The week ending Aug. 9 was a strong one by any measure: 19 deals for $16 billion. It follows 17 deals at $19 billion the week prior and compares very favorably with 20 deals for $12 billion this time last year. There were, of course, a healthy number involving data centers or data center infrastructure. Those will be moving the dial for a while. But the word that best describes the week is “wrinkled.” Because there were lots of wrinkles. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
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Husch Blackwell Names Erin Banks Chief Business Development Officer
The Kansas City-based law firm, which has more than 115 lawyers in Texas, announced this week that it has added the Dallas-based veteran legal marketer and business development professional to its C-suite.
Womble Adds Construction Pro in Houston
Bob Hancock was previously a leader in Munsch Hardt’s construction practice.
$28M Dispute Between Trucking Companies Revs Up with Motion to Dismiss
A Texas freight trucking company brought a complaint to the Texas Business Court, alleging an Indiana company caused $28 million in damages for alleged fraudulent schemes. The defendant calls the complaint “baseless” in a motion to dismiss.
Nat’l Firm Joins Bell Nunnally and Vartabedian in Summer Associate Bonuses
The number of business-focused law firms offering summer bonuses to associates is growing. New York-based corporate law firm Milbank became the largest firm to announce that it is offering summer bonuses for its associates. Two DFW boutique law firms, Bell Nunnally and Vartabedian, Hester & Haynes, announced during the past week that their partners were paying their associates summer bonuses in excess of $5,000. The managing partners at Vartabedian and Bell Nunnally said they are simply rewarding everyone’s hard work and to share some of the fruits of a successful first half of the year.
P.S. — Texas Legal Advocates Earn State, National Awards; Attorney Group Dedicates Fundraising Year to Homelessness Prevention
In this week’s P.S. Column, we highlight standout leaders and organizations who their peers are recognizing for making a difference. Texas Appleseed has named Travis Torrence, U.S. Head of Legal at Shell USA, as this year’s J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award recipient. The nonprofit will also honor Alston & Bird with its Pro Bono Leadership Award at its Nov. 5 dinner in Austin. Meanwhile, Attorneys Serving the Community announced Shared Housing Center as its next beneficiary, supporting efforts to prevent homelessness in Dallas. On the national stage, the American Bar Association is honoring the State Bar of Texas Law Practice Management Committee with a Solo and Small Firm Project Award. And in Houston, the Hispanic Bar Association welcomed eight new board members.
Western Midstream to Acquire Aris Water Solutions for $1.5B
Vinson & Elkins and Gibson Dunn advised on the deal, which extends Western Midstream’s reach for critical water resources into Eastern New Mexico.
Oxy, ConocoPhillips Announce Profits, Deals and Debt Reduction
Two major energy companies announced earnings Wednesday and both revealed upstream deal activity valued at more than $2 billion. ConocoPhillips announced a $1.3 billion sale of assets in the Anadarko Basin, which was advised by Haynes Boone.
Discretionary Denials 2.0 — The Litigator’s IPR Playbook Under the New PTAB Regime
In March, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued its “Interim Process for PTAB Workload Management” memorandum — quickly dubbed the “Workload Memo.” The memo resurrects and expands the PTAB’s discretion to deny institution for reasons that have little to do with the prior art. By July 31, the acting director had already logged 109 discretionary-denial decisions, signaling a tectonic shift. For petitioners who count on IPRs to stall infringement suits — and patent owners who must decide where to fight — the new regime demands a strategic overhaul. This article distills what has changed, why it matters and how litigators should adapt.
Bondholders Call for Judge Isgur to Recuse from GWG Holdings Bankruptcy Case
GWG Holdings bondholders call for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur to step away from the case, alleging he is protecting David Jones, a former bankruptcy judge, and Elizabeth Freeman, a former Jackson Walker partner with whom Jones had an undisclosed romantic relationship.