Dallas real estate developer Tim Barton faces federal charges for allegedly bilking more than $26 million from Chinese nationals who were told they were investing in suburban land development deals. Barton has tapped Holland & Knight partner Richard Roper to lead his defense.
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David Cole to Move from V&E to Kirkland
Cole, a nationally recognized expert on tax controversies and tax litigation, is expected to join K&E in October. His lateral hiring is the latest in a variety of moves by firms to beef up their energy practices. Mark Curriden has the details.
CDT Roundup: 18 Deals, 14 Firms, 216 Lawyers, $5.2B
Few lawyers are busier these days than Sameer Mohan at Morgan Lewis. With a couple of deals announced last week, the sheer breadth of his practice is worth pondering. Claire Poole takes a look at a sample of his recent transactions, as part of the usual CDT Roundup of Texas lawyers who announced their own deals last week.
DBJ: No Rest in UDF Saga as Its Executives (Some Imprisoned) Named in a New Lawsuit
Multibillion-dollar investment firm NexPoint Advisors LP has sued three imprisoned top executives of an embattled North Texas residential real estate lender, claiming the lender’s now-former CEO and others in management positions have improperly used tens of millions of dollars in shareholder funds to pay their personal legal fees.
Litigation Roundup: A Patent Suit Against Match Group, Dallas Judge Chided for Slow Ruling, Failed Politician Accused of Embezzling From Business Partners
In this week’s edition of Litigation Roundup, Sidley is representing the Texas Medical Association in its Administrative Procedure Act challenge to the No Surprises Act, CenterPoint is ordered to pay $16 million to an injured worker and a Texas real estate developer is accused by the SEC of a $26 million fraud.
The Etiquette of Jurisprudential Unicorns: Review of a Recent Fifth Circuit Concurrence
Scholars traditionally classify the statements in a judicial opinion as “holdings” (the reasons for a court’s decision) or “dicta” (additional discussion not necessary to the result, with varying precedential value depending on its thoroughness). But that distinction comes up short when applied to Fifth Circuit Judge James Ho’s recent concurrence in Defense Distributed v. Platkin. The concurrence—a courteous (though unenforceable) request to a district court in another circuit—is an unusual jurisprudential addition to the patchworks of holding and dicta that ordinarily fill the Federal Reporter.
Texas Southern University Sued by Former Law Dean
Joan Bullock, the first woman dean of the historically Black university’s law school, says her abrupt dismissal in June was unexplained, undeserved and lacked due process. She is asking the court to enjoin the school from revoking her tenured teaching position until the facts surrounding the dismissal are heard by a faculty committee.
Jury Awards $95.5M in Case of Brain Damage Linked to Dentist Visit
The family of Nevaeh Hall sued the dentist, Bethaniel Jefferson, reaching a settlement with her insurer prior to trial, and also sued a pharmacist Charlotte M. Smith Brown, alleging she told Jefferson to administer an incorrect medication to Hall during the medical emergency. Brown drew Jefferson back into the lawsuit as a potentially liable party, and jurors found the dentist 100 percent liable for the injuries.
Does Adoption of AAA Rules Show Parties Wanted Arbitration? SCOTX Hears Arguments
Lawyers on opposing sides in a $41 million dispute over offshore drilling differ on the need for a new rule defining the meaning of standard arbitration rules in a contract on the gateway issue of arbitrability. Courts of appeals have split on the issue.
Talos Energy Acquires EnVen Energy for $1.1B
The cash-and-stock deal doubles the Talos presence in the Gulf of Mexico, adding 40% in production and substantial deepwater infrastructure in its current operational areas. Vinson & Elkins was involved, along with Gibson Dunn. The Lawbook has the names of the lawyers who advised.