Lawsuit Alleges North Texas Jail’s Book, Magazine Bans Violate Free Speech, Due Process Rights

The Human Rights Defense Center is suing Grayson County and the sheriff, claiming the facility’s rejection of books, magazines and other materials sent to inmates violates the organization’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The lawsuit, filed in September, argues that the jail’s policies prevent inmates from receiving important legal literature, with no clear process for challenging rejections. U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant had questions for both sides during a hearing Monday on the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction.

January 29, 2025 Krista Torralva

P.S. — Sam Prince Has a ‘Fierce Dedication’ to Legal Aid

In the mid-1990s, looking for “something to do in between other things,” a young Sam Prince took a job with the Dallas branch of legal services. Coming from a fundraising gig at the University of Dallas where he’d honed his development skills, the Buffalo, New York, native thought he would learn a few things about the legal nonprofit field and then move on to his next adventure. Twenty-eight years later, Prince is still adventuring with legal services (now Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas) where he’s raised more than $50 million for needy Texans.

January 24, 2025 Saedra Pinkerton

Special Edition of P.S. — Remembering Kirkland’s Olivia Clarke and ‘Humor Beats Cancer’

The world of corporate law lost someone special last week. Olivia Clarke was not a lawyer. She was not a judge. She was not a general counsel. Olivia was the communications director at Kirkland & Ellis. She also was a former reporter and editor at the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. She knew her lawyers and firm and she equally knew our work and business. She was a strong advocate for her colleagues at the world’s largest corporate law firm, but lawyers inside Kirkland say she was equally an advocate pushing them to be open with journalists.

After a decade-long battle with cancer, Olivia died last week. She was only 46. “Olivia was incredibly capable and unfailingly thoughtful,” Texas Lawbook senior editor Allen Pusey said Monday.

January 20, 2025 Mark Curriden

P.S. Honors Betty Torres, David Beck

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor once told me during an interview that “there are lawyer heroes among us” who use their training to “make this a better society.” Betty Torres and David Beck are two of those heroes. Their good deeds and commitment to the legal profession are being recognized. In addition, the Texas Young Lawyers Association is building a website that can help those with an interest in becoming lawyers but who have no connections to the law better understand the process of becoming a part of this noble profession.

January 17, 2025 Mark Curriden

P.S. — SPCA and Jones Day: 2024 DFW Creative Partnership of the Year

Jones Day construction litigation partner Joseph Van Asten, the dad to two rescue dogs, was looking for a pro bono project earlier this year. Chris Luna, former T-Mobile chief counsel-turned-CEO of SPCA needed a large corporate law firm with experience in several different practice areas. The result: The Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook are honoring SPCA's Luna and Jones Day with the 2024 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Creative Partnership. During the past year, Jones Day has had 10 different lawyers work more than 200 pro bono hours on seven different matters for the SPCA, including drafting and negotiating construction agreements for the SPCA expansion project, providing advice on SPCA’s corporate bylaws and corporate governance issues and advising the nonprofit on its trademark portfolio. This is how the partnership came together.

January 10, 2025 Mark Curriden

Reynaldo Anaya Valencia to Make History as First Hispanic Leader of South Texas College of Law Houston 

South Texas College of Law Houston has named Reynaldo “Rey” Anaya Valencia, dean of the Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, as its next president and dean following a nationwide search. Valencia will assume the position in July.

January 8, 2025 Krista Torralva

P.S. — Dallas Cowboys’ Kaleisha Stuart, SPCA’s Chris Luna Win DFW Corporate Counsel Awards

The Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook are awarding the 2024 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Diversity and Inclusion to Dallas Cowboys Deputy General Counsel Kaleisha Stuart and the Creative Partnership Award to SPCA of Texas CEO Chris Luna and Jones Day partner Joseph Van Asten. Also in this P.S. column, Munsch Hardt and Paul Hastings share the holiday spirit with those less fortunate.

December 27, 2024 Mark Curriden

P.S. — Law Firms Share Holiday Spirit with Those in Need

With fewer than five days until Christmas Day and the start of Hanukkah, corporate law firms in Texas continue to demonstrate their giving spirit for those in need. During the past month, The Texas Lawbook’s P.S. column has highlighted nearly 20 law firms for their contributions to helping feed, clothe and house thousands of Texans who are struggling. Today, we turn the spotlight on three law firms — Sidley Austin, Katten and White & Case — for the support they are providing to those less fortunate.

December 20, 2024 Mark Curriden