Chief Judge O’Connor to Lead Northern District Court, Judge Godbey Moves to Senior Status
Chief Judge Reed O’Connor assumed his new role on Monday. Judge David Godbey served in that role for three years and will take senior status next month.
Fortune 150 E-Commerce Company Taps Lynn Pinker Partner to Lead Litigation
Greg Brassfield is moving to Seoul to be Coupang's deputy general counsel of litigation. “But for my time at LPHS, where I have had meaningful opportunities early in my career, I don’t think I am qualified for this position," he told The Lawbook.
Fifth Circuit Panel Says National Labor Relations Board’s Structure is Likely Unconstitutional
Three federal district courts in Texas saw their judgments affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Tuesday. The Fifth Circuit determined the district courts did not abuse their discretion in granting preliminary injunctions for SpaceX, Energy Transfer and Findhelp halting administrative proceedings before the NLRB while they pursue constitutional challenges to the agency’s structure.
Litigation Roundup: Toyota Faces Vehicle Tech Patent Lawsuit
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Texas loses an appeal to the Fifth Circuit, universities battle over alleged trademark infringement, a religious society must pay delinquent taxes after not filing for exemption, and farmers throw a water fight with a Dallas hedge fund manager.
Changes Are Coming to Healthcare Noncompetes in Texas
Healthcare employers in Texas face new requirements for noncompetition agreements following the passage of Senate Bill 1318. The legislation modifies existing requirements for physician noncompetes under Section 15.50 of the Texas Business & Commerce Code and creates a new Section 15.501, which extends certain noncompete restrictions to dentists, nurses and physician assistants for the first time.
Family Seeks More Than $1M for Daughter’s Death in Kerr County Floods
The first lawsuit in the aftermath of the Fourth of July Kerr County floods was filed in Kerr County District Court. The family of a woman who died in the flooding alleges an RV park committed negligence and is seeking a jury trial and damages.
Fifth Circuit Splits in Property Rights Case, Reverses Southern District’s Judgment
An apartment complex damaged by Hurricane Harvey sees a reversal in a constitutional takings case that the city of Houston shouldn’t have denied its request for a repair permit. The case returns to the Southern District for further proceedings to compensate the apartment complex.
Online Dating Company to Pay $14M to FTC
A settlement between Match Group and the Federal Trade Commission will resolve the dating website’s alleged misleading practices. The Dallas-based company has agreed to pay $14 million and clarify its “guarantees.”
Asked & Answered with V&E’s Quentin Smith: Morehouse, Michigan and MDL — the Making of a Texas Litigator
Asked & Answered is a new standing feature The Texas Lawbook will bring readers twice a month, highlighting the work of leading Texas lawyers and offering insight into their lives outside the courtroom. In this edition, Alexa Shrake sits down with Vinson & Elkins partner Quentin Smith, who discussed securing an $80 million breach of contract verdict for Huntsman Chemicals in Louisiana and representing Oncor Electric in litigation stemming from Winter Storm Uri — as well as the only brand of jelly beans worthy of the war room.
Litigation Roundup: Energy Giants Seek SCOTUS Review in High-Stakes Colorado Climate Case
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Exxon petitions the U.S. Supreme Court to halt climate change cases, a former Honeywell International employee had religious exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine, Tesla faces a federal class action lawsuit over robotaxi safety, a $15 million jury verdict was reversed in favor of CenterPoint Energy and more.
Texas ER Docs Win Fifth Circuit Reversal Against the Blues
Fifty-six Texas emergency medical physician groups will get to pursue legal claims that two dozen Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans underpaid them for treating patients. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled Friday that a Texas federal judge wrongly dismissed hundreds and hundreds of claims for tens of millions of dollars by ER doctors from Texarkana to Port Arthur and from Collin County to Odessa.
Womble Adds Construction Pro in Houston
Bob Hancock was previously a leader in Munsch Hardt's construction practice.