Baker Hughes and Bracewell Fend Off A Patent Challenge

Eleven years ago, Baker Hughes hired an innovation firm to design for them a motor-based safety valve for use in their wells. Once the valve was developed, one of the designers claimed the patent as his own. In-house patent attorney Anthony Matheny and a team from Bracewell used a lot of law and a good deal of finesse to fend off the claim. Now Baker Hughes, Matheny and the Bracewell attorneys are finalists for Business Litigation of the Year in the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards.

April 24, 2019 Natalie Posgate

DBJ: Trial Starts in Struggle Between Property Owners, Dallas Developer

Is Dallas-based developer Mike Ward a shrewd, hardworking businessman who has made a few mistakes? Or is he a power-hungry conman who used illegal transfers to steal millions of dollars over 20-plus years from the Property Owners Association at The Cliffs Resort?

April 23, 2019 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

Grammer Defamation Trial Pits Real Housewife vs. ‘Real Life’

The legal battle stems from an October 2013 incident in which Camille Grammer alleges her ex-boyfriend assaulted her in a Houston hotel room after they got in an argument. The defamation trial is U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer's second jury trial since joining the bench last year. Natalie Posgate is in the courtroom.

April 17, 2019 Natalie Posgate

DBJ: Property Owners, Dallas Developer Battle on Shores of Possum Kingdom Lake

With the help of a deep-pocketed backer, property owners are duking it out with the owner of the resort, who says he has been unfairly targeted.

April 17, 2019 Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal

Houston Judge Orders Ex Execs to Pay Superior Energy $72M in Global Kickback Saga

A state district judge in Harris County has ordered two former executives of a Superior Energy subsidiary to pay $72 million, after a jury ruled in December that they committed fraud, breached their fiduciary duties and misappropriated trade secrets against their former company. Natalie Posgate reports.

April 16, 2019 Natalie Posgate

Shell’s Kevin Feeney and T&K’s $200M Arbitration Win

One of Kevin Feeney's first issues when he became Shell Oil senior counsel of upstream litigation was a $200 million arbitration. After a 250,000 document dump and a 17-day hearing, Shell walked away with a take-nothing judgment in their favor. Natalie Posgate profiles the deal, which is a finalist for the 2019 Corporate Counsel Awards Business Litigation of the Year.

April 12, 2019 Natalie Posgate

Judge Allows Neiman’s Defamation Suit Against Marble Ridge to Continue

A Dallas judge has declined to dismiss a lawsuit by Neiman Marcus that alleges hedge fund Marble Ridge Capital hurt its business by issuing defamatory and false statements about Neiman being in default with its indentures.

April 10, 2019 Natalie Posgate

Now, Tuesday Morning…

Jurors in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery trial headed home late Monday. They will resume Tuesday after 19 hours of deliberation. Like last week, the jurors had questions. But unlike last week, those questions were answered via telephone from Toledo. Bruce Tomaso explains.

April 8, 2019 Bruce Tomaso

Jared Levinthal’s Peachy, Perfectly Pleasant, Potentially Profitable Good Week

After a week of perfect spring weather, a 20-year anniversary and a $15 million coda to a fraud trial that had lasted nearly a fortnight, Houston lawyer Jared Levinthal was ready to celebrate a very, very good week.

April 1, 2019 Natalie Posgate

K&L Gates Wins Defense Verdict for Range Resources, Breaks 21-Year Record

The unanimous verdict does far more than exonerate Range from the $17.5 million that the plaintiff royalty owners had sought. The verdict also marks the first time in 21 years for a producer to win a case tied to Oklahoma’s marketable product rule. Litigation writer Natalie Posgate explains.

April 1, 2019 Natalie Posgate

A Fully-Funded Feud Emerges at Kainos Capital

What began as a bitter legal dispute between Kainos Capital and one of its co-founders exploded into a bitter full-fledged feud Tuesday after the Dallas private equity firm filed a countersuit in Delaware. The company alleges that the original suit, filed by one of its co-founders, was timed to inflict as much damage on Kainos as possible. Natalie Posgate explains. (Editor's Note: this is an in-depth update from an earlier version of the article).

March 28, 2019 Natalie Posgate

Second Part of Neiman Marcus-Marble Ridge Battle Commences in Court

A Texas judge is considering whether she should end the legal battle between Neiman Marcus and Marble Ridge Capital or further entertain the possibility that the hedge fund issued defamatory statements about Neiman Marcus that hurt its business.

March 21, 2019 Natalie Posgate