Citing $2.5 billion in liabilities, Office Properties Income Trust and 75 of its affiliated operations — including two in Plano — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Oct. 30 in the Southern District of Texas. OPI, a real estate investment trust headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, has hired Latham & Watkins and Hunton Andrews Kurth as its bankruptcy legal advisors, Alix Partners as its restructuring advisor and Moelis & Company as its investment banker.
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P.S. — Houston-based Law Firm Deemed a Best Place to Work for Women, South Texas Lawyer Named to Time100
In this edition of P.S., we report on national spotlights, local honors and pro bono achievements.
Judge Liu Calls Out ‘Deplorable Management’ of Case, Points to Central Docket System as Culprit
Travis County’s newest district court judge issued an order this week in a nearly 2-year-old dispute, stemming from a soured joint venture that was formed to buy and sell a luxury home in Austin, while granting and denying certain motions from both parties.
But the real news in the three-page order entered Wednesday in Brandon Becker v. UpEquity Title came in the final three paragraphs, where Travis County District Judge Cory Liu, appointed to the bench by Gov. Greg Abbott in March, took to task the Travis County central docket system.
From ‘Gopher’ to Managing Partner: Larry Campagna Reflects on Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s 60th Anniversary
No one knows Chamberlain Hrdlicka, which turned 60 in October, better than Campagna, and so The Lawbook asked him to reflect on the firm’s legacy, consider how the practice of law has changed, and elaborate on why being “mid-size” is just right for the firm.
Valero GC Rich Walsh Fought the EPA and Won at the U.S. Supreme Court
Valero Energy GC Rich Walsh watched in astonishment in 2022 and 2023 as major petroleum-related companies were silent as the EPA allowed California to set more stringent fuel admission standards than required by federal law, creating an existential threat to their businesses. The California rules would force consumers to purchase vehicles that run on electricity instead of liquid fuels. Walsh led the charge to file lawsuits challenging these regulations. On June 20, Walsh’s efforts paid off when the U.S. Supreme Court handed Valero a sweeping victory.
“Sometimes it is very evident when we are very right, and I knew from the start that this was one of those times,” said Walsh, who is the recipient of the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Large Legal Department.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Rich Walsh
Walsh addresses “nuclear verdicts” and what outside counsel needs to know about him.
AZA to Open Dallas Office in January
The firm, which launched in Houston in 1993, was patient about opening a second office. John Zavitsanos said the amount of intellectual property work the firm is handling made Dallas a clear location for expansion. (Photo by Sharon Ferranti/The Texas Lawbook)
Dallas Stars Hire Winstead, File Counterclaim Against Jackson Walker-Represented Mavericks
In the sports showdown consuming Dallas, it will be Winstead PC representing the Dallas Stars in the litigation against the Jackson Walker-represented Dallas Mavericks.
My Five Favorite Books: Wade Cooper, Managing Partner at Jackson Walker
It is hard to narrow a list of favorite books to five, but here is my list – at least today’s version. Two great Texas novels, one of literature’s unforgettable characters, a dense work of non-fiction, and an incredible story of adventure, survival and leadership.
‘There is No Hope for Rehabilitation’: Judge Converts Dr. Phil’s Media Startup Bankruptcy to Chapter 7
After a three-hour hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Scott Everett ruled to convert Dr. Phil McGraw’s Chapter 11 startup media bankruptcy case to a Chapter 7 and will have a trustee appointed. The ruling comes after a weekslong hearing in September on the motion to dismiss or to convert.