Northern District Bankruptcy Judge Scott Everett heard from counsel representing Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media and Trinity Broadcasting Network Tuesday, who argued about whether the celebrity television psychologist acted in bad faith by filing for bankruptcy. The hearing on the motion to dismiss and partial summary judgment is expected to last through Thursday, and Dr. Phil is on the list of potential witnesses who will testify. (File photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
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Judge Halts Construction of Natural Gas Pipeline, Compressor Station in Conroe
The lawyer representing the Bartholet family, Houston solo practitioner Seth Rubinson, who has represented pipeline companies in other litigation, made it clear in an interview with The Texas Lawbook Tuesday that both he and his client are not “anti-pipeline” and “believe infrastructure projects are important.”
“But this is a case about enforcing a restrictive covenant,” Rubinson said.
San Antonio Utility Buys Four Natural Gas Plants for $1.4B
CPS Energy agreed to acquire four natural gas powered electricity generation facilities in Texas for nearly $1.4 billion from PROENERGY. Dykema and Latham & Watkins are advising on the deal.
Litigation Roundup: Lawyer Notches Fifth Circ. Win in Long-running Feud with Former Firm
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million is filed by a woman who was paralyzed after a tree fell on her SUV in East Dallas, amicus counsel defending Texas firearm restrictions dig back to 14th Century English law in support of their case, and a fight between competing Thai restaurants in Houston heats up.
New GE Vernova GC Dionne Hamilton: ‘We’re Working to Make the World a Better Place’
Dionne Hamilton was not looking to leave Honeywell Smart Energy where she has served as general counsel for the past five years. The Houston corporate legal veteran had rejected several recruiting efforts over the years. But GE Vernova presented a vision of the company’s vision that Hamilton found enticing.
“They are leading a new era of energy — electrifying the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it,” Hamilton, who is in her second week as GE Vernova’s GC, told The Texas Lawbook.
CDT Roundup: From Corrugated to Crypto, Deals Keep Venturing Outside the Box
The week that ended Sept. 13 saw 21 transactions valued at $21 billion. That doesn’t count the late arrivals and deals outside our usual space (See “Late Arrivals and other matters…” at the bottom of this column). It’s a pretty good week when you average $1 billion per deal. For comparison, the week prior, we saw 19 deals for $8.5 billion and 24 deals for nearly $11 billion at this time last year. But each week seems a bit stranger than the last. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
How Candidates and Employers Can Avoid AI Pitfalls in the Hiring Process
Artificial intelligence has quickly worked its way into every corner of the hiring process, from resumes to job descriptions. In theory, that should make life easier for both candidates and employers. But when used as a crutch, it produces documents that are inaccurate, inflated or so vague that they mislead both sides of the hiring table. My diagnosis: Too much AI, not enough human oversight.
P.S. — House Moves to Slash Legal Aid Funding as Senate Proposes Increase, SALSA Makes Plea for Giving, Texas Tech Tops ABA Competition and More
In this week’s P.S. Column, we cover the House Appropriations Committee’s vote to cut Legal Services Corporation funding by 46 percent, a move that could leave millions without access to legal aid. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Legal Services Association makes a plea for donations to support core operations.
JCPenney Estate, Jackson Walker Reach Potential $1.4M Settlement
Jackson Walker, which represented JCPenney during its 2020 bankruptcy proceedings, has agreed to pay the estate of the department store $1.4 million as a result of a romantic relationship between a former partner and a former Houston bankruptcy judge. This latest settlement proposal requires the court’s approval, but the U.S. Trustee’s Office remains opposed to individual settlements.
SDTX Bankruptcy Court Scandal Timeline
2011: David Jones leaves Houston law firm Porter Hedges after 19 years as a corporate bankruptcy lawyer to become a bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of Texas. Jones later hires