Longtime colleagues Barry Sorrels and Stephanie Luce Ola have branched off from their old firm to create a new criminal defense firm, Sorrels Ola. It handles everything from state misdemeanor and felony charges to federal healthcare fraud charges.
Barnes & Thornburg Adds Tim Hudson in Dallas
The products liability and trade secrets lawyer joins from Holland & Knight.
Tellurian Founder Sued by Major Investor — Updated
An investor in Houston-based Tellurian Investments has sued Charif Souki on claims that the company co-founder and chairman of the board reneged on a promise to pay back the investor for tens of millions in losses after Tellurian’s stock value plummeted.
SDTX & NDTX Chief Judges Talk Retirement, Pandemic’s Impact on Trials
During a 90-minute webinar over Tuesday’s lunch hour, Northern District Chief Judge Barbara Lynn and Southern District Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal talked retirement plans (or lack thereof) and courtroom trends from the pandemic and when jury trials (currently paused by Omicron) in their jurisdictions are likely to resume
Fifth Circuit Reverses Houston Lawyer’s Tax Evasion Conviction
Although the case “facts were difficult,” the Fifth Circuit vacated a tax evasion conviction of Houston lawyer Jack Stephen Pursley on a simple premise: a statute of limitations defense that the three-judge panel said was erroneously shot down by the trial court without analysis.
Judge Declines to Seal Docs in TeamHealth-UnitedHealthcare Case
A Las Vegas judge on Wednesday preserved a majority of the public record in a case between TeamHealth and UnitedHealthcare that recently rendered a $63 million jury verdict for three groups of ER physicians over reimbursement rates. The ruling reflects the vast public interest the case has garnered from doctors in Texas and beyond as they consider their own legal rights against insurers.
Kirkland Adds IP Litigator in Austin
Kat Li now is the seventh Texas-based lawyer in Kirkland’s growing intellectual property practice group. She joins from McKool Smith.
Dallas Civil Courts, Facing Omicron, Pause Jury Trials
Civil jury trials in Dallas County were halted Monday until Jan. 28 in light of the “high number of Covid cases and the wildfire spread” of the Omicron variant and other Texas courts were proceeding with restraint.
Lynn Pinker Names Chris Schwegmann New Managing Partner
Schwegmann, who joined the firm in 2005, previously served as Lynn Pinker’s general counsel and succeeds Eric Pinker, who served as managing partner for 21 years.
Foro Energy Secures Trade Secrets Trial Defense Win Against Fellow Houston Co.
A trade secrets battle between two Houston companies in the energy industry ended Tuesday with a 40-page order by a local federal judge. The ruling was a win for a team of lawyers at Bracewell.