Houston Chronicle Exclusive: Houston’s star attorney Tony Buzbee loves battling behemoths
Tony Buzbee, managing attorney at The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston, sat down with the Houston Chronicle recently to discuss his life and practicing law.
Court of Appeals Considers Whether TCPA Applies to Noncompetes in TX
A three-judge panel heard oral arguments Tuesday in a contentious noncompete dispute that is currently deadlocked in an interlocutory Texas Citizens Participation Act battle. Although, a new bill passed by the Texas House might make the debate irrelevant soon. Natalie Posgate has the details.
SCOTX Dismisses Defamation Suit Against DMN, Kevin Krause
The Supreme Court of Texas has tossed out a defamation lawsuit against the Dallas Morning News, reversing two lower courts that declined to do so despite it involving a situation that the Texas Citizens Participation Act was actually designed to protect a media outlet in.
Houston Chronicle: Lawsuit Accuses Businesses of Fraud in Harvey Relief Work
Houston mayoral candidate and attorney Tony Buzbee has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two companies that allege they were fraudulently listed as subcontractors by two companies that later secured millions of dollars for Hurricane Harvey relief work from the city of Houston.
Houston Chronicle: Hurricane Harvey Trial Takes a Road Trip
The federal judge handling lawsuits from victims of Hurricane Harvey flooding took the trial on a road trip Wednesday that began with an off-road trek along the narrow earthen crest of the Barker dam, 30 feet above the reservoir. Trial participants tramped through sticky, squishy mud to look down at the floodgates. An egret waded in the pooled up brown water. A warm wind ruffled the judge’s hair as he swore in Capt. Charles Ciliske, the Houston project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Fort Worth Jury Awards Local Telecom Co. Millions in Trade Secret Battle
A Tarrant County jury determined Monday that Plano-based CommTech Sales unlawfully used Fort Worth telecom company XIP LLC’s trademarks and trade secrets and awarded damages that could total $31 million.
Houston Chronicle: Hurricane Harvey Flooding Victims Get their Day in Federal Court
Residents and business owners whose properties upstream of the Barker and Addicks reservoirs were flooded after Hurricane Harvey argued in Houston federal court Monday that authorities knew for decades that the lakes would likely not be contained during a major flooding event and did nothing to prevent it, resulting in property damage for which they should now be compensated.
Judge Dismisses Gensetix’s Latest Suit on TCPA Grounds
A Texas state judge has dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit that claimed a cancer researcher conspired with Baylor College of Medicine and a research firm, Diakanos Research Ltd., to interfere with licenses the plaintiff held with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
DBJ: Dallas Developer Prevails in Power Struggle at Possum Kingdom Lake Resort
The Dallas developer of an upscale golfing community on the shores of Possum Kingdom Lake was cleared Friday of wrongdoing and won’t have to pay millions of dollars in damages to resort property owners who claimed they were harmed by a slew of alleged misdeeds spread over 20-plus years. Bill Hethcock of the DBJ has been following the saga.
Fifth Circuit Tosses Bulk of $21M Latitude Solutions Judgment
A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has tossed all but $400,000 of a $21 million judgment against key players in the now-bankrupt Fort Worth-based company, Latitude Solutions Incorporated, which included Paul Mitchell and The Patrón Spirits Company co-founder John Paul DeJoria. The court said trial evidence was insufficient to support the bankruptcy trustee's contention of a "pump and dump" stock scheme. Natalie Posgate has more.
Houston Chronicle: Exxon Sues Cuba Over Seized Assets by Castro
Exxon Mobil, Standard’s successor, filed a federal lawsuit last Thursday against Cuba’s national oil company and a state-owned industrial conglomerate for approximately $280 million, seeking compensation for the value of the assets plus almost six decades of interest. James Osborne of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Carrington Coleman to See New Leadership with First Female Managing Partner
Monica Latin has been elected to become the first female managing partner of Carrington Coleman, where she has spent her entire legal career. The Lawbook caught up with Latin to learn about her new role, which she will assume in May 2020.