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Mark Curriden

Mark Curriden is a lawyer/journalist and founder of The Texas Lawbook. In addition, he is a contributing legal correspondent for The Dallas Morning News.

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Mark Curriden

Mark Curriden is a lawyer/journalist and founder of The Texas Lawbook. In addition, he is a contributing legal correspondent for The Dallas Morning News.

Mark is the author of the best selling book Contempt of Court: A Turn-of-the-Century Lynching That Launched a Hundred Years of Federalism. The book received the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award and numerous other honors. He also is a frequent lecturer at bar associations, law firm retreats, judicial conferences and other events. His CLE presentations have been approved for ethics credit in nearly every state.

From 1988 to 1994, Mark was the legal affairs writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covered the Georgia Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He authored a three-part series of articles that exposed rampant use of drug dealers and criminals turned paid informants by local and federal law enforcement authorities, which led to Congressional oversight hearings. A related series of articles by Mark contributed to a wrongly convicted death row inmate being freed.

The Dallas Morning News made Mark its national legal affairs writer in 1996. For more than six years, Mark wrote extensively about the tobacco litigation, alleged price-fixing in the pharmaceutical industry, the Exxon Valdez litigation, and more than 25 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. Mark also authored a highly-acclaimed 16-part series on the future of the American jury system. As part of his extensive coverage of the tobacco litigation, Mark unearthed confidential documents and evidence showing that the then Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, had made a secret deal with a long-time lawyer and friend in which the friend would have profited hundreds of millions of dollars from the tobacco settlement. As a direct result of Mark’s articles, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation, which led to the indictment and conviction of Mr. Morales.

For the past 25 years, Mark has been a senior contributing writer for the ABA Journal, which is the nation’s largest legal publication. His articles have been on the cover of the magazine more than a dozen times. He has received scores of honors for his legal writing, including the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award, the American Judicature Society’s Toni House Award, the American Trial Lawyer’s Amicus Award, and the Chicago Press Club’s Headliner Award. Twice, in 2001 and 2005, the American Board of Trial Advocates named Mark its “Journalist of the Year.”

From 2002 to 2010, Mark was the senior communications counsel at Vinson & Elkins, a 750-lawyer global law firm.

Mark’s book, Contempt of Court, tells the story of Ed Johnson, a young black man from Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1906. Johnson was falsely accused of rape, railroaded through the criminal justice system, found guilty and sentenced to death – all in three weeks. Two African-American lawyers stepped forward to represent Johnson on appeal. In doing so, they filed one of the first federal habeas petitions ever attempted in a state criminal case. The lawyers convinced the Supreme Court of the United States to stay Johnson’s execution. But before they could have him released, a lynch mob, aided by the sheriff and his deputies, lynched Johnson. Angered, the Supreme Court ordered the arrest of the sheriff and leaders of the mob, charging them with contempt of the Supreme Court. It is the only time in U.S. history that the Supreme Court conducted a criminal trial.

You can reach Mark at mark.curriden@texaslawbook.net or 214.232.6783.

DOJ to Appeal Susman Godfrey Victory in Trump EO Case

The U.S. Department of Justice notified U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan that the government plans to appeal her decision two months ago to strike down President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Susman Godfrey. The Justice Department provided no details of its appellate arguments.

August 22, 2025 Mark Curriden

Susman Godfrey EO Litigation Timeline

President Donald Trump has issued executive orders targeting a half-dozen law firms, including Houston-based Susman Godfrey, accusing them of "spearheading efforts to weaponize the American legal system and degrading the quality of American elections" and "undermining the effectiveness of the United States military.” The EOs also accuse the firms of racially discriminatory practices via their diversity and inclusion programs. Here is a timeline of events tied to the EOs.

August 22, 2025 Mark Curriden

ModivCare Hires Latham, Hunton AK to Lead Chapter 11

A Denver-based medical transportation company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of Texas stating the court restructuring is “intended to strengthen its financial foundation while continuing to provide access to care, reduce costs, and improve outcomes for clients and members nationwide.” Citing more than 25,000 creditors and $1 billion to $10 billion in financial liabilities, ModivCare Inc. and 70 of its affiliated businesses hired Latham & Watkins and Hunton Andrews Kurth as its lead legal advisors for the restructuring.

August 21, 2025 Mark Curriden

Aleon Metals Uses MoFo, Norton Rose Fulbright for SDTX Bankruptcy

Lithium-ion battery recycler Aleon Metals and two of its subsidiaries, Gladieux Metals Recycling and Aleon Renewable Metals, filed for Chapter 11 restructuring Sunday in the Southern District of Texas.

August 18, 2025 Mark Curriden

U.S. Trustee Opposes Jackson Walker Bankruptcy Settlements, Seeks Trial and Stronger Penalties

The federal government’s bankruptcy court watchdog asked a federal judge Friday to reject efforts by Jackson Walker to individually settle claims against it involving the law firm’s critical role in the secret romance scandal between one of its partners and former Houston Bankruptcy Judge David Jones.

August 16, 2025 Mark Curriden

SDTX Bankruptcy Court Scandal Timeline

2011: David Jones leaves Houston law firm Porter Hedges after 19 years as a corporate bankruptcy lawyer to become a bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of Texas. Jones later hires

August 16, 2025 Mark Curriden

15 Firms in Texas Achieve Lawbook 50 Elite Status

Despite ever-higher standards, more corporate law firms in Texas achieved Texas Lawbook 50 elite financial status last year than ever before. Eighteen business law firms reported revenue per lawyer for their Texas offices of $1.5 million in 2024. Eighteen firms also scored profits per partner of $3 million or more — though not the same 18. Thanks to scores of senior corporate lawyers now billing at hourly rates exceeding $2,000, 15 law firms operating in Texas achieved both of those criteria — up from 11 in 2023.

August 14, 2025 Mark Curriden

JSX GC Kerrie Forbes: ‘Law and Aviation in My Blood’

Kerrie Forbes stood behind a huge red ribbon on the tarmac at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport with a 30-seat JSX jet behind her. It was 11 a.m. on April 28, the grand opening of JSX’s new Southern California airport terminal, which Forbes describes as her best day on the job since she joined JSX as chief legal officer in January 2024. Orange County was the 2016 birthplace of JSX — a now Dallas-headquartered public charter jet operator offering business-class service to more than 350,000 passengers last year — and the site of its rebirth of sorts nine years later. Legal industry experts say that Forbes, who was an in-house lawyer at Southwest Airlines for 16 years, was the perfect lawyer to be JSX’s first general counsel. She recently discussed her career and more in an exclusive interview with The Texas Lawbook.

August 11, 2025 Mark Curriden

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Kerrie Forbes

In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, JSX CLO Kerrie Forbes discusses her biggest accomplishments at JSX and what she looks for in hiring outside counsel.

August 11, 2025 Mark Curriden

Texas ER Docs Win Fifth Circuit Reversal Against the Blues

Fifty-six Texas emergency medical physician groups will get to pursue legal claims that two dozen Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans underpaid them for treating patients. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled Friday that a Texas federal judge wrongly dismissed hundreds and hundreds of claims for tens of millions of dollars by ER doctors from Texarkana to Port Arthur and from Collin County to Odessa.

August 11, 2025 Mark Curriden

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Features

  • P.S. — Law Firms Feed Minds and Meals  - In this week’s column, Gray Reed honors the legacy of James “Jim” McGraw, a founding partner and a beloved University of Houston Law Center alumnus, through the firm’s creation of a $50,000 endowed scholarship. We also spotlight volunteers from Greenberg Traurig’s Dallas office who packed over 100,000 meals to help feed children in Haiti. Also, the Texas Access to Justice Commission has announced this year’s Deborah G. Hankinson Award winners, recognizing local bar and young lawyer organizations for their commitment to expanding access to justice. Finally, Spanish-speaking lawyers or assistants are sought for a Houston volunteer opportunity and tickets and sponsorships are still available for a Casino Night benefitting the San Antonio Legal Services Association. August 22, 2025Krista Torralva & Elle Grinnell
  • My Five Favorite Books: Dana Collins (Litigation Counsel at Raytheon) - My list starts with a professional read for every attorney or negotiator and finishes with Ron Chernow's telling of President Ulysses S. Grant's unique genius, powered by his astounding 20-cigar-a-day habit.

    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 20, 2025Dana Collins

GCs, Lawyers & Firms

  • Gray Reed Continues C-Suite Expansion - Brandon Meek has joined the 150-lawyer firm as chief marketing officer. The move is Gray Reed's second C-suite addition this summer.
  • Munsch Hardt’s Summer Surge: New Faces, New Practices
  • Healthcare Deal Pro Joins Wick Phillips
  • Clark Hill Adds Estate Planning Pro
  • Bradley Adds Another Partner in Dallas
  • Dykema in Dallas Snags Two More Veteran U.S. Prosecutors
  • Husch Blackwell Names Erin Banks Chief Business Development Officer
  • Womble Adds Construction Pro in Houston
  • Brandy Treadway Appointed CLO of Academy Sports and Outdoors
  • Bell Nunnally Bolsters IP Practice with Cheryl Leb
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

Hover right to show full list

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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