A summer’s end dearth of deals seems to have ended last week with 12 M&A transactions valued at $17 billion reported — though no CapM deals for the second week in a row.
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Flex Acquires EPC Power for $4.4B
Freshfields and Vinson & Elkins advised on the transaction that Flex says will allow its data center development unit to capitalize on the next generation of power architectures required for artificial intelligence. An IPO is likely to follow in Q1 2027, following the deal’s close.
New Courthouse Coming to College Station
Congress passed the Local Access to Courts Act this week, creating a new federal courthouse in College Station as part of the Houston Division in the Southern District of Texas. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane will select temporary quarters and then look at a location likely around Texas A&M to construct a new courthouse, which can take two years.
P.S. — Baker Botts Scores Two Pro Bono Victories in August
Baker Botts closed out August with two notable pro bono victories — a due process claim on behalf of a Florida tenant in the Eleventh Circuit and a closely watched constitutional challenge to Texas’ drag ban. Also in this edition of P.S., we spotlight two Texas recipients among the American Association of Law Libraries’ annual award winners.
Sheppard Adds Longtime Corporate Lawyer in Dallas
Heather Bethancourt has joined the corporate practice group of Sheppard in Dallas after more than 11 years at McDermott Will & Schulte.
Texas Business Court Judges Compete with Delaware on a ‘MASH Unit’ Budget
After two years in operation, the Texas Business Court has proven to be a nimble, sophisticated venue for resolving complex business litigation. But there’s one issue that represents an “existential” threat to the continued success and growth of the court, Administrative Presiding Judge Grant Dorfman recently told The Texas Lawbook: a shortage of permanent courtrooms.
Diversified Energy Buys Birch Permian Holdings for $1.8B
Alabama-based Diversified Energy announced Sept. 2 that is has acquired Birch Permian Holdings from Elliott Investment Management for about $1.8 billion. Gibson Dunn and Akin advised on the deal.
My Five Favorite Books: Brandy Treadway (Chief Legal Officer, Academy Sports and Outdoors)
When I was asked to contribute to this ongoing column, I was immediately excited — and then, admittedly, a little nervous. Books have always held a special place in my life. As a child, I was a voracious reader, and my mom would often find me tucked away in a closet with a flashlight, determined to finish whatever story had captured my imagination. As an adult, I have not always devoted as much time to reading as I did when I was younger, but books have remained an important way for me to connect — with friends, with family, and now with my own children. I chose these five books because each one has meant something to me at a particular stage of life, and each is one I have shared with someone else.
IP Firm Finnegan Opens in Dallas
Hope Shimabuku, who was a regional director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the last decade, will lead the firm’s sixth U.S. office.
Texas Business Court Is Ready to Expand. Will the Legislature Fund It?
Two years into its existence, the Texas Business Court has proven it can resolve complex business disputes quickly. But so far, the Texas Legislature has only funded five of the 11 divisions it created, leaving West, East and South Texas without access to the business court. With the 2027 legislative session on the horizon, talks with lawmakers are underway to expand the court’s divisions.