Since U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled that Evan P. Jowers improperly poached business from his former boss, Robert E. Kinney, Jowers has filed a new lawsuit in Florida and a motion for a protective order, alleging that Kinney threatened his family. Kinney, in turn, is seeking sanctions against Jowers and his current and former lawyers.
Veterans Fought for Our Country, Now Let’s Fight for Veteran Housing
“As veterans and advocates for access to justice, it is our responsibility to advocate for civil aid legal services that are transformative in alleviating pain points felt by Texas veterans returning to civilian life after active duty, as well as those who served our country decades ago,” Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela write. They lay out their case in this op-ed.
Jonny Havens: An Entrepreneurial Lawyer, Iraq War Veteran & Pro Bono Advocate
Service has always been a part of Jonny Havens’ life, whether it was serving two deployments in Iraq or helping veterans adjust to civilian life. The Houston-based personal injury lawyer, who just launched a new law firm, spoke with Natalie Posgate about his service as a Ranger qualified infantry officer, why he became a lawyer and why he continues to serve veterans through nonprofits and pro bono work.
Q&A with Newly-Appointed Pro Bono, Public Service and Diversity Reporter Natalie Posgate
Natalie shares why she wanted to take on the new beat, how the public service bucket is different from pro bono and issues of particular importance to her.
P.S. — An Anti-Bullying Grant, Awards Season Frenzy, A Thank-you Note
In this week’s P.S. column, we highlight a slew of attorneys and law firms awarded for their pro bono efforts, some recent nonprofit board appointments, an upcoming CLE featuring pro bono veterans in the industry (with ethics credit), and a significant grant awarded to a San Antonio-based project that supports children and their families impacted by bullying.
Dallas Minority Bar Orgs Launch New Job Board
Finding diverse job candidates in Dallas just got easier for firms. Six minority bar organizations have launched the Dallas Legal Equity and Diversity job board, a diversity and inclusion-focused job site. Natalie Posgate reports on how it came together and how employers and diverse attorney candidates can begin connecting on the platform.
Texas Lawbook Foundation Launches, Natalie Posgate to Lead Pro Bono, Public Service and Diversity Coverage in Texas
The daily news is filled with articles about lawyers scoring multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, closing billion-dollar M&A deals or reaping tens-of-millions of dollars in annual firm profits. The Texas Lawbook announces today its commitment to focus significantly more on what is essentially the legal profession’s ESG. From this day forward, The Lawbook has a full-time reporter — Natalie Posgate — doing nothing but researching and writing about pro bono, public service and diversity efforts involving Texas law firms and corporate legal departments. She will publish articles that highlight the successes of Texas lawyers and firm leaders, but also examine where and how the legal profession is failing. Posgate will be the first legal journalist in Texas to write exclusively about pro bono and diversity.
Texas Lawbook Launches ‘P.S.’ — a New Public Service Column for Lawyers
The Texas Lawbook has launched a new column that focuses on the charitable contributions of Texas lawyers in their communities. Natalie Posgate explains the new public service column, how to send submissions and includes a few inaugural items, including a Houston firm that made a donation that stemmed from longstanding litigation, a well-attended gala that raised $1 million and a Dallas legal power couple’s goals for one of Dallas’ oldest nonprofit organizations.
David Cole to Move from V&E to Kirkland
Cole, a nationally recognized expert on tax controversies and tax litigation, is expected to join K&E in October. His lateral hiring is the latest in a variety of moves by firms to beef up their energy practices. Mark Curriden has the details.
‘Can I Come Over and Hang Out?’: Behind the Scenes of Akin Gump’s Houston Office Refresh with Gensler
Individual workout and meditation rooms and Pelotons, plus an Icee machine and Houston Rockets Pop-A-Shot. Akin Gump’s revamped Houston office has them all. The Texas Lawbook sat down with Houston leaders at Akin Gump and Gensler to discuss what it takes to shepherd the “office of the next generation” and glean early reviews from attorneys and clients.
Publisher’s Note: This article is a sponsored partnership with Gensler.