to Be GC
  • IP Heavyweight Jeff Homrig Returns to Weil
More GCs, Lawyers & Firms

Lawyers in the News

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Barry Barnett
Wes Bearden
Emily Westridge Black
Michael Burke
Alicia Campbell
John Campbell
Madeleine Carpenter
Alexander Clark
Dawn Pittman Collins
Richard Finneran
Elizabeth Freeman
David Gail
Elizabeth Gibson
David Jones
Frank Lopez
Abbe Lowell
Neal Manne
Billy Marsh
Tom Melsheimer
Tasha Moser
Justin Nelson
Reed O'Connor
Kate Pennartz
John “J.” Pieratt
Danielle Reyes
Christopher Richardson
Randy Sorrels
Harry Susman
Larry Vincent
Victor Vital
Brent Walker
Matt Weybrecht
Melody Wilkinson
Alex Wolens

Firms in the News

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A&O Shearman
Bryan Cave
Cozen O'Connor
Haynes Boone
Holland & Knight
Jackson Walker
King & Spalding
Kirkland & Ellis
Law Office of Liz Freeman
Paul Hastings
Porter Hedges
Sorrels Law
Susman Godfrey
Toyota
Troutman Pepper Locke
Willkie
Vinson & Elkins
Weil
Winston & Strawn

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