The Houston-based firm has recruited Brian G. Patterson from Akin. He focuses his practice on restrictive covenant litigation, wage-and-hour cases, OSHA enforcement and internal investigations.
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Transocean Raises Questions About Plaintiffs’ Healthcare Billing Schemes in Hurricane Zeta Litigation
The first of two-dozen workers aboard the Deepwater Asgard suing Transocean and other companies for ordering them to keep the giant rig operating even though it was in the direct path of Hurricane Zeta in October 2020 get to tell their harrowing stories to a Houston jury starting next week.
But lawyers for Transocean and the other defendants claim in new documents filed Sept. 5 that they have discovered a secret financial scheme involving the plaintiffs’ lawyers, their medical expert witnesses and a private equity firm that is allegedly providing funding for the litigation. The defense attorneys claim the scheme taints the medical testimony of the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses. The Texas Lawbook has the details.
Challenge to 15th COA Transfer is Filed
The jurisdiction of the state’s new Fifteenth Court of Appeals has been challenged by a party in a dispute that had been on appeal before the First Court of Appeals in Houston. A total of 88 cases have been transferred to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals.
After 7 Years, Fired Quitman Police Captain Will Have His Day in Federal Court
When Terry Bevill signed an affidavit in 2017 saying he didn’t think a friend could get a fair trial in Wood County in East Texas, he didn’t know he was signing the death certificate for his law enforcement career.
On Monday, a federal jury will determine if Bevill was wrongly fired.
P.S. — V&E Scholars Announced, Dallas SABA Gala Benefits Victims of Domestic Violence
Seven recent Texas high school graduates with an interest in a future practicing law learned this week that they are receiving a huge boost toward achieving their dreams. Vinson & Elkins announced that four students from Houston, two from Dallas and one from Austin are recipients of the firm’s annual V&E Scholars Program, which provides tuition funding and summer internships.
An abundance of potentially great legal talent is left on the sidelines because young people lack mentors, role models and the financial ability to position themselves for success. Over the next three months, The Texas Lawbook plans to highlight law firms, corporate legal departments and organizations who step up to improve diversity in the pipeline.
Also in this edition of P.S., The Lawbook recognizes several law firms that support the South Asian Bar Association of Dallas and its fundraising for a charity that helps South Asian victims of abuse.
Locke Lord, Troutman Pepper Vote to Merge
The combination will create a firm of more than 1,600 lawyers in 35 offices which last year reported more than $1.5 billion in revenues, placing it in the top 30 of the Am Law 100 rankings.
Kent Zimmermann, a strategic adviser and principal with the Zeughauser Group, introduced the two firms and describes the combination as “the most appealing in recent history.”
Texas Biz Courts are Open, But Filings Trickle In
In the four days since the Texas business courts opened for, well, business, only four cases have been filed. The high-dollar disputes will be adjudicated by new judges in the divisions covering Houston, Dallas and Austin. Attorneys from Bell Nunnally & Martin earned the title of first to file in the new courts.
Verizon to Acquire Frontier Communications in $20B Transaction
Debevoise & Plimpton advised Verizon. Cravath, Swain & Moore advised Frontier. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison counseled Frontier’s strategic review committee.
Litigation Roundup: Shareholders Accuse American Airlines of Securities Violations
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, a poker house’s appellate gamble pays off, Texas draws suit over a three-year old anti-ESG law, and a lawsuit that was seeking more than $7 billion in damages gets booted from Texas courts.
Bell Nunnally Recruits M&A Partner from Baker McKenzie
Jonathan Farrokhnia said in a LinkedIn post that “the new role represents a significant milestone in my career.”