In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Hines Chief Legal and Compliance Officer Richard Heaton discusses the traits he seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with him and more.
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P.S. — Lawyers and Volunteers Deliver ‘Small Bit of Miracle Working’ at Pasadena Legal Clinic
In this issue of P.S., we highlight an example of pro bono collaboration as volunteers from Baker Botts, Koch and The Beacon provided wide-ranging legal assistance at a Pasadena driver’s license restoration clinic. We also report on the bestowment of The Center for American and International Law’s highest award to legal trailblazer Harriet Miers for her decades of leadership and advocacy for justice. Also, the Texas Bar Foundation renewed its support for youth-focused nonprofit One Heart Project, helping continue programming for youth who are on probation. Plus, the Texas Access to Justice Commission is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award and The Texas Lawbook is seeking stories about your pro bono cases or public service projects involving veterans.
Barnes & Thornburg Lands Veteran Louisiana Litigator for its Dallas Office
Barnes & Thornburg has hired veteran Louisiana litigator Kelly E. Brilleaux as a partner in its Dallas office, the firm announced in a news release Thursday.
Sarah T. Hughes Diversity Scholarship on Pause, Bar None Fundraiser Canceled
The Sarah T. Hughes Diversity Scholarship, which has supported law students in Dallas for more than four decades, has been put on hold, prompting the cancellation of the Bar None fundraising event. This suspension comes amid uncertainty brought on by the Trump Administration’s various executive orders impacting diversity initiatives across the country.
Phillips 66’s Kathleen Bertolatus is ‘the Full Package’
Kathleen Bertolatus had a “pivotal family conversation” with her dad three decades ago when she was looking at colleges. “His advice to me was that, since the most important role in my life was going to be as wife and mother, I should go to the least expensive school,” Bertolatus told The Texas Lawbook. “While my mother didn’t work outside the home, I already knew at that young age that I wanted to make a broader impact in the world.” Today, Bertolatus is a wife, a mother and one of the most respected environmental and regulatory lawyers in the energy industry, where she serves as managing counsel for Phillips 66. “I’m proud of 18-year-old me, and all those versions in between, for holding fast to a vision that has made my family and career successful,” she said. The Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Lawbook have selected Bertolatus as one of two finalists for the 2025 Houston Senior Counsel of the Year Award for a large legal department. The awards ceremony is set for May 22 at the Four Seasons downtown.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Kathleen Bertolatus
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Kathleen Bertolatus discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Bracewell’s Jeff Vaden Weighs in on White-Collar Trends and their Texas Impact
Texas remains a focal point for white-collar litigation amid shifting priorities and an ever-changing enforcement landscape. The Texas Lawbook caught up with white-collar expert Jeff Vaden, a partner in Bracewell’s Houston office, about trends, the Trump Administration’s priorities, what they could mean for Texas and more.
Houston Crane Co. Slammed with $640M Verdict Over Construction Site Fatality
Jurors in Harris County this week awarded the family of a man who was killed at a construction site a total of $640 million, most of which came in the form of a whopping $480 million assessment of punitive damages against Houston-based TNT Crane & Rigging. A day before the jury assessed punitive damages, counsel for TNT had asked the court in an emergency motion for a mistrial, dismissal of the punitive damages phase of trial and sanctions against plaintiffs counsel, Tony Buzbee.
Judge Signals Final Ruling in Favor of Conservative Group in Southwest Airlines Student Travel Program Suit
A federal judge in Dallas alerted lawyers in an opinion and order Wednesday of his intention to enter final judgment in favor of Edward Blum’s American Alliance for Equal Rights, awarding them one cent in nominal damages and legal fees in a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines. The case challenged a now-shuttered program that provided free flights to low-income Hispanic students, which the group claimed was discriminatory. The judge opined that Southwest’s “unconditional surrender” justified ending the case without ruling on the merits.
Condon Tobin Hires Team from Libby Sparks
Condon Tobin Sladek Sparks Nerenberg has hired three new attorneys, the firm announced Wednesday in a news release. The additions — members Dustin Sparks and Jeff Libby, plus associate Rebecca Donachie — will strengthen the Dallas firm’s capabilities in corporate transactional work, M&A and commercial real estate.