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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.

Gardere Partner Cristina Portela Begins Term as President of the Houston Association of Women Attorneys

© 2015 The Texas Lawbook. By Brooks Igo (April 20) – Gardere Wynne Sewell recently announced that labor and employment partner Cristina Portela began her one-year term as president of

April 20, 2016 Mark Curriden

Texas Supreme Court Finds Rational Basis for Tax on Small Tobacco Manufacturers

The Supreme Court of Texas recently upheld a 55-cent-per-pack tax on the makers of discount cigarettes, finding the Legislature had a rational basis to distinguish between small manufacturers and Big Tobacco companies that settled with the state in 1998.

April 20, 2016 Mark Curriden

Judge Barbara Lynn to be Northern District’s Next Chief Judge

U.S. Chief Judge Jorge Solis announced Tuesday that U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn will succeed him as the next chief judge of the Northern District on May 1. Judge Lynn will be the district’s first woman chief judge. Judge Solis, who became the first Hispanic chief judge when he took the position in 2014, handled several high-profile cases during his 25 years on the federal bench, including striking down the city of Irving’s method of electing city council members because it diluted the voting power of Hispanic residents.

April 19, 2016 Mark Curriden

Judge Barbara Lynn to be Northern District's Next Chief Judge

U.S. Chief Judge Jorge Solis announced Tuesday that U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn will succeed him as the next chief judge of the Northern District on May 1. Judge Lynn will be the district’s first woman chief judge. Judge Solis, who became the first Hispanic chief judge when he took the position in 2014, handled several high-profile cases during his 25 years on the federal bench, including striking down the city of Irving’s method of electing city council members because it diluted the voting power of Hispanic residents.

April 19, 2016 Mark Curriden

Willkie and Sidley Advise in $500M Equity Investment

Houston-based private equity firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners said Monday that it has backed a new management team to form a new midstream portfolio company with a $500 million investment.

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

V&E Advises Rubicon Technology in Proxy Battle

Sapphire crystal growth technology company Rubicon Technology on Monday publicly displayed its disappointment with a major investor’s two nominations to Rubicon’s board of directors for an election to be decided at the company’s upcoming annual shareholder meeting. The contested nominations have launched a proxy battle for Rubicon’s future leadership.

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

V&E Advises Rubicon Technology in Proxy Battle

Sapphire crystal growth technology company Rubicon Technology on Monday publicly displayed its disappointment with a major investor’s two nominations to Rubicon’s board of directors for an election to be decided at the company’s upcoming annual shareholder meeting. The contested nominations have launched a proxy battle for Rubicon’s future leadership.

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

Securities Offerings by Lead Lawyer (Underwriters’/Initial Purchasers’ Counsel) – Q1-Q3 2016

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

Securities Offerings by Lead Lawyer (Underwriters'/Initial Purchasers' Counsel) – Q1-Q3 2016

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

Securities Offerings by Lead Lawyer (Issuer’s Counsel + Underwriters’/initial Purchasers’ Counsel) – Q1-Q3 2016

April 18, 2016 Mark Curriden

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Features

  • P.S. — Pro Bono Work Honored at State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting - Advancing access to justice in rural Texas, advocating for domestic violence survivors and ensuring Spanish speakers aren’t left out are among the pro bono initiatives for which lawyers and a judge were honored during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in San Antonio.   July 4, 2025Krista Torralva

GCs, Lawyers & Firms

  • Willkie Adds Blake Winburne to its Houston Office - Winburne was global head of the energy and infrastructure group at Orrick where he worked for more than nine years. He has been named co-chair of Willkie's energy and infrastructure practice.
  • Thomas Verity Vaults to Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Veteran Houston Partner Jumps from Latham to Simpson
  • Skadden Hires Two M&A Partners from White & Case
  • V&E Adds Three Partners: Two from Kirkland, One from Baker Botts
  • Houston Texans Associate GC Jumps to Munsch Hardt
  • Gray Reed Hires Longtime Houston Exec to Lead Operations and Growth
  • Sorrels Law Adds Trial, Appellate Partner in Dallas
  • Holland & Knight’s Recent Lateral Partner Additions Strengthen RE, Financial Services Offerings
  • Rice Taps Munck Wilson Attorney to be Associate Athletic Director
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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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