With a strong economy swelling state coffers and a surprising across-the-aisle consensus on policy priorities, the 86th Texas Legislature was able to tackle some of the state’s most pressing needs while making investments in its future. Rafael Anchia and John Turner of Haynes and Boone highlight legislative actions of interest for the business community.
Lubbock Auto CFO Pleads Guilty on Fraud Scheme
The former CFO of Reagor Dykes Auto Group in Lubbock pleaded guilty Tuesday to masterminding a $50 million conspiracy that defrauded the company’s primary lender, Ford Motor Credit Co.
David Peavler: SEC – An Opportunity He Couldn’t Pass Up
HD Vest Financial GC David Peavler, a sleeper candidate to be the SEC’s top corporate cop in Texas, tells The Texas Lawbook in an exclusive interview that tightened resources will be his biggest challenge when he starts as regional director in July. The objective, he said, is “to have as big an impact as possible with the resources we have.” Meanwhile, SEC insiders say Peavler is the perfect choice for the job.
SEC Names David Peavler as Fort Worth Regional Director
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has named its former associate director of enforcement, David Peavler, as the agency’s new regional director for its Fort Worth Regional Office.
SEC Names DFW’s Marshall Gandy Co-Head of Corporate Compliance Program
Gandy, associate regional director for examinations for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Fort Worth, will continue to lead examinations for the Fort Worth Regional Office.
Dangerous Lesson from Forest Park Trial Fallout: Defense Lawyers Proffer at their own Peril in the Northern District of Texas
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Texas is moving full steam ahead with a new proffer agreement policy effectively muzzling a defendant at trial. The new language binds both the defendant and her attorney and the Fifth Circuit seems poised to rule that proffer statements are admissible in the government’s case-in-chief. Only one strategy for defense attorneys is clear then – proffer at your peril.
A Billionaire’s Battle, Blow-By-Blow
If you missed out on attending the SEC’s historic insider trading trial against Mark Cuban, a new book that’s hit the stands is your next best bet on experiencing the litigation saga. In Securities and Exchange Commission v. Cuban, SMU law professor Marc Steinberg compresses thousands of court documents to provide an insightful commentary on nearly a decade of pivotal moments and decisions that made and unmade the case.
Houston Chronicle: SEC Examining Alta Mesa Resources
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the Houston oil and gas company Alta Mesa Resources for potential fraud amid admitted failures in its financial reporting, the company said Friday in a regulatory filing.
Reflections on an Acquittal
A multi-defendant white-collar criminal case in federal court presents unique challenges, from managing a multitude of lawyers to the avoidance of conflicts. Tom Melsheimer of Winston & Strawn, who represented the only defendant acquitted in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery case, reflects on the strategies and disciplines that helped the jury single out his client as the only one among nine defendants they could unanimously regard as innocent.
[UPDATED] Forest Park Verdict: 7 Guilty, 1 Acquittal, 1 Mistrial
A jury in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery and kickbacks trial returned its verdict late Tuesday, convicting seven of nine defendants on charges ranging from conspiracy to money laundering. One defendant, Dr. Nick Nicholson was acquitted of all charges. The jury was unable to reach a verdict regarding the one charge against Carli Hemple, the director of bariatric services at the hospital. The Texas Lawbook has the latest.