Skadden has added two oil and gas veterans to its M&A team in Houston. In a news release Monday, the firm said Mingda Zhao and Emery Choi will advise energy and infrastructure clients, as well as private equity funds on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investments and other energy transactions.
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V&E Adds Three Partners: Two from Kirkland, One from Baker Botts
Vinson & Elkins said Monday they’ve added two Kirkland & Ellis partners to their New York and Austin offices in Samuel Francis and Reed Schuster, both of whom specialize in organization, governance and regulatory compliance issues. V&E also announced a return to the firm by finance partner Caitlin Lawrence after a nine-year sojourn at Baker Botts.
CDT Roundup: No Fuel for Thought as M&A Skips Oil & Gas for Tech and Food
For the week ending June 21 — and for this, our 25th weekly report of 2025 — there were 16 deals submitted for a total reported value at just under $6 billion (or $5.984 billion for the more exacting). On the year that’s slightly above average in volume (14.9 deals per week for the first 24 weeks), and well below the average for reported value ($13.2 billion per week for those same 24). We take nothing from that except to note that this most recent week was far better than the week prior, which recorded nine deals for $478 million, and stands remarkably similar to the 12 deals for $5.6 billion recorded at the summer solstice last year. But if you’re looking for something unusual — which is kinda our job here — the CDT Roundup has you covered.
SCOTX Sides With Southwest Pilots Union in Boeing Suit
The Texas Supreme Court delivered some bad news for The Boeing Company on Friday morning when it issued an opinion clearing the way for the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association to sue the company for damages caused by its alleged misrepresentations about the airworthiness of the 737 MAX. Even with the court’s ruling, the union could face an uphill climb to prove and collect any damages in the case.
Judge Weighs Sanctions, Dismissal Motion in Pioneer Natural Resources Suit
During a daylong hearing in Martin County Friday, a judge was told Pioneer Natural Resources had “fabricated” the basis for its lawsuit seeking $534 million in damages from a smaller Dallas-based competitor that it accused of interfering with its West Texas leases. Pioneer says the request for sanctions and dismissal are “baseless” and that Pony Oil’s allegations are sanctionable on their own.
Former TV News Anchor Guilty in $300M Pandemic Loan Scam
Stephanie Hockridge and her husband, Nathan Reis, were indicted on federal fraud charges in connection with their efforts to help small businesses obtain forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. Tried before U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy Friday. Reis is scheduled for trial in August.
No Texas Jurisdiction Over Foreign Airplane Engine Maker, SCOTX Says
The Texas Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit from a woman who was severely injured in a small plane crash in North Texas. The court found that she failed to produce evidence that the Austrian manufacturer of the plane’s engine specifically intended its product to enter the Texas stream of commerce.
P.S. — Attorneys Serving the Community Raises More Than $586K for POETIC, Voting Rights Act Commemorated
In this edition of P.S., Attorneys Serving the Community announced it raised more than $586K for POETIC, a nonprofit helping youth survivors of exploitation, with over $60,000 coming from its sold-out annual luncheon featuring Elizabeth Smart. Meanwhile, the Dallas Bar Association and J.L. Turner Legal Association are preparing to honor the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act with a special program featuring civil rights leaders and legal experts.
Houston Texans Associate GC Jumps to Munsch Hardt
After five years in-house with the NFL franchise, Sunil Jamal is returning to private practice to lead Munsch Hardt’s newly formed Sports + Entertainment Practice.
Victims’ Families Urge Rejection of Boeing 737 Max Settlement, Request Special Prosecutor
The families’ request was lodged Wednesday in the criminal fraud case the government brought against Boeing in January 2021 in the wake of two plane crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The families filed their briefs after the government, on May 29, filed a motion to dismiss and informed the court it had entered a non-prosecution agreement with the aerospace manufacturing company.