In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Von Hays discusses the traits he seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with him and more.
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CDT Roundup: Cold Front, Hot Government Capital
For the wintry week ended Jan. 31, the CDT Roundup saw 11 deals reported with a total value of nearly $4 billion — and the bulk of that was, in essence, a preferred equity funding deal involving the federal government.
A week earlier, eight deals were reported with only three disclosed values totaling a little more than $1.3 billion. This time last year there were 16 deals worth a little more than $10 billion that passed across our desk. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
P.S. — Texas Native Named Dean of Yale Law School
In this edition of P.S., we report that San Antonio native Cristina M. Rodríguez is set to make history as the first Latina to lead Yale Law School when she assumes the deanship on Feb. 1. Also, the San Antonio Legal Services Association has announced that Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby will serve as the keynote speaker at its premier fundraising event in April. And retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, a trailblazer and mentor to many, will be honored with the Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service as part of SMU Dedman School of Law’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Smith, Gambrell & Russell Expands Texas Reach with New Addition
International law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell added Mitch Ackal on Monday and hopes to grow an office in the Houston market. Before joining SGR, Ackal spent two decades at Gray Reed.
Legal Aid Feels ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ After Latest Funding Loss
A 3.6 percent funding cut approved by the U.S. Senate for the Legal Services Corporation — the federal nonprofit that funds legal aid organizations nationwide — will result in an estimated $1.9 million loss for Texas, marking yet another setback for legal aid providers after a year of repeated funding reductions, advocates said.
“It’s been death by a thousand cuts,” said Betty Torres, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which also supports the state’s three major organizations: Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Advocates remain grateful that funding continues for LSC, which had been on the chopping block after President Donald Trump proposed eliminating it entirely.
Former SEC Chief Trial Lawyer Takes Practice to Vartabedian
Prominent white-collar defense and corporate securities lawyer Toby Galloway has joined Vartabedian Hester & Haynes, a 35-lawyer Fort Worth boutique that has witnessed significant growth since it was founded two years ago.
The Texas Lawbook interviewed Galloway about the move to VHH.
Baker Botts Secures a Win for Solaris in Patent Challenge
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruled that all claims of Masaba’s patent for sand-handling equipment are unpatentable as obvious over combinations of prior art references. Masaba accused Solaris Oilfield Services Operating of infringing on the patent in a 2023 lawsuit before the Wyoming District Court.
Trintech CLO Heather Randall Is a ‘Force Multiplier’
Heather Randall joined Dallas-headquartered cloud-based software solutions company Trintech in August 2023 and immediately found herself immersed in one of the biggest challenges of her two-decade legal career. Just a month earlier, Trintech had completed its largest-ever acquisition — a $230 million purchase of Fiserv’s fintech and payment-solutions operations. The integration of the highly complex carveout transaction was just as complicated, and it fell to Randall to make significant parts of it work. And her accomplishments in 2025 have been equally as significant.
The Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have named Randall as one of three finalists for the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards for General Counsel of the Year for a Small Legal Department.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Heather Randall
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Heather Randall discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Elaine Rodriguez Steers DFW Airport Through Turbulent Times
Elaine Rodriguez was looking for a new job in 2011 when a recruiter asked if she was interested in being the general counsel of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
“The more I learned, the more intrigued I became. And after years of doing annual reports and proxy statements, I thought it might be interesting to learn new things,” she said. “And, boy, have I learned new things,” Rodriguez told The Texas Lawbook.
The 14 years since have been filled with steep challenges and major achievements. And now the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Lawbook are honoring Rodriguez with the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement.