Texas immigration courts are carrying one of the nation’s largest backlogs as the system has undergone a sweeping shake-up of more than 200 judges, coinciding with a rise in deportation orders. Nearly 3.2 million cases were pending before U.S. immigration courts as of June 2026, including 321,006 in Texas, the third-highest total in the country.
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CDT Roundup: Texas Hits Pause on Hookups, Not Infrastructure
For the week ended Aug. 15, the CDT Roundup saw 15 deals worth about $11.3 billion. The week prior saw 13 deals with a value of $11.1 billion and for this same week a year ago the Roundup reported 13 deals worth more than $26.4 billion.
Latham Lawyers Dominate CapM Count as Gibson Dunn’s Take Value Rankings
According to data from The Texas Lawbook‘s exclusive Corporate Deal Tracker, Texas capital-markets lawyers seperated themselves in two distinct ways in the first half of 2026: by staying busiest across a broad pipeline of offerings and by landing roles on the handful of transactions large enough to dominate the value leaderboards.
Houston Litigator Bill Jackson Leads New Jersey to $2.4B Settlements of ‘Forever Chemical’ Litigation
A Houston lawyer in Kelley Drye & Warren’s environmental law practice group served as lead trial counsel for the state of New Jersey, guiding historic $2.4 billion settlements in “forever chemical” litigation against DuPont and 3M that were finalized via consent orders by a federal judge last week. Jackson previously represented the state of Louisiana in Deepwater Horizon litigation.
Lynn Pinker Pro Bono Team Wins Asylum for Venezuelan Political Activist
After 10 years representing a Venezuelan political activist on a pro bono basis, lawyers with Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann secured asylum for their client after an immigration judge found he had been subjected to a systematic campaign of persecution by the Venezuelan government because of his political beliefs.
Haynes Boone Pro Bono Team Secures Tax Relief for Dallas Habitat Homeowner
A Dallas homeowner who is prohibited from selling her Habitat for Humanity home for more than $160,000 was twice taxed based on appraisals valuing the house at nearly double that amount. Haynes Boone lawyers handling the matter pro bono recently secured an agreed judgment requiring the Dallas Central Appraisal District to recognize the home’s deed restriction when determining its taxable value, ending a dispute the attorneys say threatened to undermine the purpose of affordable home ownership programs.
Kirkland Texas Amps Up the Deal Machine (All the Way to 11)
The Kirkland & Ellis Texas team did not need long to make its case this week with a Texas Triangle deal blitz stretching from Canada to West Texas. In less than 24 hours, the firm’s public relations team, almost as busy as its deal team, rolled out a rapid-fire run of transactions involving its Austin, Dallas and Houston dealmakers.
Here’s What the 5th Court of Appeals Financial Disclosure Forms Show
Stocks in technology companies and reimbursements are among the financial interests detailed in the 5th Court of Appeals justices’ financial disclosure forms for the past year. The Texas Lawbook made an open records request for the forms of the 13 sitting justices.
A Front-Row View of Texas Corporate Law’s Evolution: From the First TBOC Drafts to ‘DExit’ and ‘Y’all Street’
The recent phenomena of “DExit” reincorporations of Delaware corporations to Texas and the development of “Y’all Street” have highlighted the benefits of the Texas Business Organizations Code. The TBOC is the work product over the course of three decades by a dedicated group of volunteer Texas lawyers. Where did the TBOC come from?
Houston Litigator Daniel Mayerfeld Joins Blank Rome
Daniel Mayerfeld, a business litigation partner, has joined Blank Rome in Houston from Skadden. He will focus his practice on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on high-stakes energy and commercial disputes.