Kelsey Williams almost didn’t become a lawyer. She bucked her parents’ efforts to persuade her to follow in her father’s footsteps. But it was in a specific moment during her undergraduate literature studies that she realized she may be a natural fit for the legal profession. Today, her peers say she has a “signature brand of meticulous and thoughtful legal work” that has transformed Workrise’s profitability and stability. And she is a finalist for the 2024 DFW Senior Counsel of the Year Award.
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Premium Subscriber Q&A: Kelsey Williams
In this premium subscriber Q&A, Workwise GC Kelsey Williams discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Litigation Roundup: Texas Sues Biden Admin One Last Time
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals decides a case of first impression in favor of Google in the biometric data lawsuit Texas is pursuing, the state and W&T Offshore join forces to sue the outgoing Biden administration, and a jury in San Antonio determines a barbecue restaurant owes millions in a suit over hot barbecue sauce.
Texas White-Collar Experts Predict Trends Under Trump
Amid uncertainty about the new administration, top Texas litigators who specialize in white-collar criminal law and securities enforcement say healthcare fraud will continue to be a top priority for federal prosecutors, though immigration cases will likely see a surge. The Texas Lawbook asked eight leading white-collar specialists what they see as the most important legal trends in the state and what they predict regarding white-collar prosecutions this year. Cybersecurity, foreign bribery, elderly abuse and privacy law violation offenses are best bets. But then again, it is President Trump, so who knows?
Baker Botts Boosts International Disputes and Antitrust Practices with High-Profile Hires
Ben Love returns to Texas after working out of Boies Schiller Flexner’s New York and Washington D.C. offices. Former Texas-based lawyer Edward Duffy joins Baker Botts from the U.S. Department of Justice.
M&A in 2024: A Big Bite for Small Deals
The roster of M&A deals in 2024 suggests that we should be thankful for small things. Or, at least, small deals, according to the Corporate Deal Tracker.
From Blockbuster to a Billion-Dollar Deal: Bryan Stevenson’s Journey to Arcosa
Bryan Stevenson’s career has been marked by bold moves and transformative moments, culminating in his role as chief legal officer at Arcosa, where his strategic vision helped orchestrate the largest deal in the company’s history, earning him recognition as a finalist for the 2024 DFW M&A Deal of the Year Award.
CDT Roundup: 19 Deals, 15 Firms, 316 Lawyers, $7.4B
Along with the explosion of investment in AI comes a parallel eruption of potential threats. As a result, consultants at McKinsey suggest that the current, addressable market for cybersecurity is $2 trillion — about 10 times what is actually being spent. This week’s CDT Roundup looks at a noticeable uptick in cybersecurity deals as well as the usual roll call of the Texas lawyers involved in last week’s reported deals.
Special Edition of P.S. — Remembering Kirkland’s Olivia Clarke and ‘Humor Beats Cancer’
The world of corporate law lost someone special last week. Olivia Clarke was not a lawyer. She was not a judge. She was not a general counsel. Olivia was the communications director at Kirkland & Ellis. She also was a former reporter and editor at the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. She knew her lawyers and firm and she equally knew our work and business. She was a strong advocate for her colleagues at the world’s largest corporate law firm, but lawyers inside Kirkland say she was equally an advocate pushing them to be open with journalists.
After a decade-long battle with cancer, Olivia died last week. She was only 46. “Olivia was incredibly capable and unfailingly thoughtful,” Texas Lawbook senior editor Allen Pusey said Monday.
The Looming TikTok Ban: How Influencers Can Avoid Losing Money
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to block the Tik Tok “ban,” it will take effect on Jan. 19 (or a later date if extended). This means thousands of well-paid influencers stand to lose a significant revenue stream. Recent data reflects that influencers make as much as $250k per post. The good news? Influencers can take steps ahead of loss.