In this edition of Litigation Roundup, we share the announcement that a new magistrate judge will be serving in the Northern District of Texas, and share details about both the federal government’s antitrust lawsuit against Richardson-based RealPage and the punishment doled out to a former controller for Simon Greenstone Panatier who bilked the plaintiff’s firm out of nearly $1.5 million.
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Court: U.S. Trustee May Depose Former Bankruptcy Judge on Secret Romantic Relationship
Former Houston Bankruptcy Judge David Jones, who oversaw significant corporate bankruptcies over the past decade, can now be questioned under oath about his undisclosed personal relationship with Elizabeth Freeman, then a partner at Jackson Walker, which earned millions in legal fees from cases the judge presided over.
The ruling, made by U.S. Chief Bankruptcy Judge Eduardo Rodriguez over the weekend, allows the U.S. Trustee to depose both Jones and his former case manager, Albert Alonzo, regarding the details of this secret relationship. Additionally, they may be compelled to provide personal documents related to the relationship, but this process will occur under the direct supervision of the chief judge.
FTC Noncompete Ban Invalidated Until Further Notice
Judge Ada Brown’s opinion is both well-reasoned and well-written, but it is not surprising. In light of the invalidation of the FTC’s rule, employers can breathe easy. Of course, the FTC can, and likely will, appeal the decision.
Texas Supreme Court Rejects Constitutional Challenge to Fifteenth Court of Appeals
With about a week to go before the state’s new Fifteenth Court of Appeals goes live, the Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday morning, unanimously rejecting a constitutional challenge to the creation of the court.
P.S. — Greedy, Money-Grubbing, Good-For-Nothing Corporate Lawyers: This Column Is Not For You
During the dozen years since I launched The Texas Lawbook, hundreds of lawyers have told me that we never publish articles about the good deeds that lawyers do. The Lawbook fixed that by assigning a full-time reporter to cover pro bono, public service and diversity in the Texas legal profession. We recognize the charitable and community work of lawyers every Friday in a column called P.S.
Now we need your help. Please send us news of your monetary donations to charitable causes, your service for community organizations and your non-profit fundraising efforts.
Claire Poole, the Doyenne of Texas Deal Journalism, is Retiring
Claire Poole, one of the brightest lights in business journalism, is retiring. Her last day is today. For decades, she has written about dealmaking in Texas and beyond with integrity, talent and grit. But the biggest story she’s been involved with may well be her own.
How the COVID Experience is Transforming Juror Attitudes Toward Corporate Defendants and What Lawyers Can Do About It
The pandemic has left a lasting impact on society, particularly in shaping public perceptions of corporate America. Media coverage during COVID-19, often sensationalized and focused on corporate failures or profiteering, has influenced public narratives about corporations. These narratives were further amplified by social media, where individual experiences and opinions shape jurors’ preconceived notions long before they enter the courtroom.
Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea, BenMaier & Eastham Adds Partner to Corpus Christi Office
Litigator Don Jones joins SBSB Eastham from Porter Rogers Dahlman & Gordon. Jones focuses on commercial and construction litigation, real estate and development litigation and oil and gas.
Jackson Walker Pushes for Dismissal from ‘Fiction’ ‘Labeled as a Complaint’ in Judge Jones-Related RICO Suit
On Wednesday, Jackson Walker ripped apart the racketeering and fraud lawsuit former Bouchard Transportation Company CEO Morton Bouchard III had lodged against it in February after the secret romance between former bankruptcy judge David Jones and former Jackson Walker bankruptcy partner Elizabeth Freeman came to light. “Mr. Bouchard’s response fails to solve the standing and pleading defects that plague the fiction his counsel has labeled as a complaint,” the firm told the court, doubling down on arguments it first made in May when it sought dismissal of the lawsuit.
Transcript of Show Cause Hearing Released in Judge Jones Case
On Wednesday morning, a redacted version of a transcript from a recent show cause hearing — in the litigation to determine whether Jackson Walker should be forced to return about $13 million in legal fees earned in bankruptcy cases before former Judge David Jones — was made publicly available.