The settlement brings an end to a federal lawsuit lodged by six former employees of the office in November. Additional terms of the settlement requires three plaintiffs who still were employed by the DA’s office to resign and bars all plaintiffs from seeking future employment with the county. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis and First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye remain in their positions.
Litigation Roundup: Texas Hammer-based Prejudice Claim Tossed, Chevron Beats a Uri Gas Delivery Suit
In this edition of Litigation Roundup: Uvalde police officers lawyer up in the suit over the Robb Elementary shooting; Fifth Circuit determines discussion of “The Texas Hammer,” during jury selection didn’t taint the outcome of a trial and Pappas Restaurants’ fight over losing a $470 million contract heats up.
Judge Barbara Lynn to Take Senior Status
U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, who served as chief judge of the Northern District of Texas from 2016 to 2022, has informed President Joe Biden that she is taking senior status effective May 15.
Judge Lynn, who was nominated to the federal bench in 1999 by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a voice vote, told The Texas Lawbook that she has no plans to reduce her caseload but is “simply making room for another appointment for our court.”
Multimillion-Dollar Trial Underway in Fatal 2019 Dallas Crane Collapse
In opening statements, defense lawyers for two huge construction-related companies blamed one another for the accident, which killed a 29-year-old woman in her apartment and injured others.
Houston City Attorney Arturo Michel: ‘Do More with Less’
The son of Mexican immigrants, Arturo Michel grew up in Chicago, earned a degree from University of Michigan Law School, worked in San Antonio for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and then moved to Houston to work at Bracewell in its public law group for 18 years. Michel is now in his second tour as Houston City Attorney. The Texas Lawbook interviewed Michel about his biggest challenges, the current legislative session and what he seeks in outside counsel.
How Covid Has Left the Road to Arbitration Full of Potholes
With courts looking to offload their pandemic dockets, which in some instances face yearslong backlogs, virtual hearings in arbitration have dramatically increased. While these hearings are undeniably convenient, attorneys should be very leery before heading down the path of arbitration in the age of virtual hearings.
Litigation Roundup: Citgo Hires Defense in $100M Suit, Landry’s Files TM Suits
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Citgo Petroleum hires defense attorneys in a $100 million Citgo 6 lawsuit, a litigation funder says a Philadelphia firm owes $13.4 million and a former county attorney gets indicted on public corruption charges.
Dallas Textile Engineer Gets High-Thread-Count Sheet Patent Fight Tossed
Arun Agarwal and his company AAVN own 10 patents for a process that turns cotton and cotton-polyester blend materials into luxury, high-thread-count bedsheets. In the latest battle to protect his intellectual property, Winstead attorney Cory Johnson won dismissal of a federal suit in North Carolina where a competitor was trying to invalidate all 10 patents.
Susman Godfrey Turns 40, ‘Far and Away Our Best Year Ever’
When trial lawyer Steve Susman died unexpectedly in 2020, legal industry insiders wondered what would become of the firm he founded four decades ago. The verdict is in.
“We had a record year in revenues and profits in 2022,” Susman Godfrey co-managing partner Vineet Bhatia told The Texas Lawbook in an exclusive interview. “2022 was far and away our best year ever.”
Susman Godfrey does not release annual law firm financials. An analysis by The Texas Lawbook shows, however, that the firm has nearly 200 lawyers – 105 of them in Texas – and ranks in the top five in RPL and PEP. The Lawbook has the exclusive details.
Litigation Roundup: SCOTX Sides with Ex-Dallas Cowboy, Llano County Dealt a Book Ban Blow
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, an intermediate appellate court split widens regarding gross negligence claims, sanctions requested by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in a fight over unpaid attorney fees are upheld on appeal, and a federal judge undoes one Texas county’s book bans.