Denise Scofield joined O’Melveny’s Houston office Tuesday. Scofield, previously a partner and head of the Houston litigation practice at Winston & Strawn, discussed what attracted her to O’Melveny in an interview with The Texas Lawbook.
Texas Obtains $1.4B Settlement From Meta over Facial Recognition Data
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday’s settlement is the largest ever obtained by an attorney general in a privacy case. This is the first lawsuit brought and settlement reached under Texas’ Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier, the AG added.
Updated with Q&A: Egan Nelson Boosts Commercial Litigation Practice with Mark Johansen from Reed Smith
Dallas commercial litigator Mark L. Johansen has moved to boutique law firm Egan Nelson, the firm announced this week. Johansen spoke with The Lawbook about his reasons for the move and a pending case he is considering removing to the new business courts.
Brown Fox Nabs Labor and Employment Lawyer from Jackson Lewis
Jennette “Jenny” DePonte joined Brown Fox last week as a partner in the Dallas-based boutique law firm. She was previously a principal at national labor and employment law firm Jackson Lewis.
Crypto Groups, 7 States File Amicus Briefs in Fort Worth SEC Case
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is overstepping its authority and bringing unfair enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency industry, several interested parties have argued in amicus briefs filed in a lawsuit asking Judge Reed C. O’Connor to rule that digital assets are not securities. LEJILEX, a Texas company that intends to launch a digital asset trading platform, filed suit against the SEC in February. Seven states also argue the SEC’s aggressive actions threaten to preempt dozens of state laws.
Sorrels Bolsters Firm with Trial and Appellate Lawyer from Hoover Slovacek
Becoming a lawyer was about the furthest thing from a young Dylan B. Russell’s mind when he was a budding saxophone player at the University of Texas in the 1990s.
Dallas Lawyer Obtains DOJ Case Closure for Armenian Businessmen
Armenian brothers Artyom Khachatryan and Gurgen Khachatryan faced accusations that their multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills mansion was purchased with bribes. Following a two-year investigation, the government announced it had closed the case and reached a settlement with the family to share proceeds from the sale of the luxury estate. The resolution is touted as a significant victory by the brothers’ Dallas lawyer, Ephraim “Fry” Wernick.
Judge Tosses Breach of Contract Suit Against Fort Worth Oil and Gas Company
State District Judge Megan Fahey granted summary judgment to Fort Worth-based Tug Hill Inc. in a lawsuit brought by a former executive. The ex-exec argued a verbal agreement was reached with the company’s president that entitled him to management incentive units that should have been paid out to him in an amount over $10 million.
Jury Awards $18M to Houston Lawyer Injured in Wreck
John Scott, formerly of Scott, Clawater & Houston, his wife and son were seriously injured in a wreck while visiting family for Christmas in 2020. A Dallas County jury determined a drunken driver was liable after a four-day trial.
Verizon Owes $847M for Infringement, East Texas Jury Says
A federal jury in the Eastern District of Texas found Verizon infringed on two patents obtained by Dallas-based General Access Solutions in the early 2000s. Verizon vowed to appeal the verdict.