High-Dollar Trade Secrets Jury Trial Begins in Houston — Updated

TechnipFMC lawyers told jurors Thursday that a former chief engineer, Rick Murphy, went to work for competitor Dril-Quip and stole valuable trade secrets for cutting-edge, ocean floor oil extraction equipment. But defense lawyers challenged that narrative and argued that the trial is just a way for FMC to compete in the courtroom instead of the free market. Natalie Posgate has details from day one of the trial in state Judge R.K. Sandill’s court.

April 8, 2021 Natalie Posgate

TX House Committee Hears Business Courts Proposal

Advocates and opponents of the plan to create a separate civil court system for business versus business disputes made their arguments to the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee Tuesday. No vote was taken and very few questions were asked.

April 6, 2021 Mark Curriden

$3M Judgment Awarded in Hotly-Disputed Trade Secrets Case

A Houston federal judge last week awarded $3 million to oil industry employment website Rigzone.com and its parent company, DHI, several days after a jury found co-founder David Kent misappropriated trade secrets to help grow a competing website that he left to start. But the defense says it's not that simple and considers the judgment a "complete victory." Natalie Posgate explains.

April 5, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Munck Wilson Scores Unusual Early Dismissal in EDTX Patent Case

Ten months in, the case was still in its infancy when U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan of the Eastern District of Texas dismissed it and invalidated the patent at issue under Section 101 grounds, which lawyers involved say is a rare occurrence for patent cases filed in the Eastern District of Texas.

April 1, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Snowstorm Lawsuit Between Energy Transfer and SA Utility Company Heats Up

A legal battle between two Energy Transfer subsidiaries and the City of San Antonio's utility company is just one example of the many lawsuits that are surfacing after winter storm Uri — and just one of more than a dozen lawsuits that the nation's largest municipally-owned utility company is bringing against natural gas providers.

April 1, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Former Partner Sues Polsinelli for Sexual Orientation Discrimination

A Houston bankruptcy lawyer has sued his former employer, Polsinelli, alleging that he was fired because he’s gay. The plaintiff is being represented by Bill Brewer III and Bill Brewer IV.

March 31, 2021 Bruce Tomaso

Houston Judge: Sex-trafficking Victims Can Go to Trial Against Salesforce.com

A federal judge in Houston has ruled that a tech company based in San Francisco should face trial in a lawsuit brought by victims of human trafficking who allege they were pimped through use of the company's sales platform. This story appeared in the Houston Chronicle.

March 27, 2021 Houston Chronicle

Texas Lawbook Q&A: Two Advocates Explain the Need for Texas Business Courts

Evan Young and Jason Villalba helped draft pending legislation to create complex business litigation courts in Texas. Last week, The Texas Lawbook interviewed them.

Jason Villalba: When you are dealing with billions of dollars and thousands of jobs are on the line, you don’t want to be rolling the dice. There needs to be a judicial ecosystem in place that better handles these types of cases. Having predictable outcomes is crucial in these large business disputes. Texas needs something like Delaware Chancery Courts to put us on the same global scale.

March 23, 2021 Mark Curriden