Premium Subscriber Q&A: Sarah Payne
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Sarah Payne discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Texas Takes Aim at Delaware’s State of Incorporation Crown
Growing activism among Delaware courts, coupled with aggressive pro-relocation moves by the Texas Legislature, has contributed to the rise of a “DExit” movement, with businesses increasingly looking to move not only their headquarters, but their state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas.
27 Texas Law Professors Sign Amicus for Susman Godfrey
Susman Godfrey is getting a little help from their friends in the academic community. In an amicus brief filed late Wednesday in Susman Godfrey’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, 775 law professors — including 27 from Texas law schools — asked a federal judge to rule in favor of the Houston-based litigation firm to help protect “the independence and integrity of the legal profession [and] the rights of clients to seek redress in the courts.”
AI Addenda — Navigating the Legal Landscape Across the Software Lifecycle
Legal professionals and organizations must adapt to the shifting landscape by addressing AI-related risks across contracting, implementation and operational phases. The growing need for AI addenda, encompassing everything from privacy and cybersecurity to data ownership and hallucinations, underscores the importance of a proactive and comprehensive approach to managing AI risks.
Jackson Walker Reaches First of Potentially Several Settlements in Ex-Judge Jones Bankruptcy Fee Case
Jackson Walker issued a statement to The Lawbook indicating more settlements will be filed soon. “We have always said that we regret being misled in this matter by our former partner, and we have continued to proactively reach out to other parties to try to resolve this matter in a constructive fashion,” the statement reads.
Brookfield Infrastructure Announces Acquisition of Colonial Enterprises for $9B
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, the infrastructure company of New York's Brookfield Asset Management, and its institutional partners announced on April 3 that it had entered an agreement to acquire 100 percent ownership of Colonial Enterprises and its midstream asset portfolio for $9 billion. Lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis and Simpson Thacher are advising on the deal.
Where is Securities Litigation Headed in Texas?
Securities litigation is one of the most interesting and important areas of commercial litigation. It is arguably the reason why the United States has been able to attract more capital via foreign investment than any other country in the world. And Dallas has recently been making moves that are likely to result in it becoming a new center for securities-related litigation.
Defining the Client File — Using Fee Agreements to Establish Clear Boundaries in the Digital Age
What categories of documents are included in the “file” has never been defined. With technology creating a record of nearly everything a lawyer does on behalf of a client, a liberal interpretation of the rule would mandate expansive and intrusive disclosures. This can be particularly problematic if the client is an entity that experiences a change in control — perhaps even to a former adversary. This article discusses the use of attorney-client fee agreements to define and limit what documents will be included in the client’s “file” to resolve the ambiguity and minimize exposure to lawyers.
I Succeed Because You Did Before Me
Nobody succeeds in a vacuum. Not in this industry, anyway. We rise and fall as part of a community, and we look to leaders and mentors to shape that community. Women lawyers today find themselves in the unique position of having women in leadership roles to guide them.
Jackson Walker’s Suzan Kedron ‘Took the Job to Make a Difference’
When it comes to male-dominated areas of business law, it is easy “to notice when you are the only woman or the only person of color in a room,” said Jackson Walker partner Suzan Kedron, whose practice focuses on representing landowners and developers in litigation-related matters. As Women’s History Month winds down, The Texas Lawbook interviews Kedron, who is a graduate of the South Texas College of Law Houston and widely recognized as one of the leading real estate lawyers in Texas.
CDT: 2025 Capital Markets Transactions
Below is a list of qualified capital markets transactions reported to The Texas Lawbook during 2025. The list is organic, designed to grow as deals are reported. So if you have deals
Much Has Changed, but Issues Remain the Same
As I mentor and visit with women in the legal profession today, I find they struggle with issues similar to the ones faced by women decades ago. Many firms still struggle as before with getting women and underrepresented talent through to partnership. But there are reasons to be encouraged.