Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
2020 proved to be a tense year for Texas commercial litigators. Many courthouse doors remained shuttered for in-person proceedings and jury trials were nearly non-existent. The stresses of client needs and operating a law firm loomed at home. But it’s necessary to also recognize the highlights and headways that advanced the world of litigation as lawyers trudged through the dark tunnel created by COVID-19. Natalie Posgate picks 10 of these moments.
While not tied with a bow, U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer issued a ruling this week that employers who often find themselves as defendants in wage and hour lawsuits will likely view as Christmas coming early.
A magistrate in Austin has threatened sanctions against a legal recruiter and his lawyer for "scorched earth discovery tactics" in his trade secrets case against another legal recruiter. One side is calling the order “well deserved” while the other side is calling it “sensational.” Natalie Posgate has been following the case for The Lawbook. Let her explain.
An appeals court has declined to revive a lawsuit that claimed Five Point Energy usurped a $460 million corporate opportunity from a portfolio member, but the ruling does more than provide a nine-figure sigh of relief for the Houston private equity firm. Natalie Posgate explains.
Apple received kudos when it rolled out a stock of emoji that revealed diverse skin colors along with their typically diverse emotions. But a Texas woman has filed suit in Waco contending that Apple stole the concept when she approached the company about a partnership. Bruce Tomaso has details of the litigation.
An amended petition in a dispute between San Marcos-based Quantum Materials and K&L Gates is now armed with more ammo and the possibility of a steeper price tag should K&L lose the malpractice battle. But the Philadelepha-based global firm has responded publicly for the first time.
Covid-19 be damned, Texas is the place to legally protect your intellectual property. Waco, the birthplace of Dr Pepper, the death place of two-dozen ancient Mammuthuss, the scene of the Branch Davidian and Twin Peaks biker gang tragedies is now the undisputed patent litigation capital of the world. Some Dallas law firms expect to open branch offices in Waco in 2021. Plus, Judge Alan Albright discusses the Waco jury pool and Zoom trials.
A Fort Worth federal judge denied an unopposed motion to continue an in-person jury trial that involves lots of out-of-state travel and one of the lawyers currently testing positive for COVID-19. The Lawbook has the details.
In the two years since Judge Alan Albright took the bench, the Western District of Texas has risen to one of the busiest courts in the country for patent litigation. With approximately 20% of all new patent cases now being filed in Waco, it is important to understand key procedures and trends that will impact your case in this latest patent litigation hot bed, whether as a plaintiff or a defendant.
The Texas Lawbook recently visited with Norton Rose Fulbright partner Rodney Acker, the American College of Trial Lawyers’ newest president. Acker follows a legacy of Fulbright lawyers who have led the prestigious organization during an unprecedented year for the College.
Two competitors in software programming have almost tied up a complex copyright infringement lawsuit in East Texas. For the prevailing side, World Programming Limited, hopes the development is the final destination of what’s involved multiple layovers of legal disputes elsewhere in the U.S. and across the pond.
A federal court in Waco on Friday dismissed Lewis Hamilton and Charles LeClerc from a patent infringement suit brought against the Formula One drivers and several other major players in the world of professional racing. Some may hail from Monaco, but that hasn't stopped a legal who's who of Texas lawyers from already appearing in the litigation.
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