The defense lawyer for Quintan Cockerell says he did nothing illegal by telling doctors they should consider using the costly medications prepared by 2 pharmacies that paid Cockerell millions of dollars. The government says he was taking kickbacks for inducing doctors to send prescriptions to the pharmacies.
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Canadian Marine Logistics Provider Logistec to Go Private in Deal with Blue Wolf, Stonepeak
Blue Wolf Capital and Stonepeak announced Monday that they are acquiring the Canada-based shipping specialists Logistec in an all-cash deal that values the company at $1.2 billion. Sidley advised Stonepeak on the transaction.
A Bar Member’s Visit to the Supreme Court
Though I have been counsel on SCOTUS cert petitions and responses and the occasional amicus brief over the years, I never had the opportunity to argue before the High Court. I realized I needed to make my own arrangements to watch our Supremes in action.
The argument I observed involved a lawsuit out of Texas and the Fifth Circuit challenging the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding mechanism. The nine justices were active in asking questions of counsel.
CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 13 Firms, 125 Lawyers, $67.8B
The $59.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources by ExxonMobil last week produced the largest week by value ever recorded by the Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup. The deal caused upward movement in the stocks of other significant stakeholders in the Permian Basin, perhaps with other consolidation targets in mind. The Roundup wondered which Permian players might be next, and we have that list, along with the usual tally of lawyers and firms that helped produce last week’s record showing.
Litigation Roundup: Hunton AK Tapped to Defend Aetna in $1.3B Suit, Waco Jury Slams California Co. With $240M Infringement Verdict
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Texas juries find infringement in one case involving smart thermostats and another involving cloud storage, a group of doctors want a Harris County judge to confirm a $153.5 million arbitration award in a dispute with UnitedHealthcare and federal prosecutors in Houston drop a female genital mutilation case.
Searchlight, BCI Take Consolidated Private in $3.1B Deal
Illinois-based Consolidated Communications was advised by Latham & Watkins on the deal. Searchlight Capital Partners already held 34 percent of Consolidated’s common stock and all of its Series A perpetual preferred. Claire Poole has details.
Harry Reasoner, the ‘Quintessential Advocate,’ Retires
Six decades ago, a rookie Vinson & Elkins lawyer named Harry Reasoner tried his first case in court. Hundreds of jury and bench trials and 59 years later, Reasoner, now 84, tells The Texas Lawbook that he has decided to retire on Dec. 31.
Reasoner has won billion-dollar courtroom victories for plaintiffs and corporate defendants. His service of pro bono is unparalleled. He guided V&E through a time of tremendous growth, adopted progressive workplace policies in the 1990s such as same sex benefits and helped the Houston firm survive the Enron financial scandal.
Meet the Reasoners: Texas Legal Royalty
Harry Reasoner grew up on a farm outside San Marcos, milking cows and raising pigs for 4-H competition. At 80, he has had a storied career, representing corporations in some of the biggest trials in history. Clients pay as much as $1,500 an hour for his counsel. Now Reasoner’s two children – Barrett and Macey and the extraordinary courtroom success they’ve had – are making sure that their father’s legacy will continue for many, many years. Meet the Reasoners.
Highly Respected Houston Bankruptcy Judge David Jones Resigns Amid Investigation
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones, one of the most prominent and busiest bankruptcy judges in the U.S., is expected to resign his position Monday over allegations of an undisclosed relationship with a former Jackson Walker bankruptcy lawyer who never appeared before him in a case, according to sources at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Fifth Circuit Revives Racial Profiling Suit Against Mesa Airlines
A three-judge panel on Friday determined that disputed fact issues should have precluded U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor from granting Mesa Airlines a summary judgment win in the lawsuit brought by Issam Abdallah and Abderraouf Alkhawaldeh. The men booked their tickets through American Airlines for a flight Mesa operated. Both frequent fliers on American Airlines, Abdallah holds gold status and Alkhawaldeh holds executive platinum status.