Chesapeake Wins Summary Judgment in Ohio Royalty Class Action Dispute
A federal judge in Ohio has awarded Chesapeake Exploration a summary judgment win in a rare class-action-certified dispute over oil and gas royalties in Ohio’s Utica Shale.
NRF Scores Win in Unusual Car Wreck Trial
Most defendants do not hire a global corporate law firm to handle old-fashioned car crash cases, but Brenda Buenrostro v. Richardo Machuca, Stripes, Sunoco and Energy Transfer Equity had the potential to be much bigger than a garden variety auto accident – millions of dollars bigger. Enter Norton Rose Fulbright.
Leon Carter: DBA’s 2019 Trial Lawyer of the Year
A ballroom full of friends, family, colleagues and public officials gathered in the Texas Hill Country last week to honor E. Leon Carter, the Dallas Bar Association's 2019 Trial Lawyer of the Year. Natalie Posgate was there and tells his story, from an East Texas upbringing to winning high-stakes jury verdicts.
Dallas Judges: Less than One in Five Show Up for Jury Service
Only a fraction of Dallas County residents report to jury duty, but a group of judges at the Dallas Bar Association's Bench Bar Conference said there are still things lawyers can do to mitigate this outcome. Natalie Posgate was there and highlights their pointers.
Dallas Trial Lawyer Leaves Prominent Boutique for Kirkland
Kirkland has landed what is believed to be its first Dallas litigation partner, who joined from Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst. The move comes two months after the firm announced it was launching a plaintiff-side trial group that tackles commercial litigation matters on a contingency or other alternative fee basis. Natalie Posgate has the scoop.
A Rough Ruff Hearing
A Dallas County probate judge cut a short hearing shorter Tuesday, asking for written arguments in the dispute over a new trustee for the Ruff Management Trust. Allen Pusey reports that the abbreviated, chaotic hearing seemed emblematic of the rancor that has embroiled a Dallas family in their long-running fight for control of a relatively modest family fortune.
Updated: Former DOE Lawyer & Sunnova GC Joins Baker Botts
George Fibbe, the ex-deputy general counsel for litigation, regulation and enforcement at the U.S Department of Energy said he joined Baker Botts because the opportunity was “too good to pass up.” Find out more about his background in this Lawbook-conducted Q&A.
Stars Align in Texas for the Gig Economy
The explosive growth in the short-term, by-the-job labor market has forced courts and regulators to wrestle with the status of participating workers: Are they employees or independent contractors? Mark Shoffner and Thomas Case of Bell Nunnally argue that recent rulings by state and federal agencies make Texas a welcoming place for the gig economy.
DBJ: Former Solera CEO Suing Over Stock Options Worth More than $100M
Tony Aquila said in a statement that Solera has breached a separation deal and refuses to honor its obligations to pay the company's founder for his vested stock options worth in excess of $100 million.
Chron: Texas AG to Lead Multi-State Antitrust Investigation into Google
The investigation will look into whether the company, which “dominates all aspects of advertising on the internet and searching on the internet,” has acted in ways that restricted competition or consumer access, Texas AG Ken Paxton said at a press conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday.
Ruff Family Seeks Criminal Inquiry against Lawyer, Bank over Millions in Trust Fund
A Texas judge has initiated a "court of inquiry" to handle allegations of criminal misconduct made by the children of deceased Dallas banker Arthur Ruff against Texas lawyers and bankers involved in their family’s multimillion-dollar trust. The judicial led probe comes as Ruff's widow seeks to enforce a $66 million judgment against her own son. The web of lawsuits shows just how nasty family disputes over cash and control can get.
Judge Boots Bird-Flipping, Profanity-Spewing Juror as Pursley Tax Trial Winds Down
HOUSTON - Closing arguments concluded Friday afternoon in the Jack Stephen Pursley federal tax evasion trial, but the case will proceed without a juror who the judge has dismissed because the juror apparently flashed a middle finger to others in the courtroom and used the F-word in response to testimony.