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Philip J. Bezanson and David B. Springer

Texas Municipalities and Ransomware: Can the Sheriff Surrender to the Outlaw?

Ransomware attacks against government entities are on the rise. Texas municipalities increasingly find themselves between Scylla and Charybdis: pay Bitcoin ransom to cyber-bandits or lose data critical to the basic functions of modern cities. But can a public entity in Texas legally pay a ransom, even if it is the financially responsible thing to do? This article has the details.

July 11, 2019 Philip J. Bezanson and David B. Springer

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Features

  • Maverick Natural Resources’ Sarah Payne is ‘Like Having a Cheat Code Against the Other Side’ - Sarah Payne went to college and graduate school to be a journalist covering the music industry with the dream of writing for Rolling Stone. Her father, then a Houston trial lawyer, had other ideas. “I was worn down by my tenacious father over the course of two decades,” Payne told The Texas Lawbook. “My entering the profession was likely inescapable. It’s in my veins for better or worse." Payne recently led her employer, Maverick Natural Resources, to a huge courtroom victory after a four-year contract dispute with XTO Energy regarding revenue sharing as part of a joint venture. Citing the jury trial success, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Lawbook named Payne the 2025 Houston Corporate Counsel Award recipient for Senior Counsel of the Year for a Small Legal Department. May 5, 2025Mark Curriden & Jason Philyaw
  • P.S. — Champions of Justice Gala Shatters Record, Remembering Fallen Heroes and Dallas to Kyiv: One Lawyer’s Solidarity with Ukraine   - In this week's edition of P.S., the 2025 Champions of Justice Gala shattered previous fundraising records by collecting over $1 million to support legal aid for veterans, with AT&T’s David McAtee and Halliburton’s Van Beckwith co-chairing the event and receiving widespread support from the legal community. Keynote speaker Bryan Stevenson highlighted the importance of access to justice, while Texas lawyers Rebecca Flanigan and Fred Krasny were honored for their dedication to legal aid. Meanwhile, Dallas attorney Rogge Dunn raised over $100,000 at a dinner with Gen. David Petraeus to support Ukrainian mental health efforts and plans to attend the Kyiv Security Forum. In a separate initiative, Carry the Load launched its annual Memorial May campaign to honor fallen heroes, with longtime legal support from Sidley Austin’s Aaron Rigby, a U.S. Navy veteran and founding supporter of the nonprofit. May 2, 2025Krista Torralva

GCs, Lawyers & Firms

  • Trade and Tariffs Specialist Joins V&E - V&E Chair Keith Fullenweider said Joyce Adetutu is the "perfect fit" as clients "face fast-evolving trade and national security regulations."
  • 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
  • Sorrels Law Recruits Head of Commercial Litigation Practice
  • Real Estate Veteran Nick Buehner Returns to V&E as a Partner
  • Dorsey Hires Former Federal Prosecutor Edward Loya
  • Munck Wilson Adds Depth to Corporate Practice
  • GT Bolsters Franchise & Distribution Practice with Cross-Border Adviser Mo Alturk
  • Healthcare Fraud Prosecutor Leaves DOJ for Hicks Thomas
More GCs, Lawyers & Firms

Lawyers in the News

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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

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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

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