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P.S. — Texas Appleseed Launches 30th Anniversary Campaign with $1.5M Goal 

In this edition of P.S., the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ 2025 Leadership Class capped its nearly yearlong charitable efforts Saturday with a day of service at Viola’s House, a nonprofit that provides maternity housing and support for expectant mothers facing unstable living situations. The lawyers are now exploring ways to package the professional development curriculum for Viola’s House and other nonprofits. Several DAYL Leadership Class projects have become lasting initiatives, including The Freedom Run 5k run and one-mile walk, created by the 2001 Leadership Class that raises funds for the Dallas Police Association’s Assist the Officer Foundation. 

Also, the nonprofit public interest justice center Texas Appleseed has launched a fundraising campaign aimed at raising $1.5 million in celebration of its 30th anniversary.

Also, today is the deadline to nominate a corporate counsel and in-house Texas attorney for the Texas Access to Justice Commission Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award.

Surveillance by Design? How the California Invasion of Privacy Act Threatens Texas Businesses

The California Invasion of Privacy Act stands out because it allows for both criminal charges and civil lawsuits for statutory violations. This sets CIPA apart from more recently enacted consumer privacy laws in both California and Texas, which do not include civil enforcement. This has turned CIPA into the go-to law for attorneys looking to challenge web privacy practices in court.

CIPA’s broad reach brings Texas companies into the crosshairs, with Texas companies becoming increasingly aware of and worried about potential claims under CIPA.

‘People Are Definitely Going to Get Sick’: Trial Over Texas Prison Heat Awaits Ruling

More than 30 lawyers across six firms, including the Texas offices of O’Melveny & Myers and Winston & Strawn, have worked on a lawsuit challenging the lack of air conditioning in Texas prisons, contributing over 5,000 pro bono hours valued at more than $5 million. At the end of a nine-day trial this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman said the case ranks among the most significant of the lawyers’ careers. 

Asked & Answered with Bracewell’s Steve Benesh: Legal Deserts, Star Trek and Gold

Second-generation lawyer and Bracewell partner Steve Benesh went to the University of Texas, following in the footsteps of his brother.

“For my 18-year-old mind, I needed no other reasons, other than having a brother there and Longhorn sports,” Benesh said.

Benesh recently sat down with The Texas Lawbook to discuss his time as state bar president and the issues he’s seeing in the legal practice.

Gibson Dunn, Kirkland Advise on SpaceX, Cursor Deal

SpaceX said in a social media post that it has an option to acquire Cursor later this year for $60 billion, “or pay $10 billion for our work together.” That work is aimed at creating “the world’s best coding and knowledge work AI.”

Gibson Dunn advised SpaceX, while Kirkland advised Cursor.

History Rhymes as Tension Between Executive and Judicial Branches Climbs

An American president denounces the judiciary, accusing courts of usurping power and judges of being politically motivated. His supporters warn of judicial tyranny.

The political figures being described were President Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Chase, an associate justice of the Supreme Court.

“Fooled you, didn’t I? You thought I was talking about another day,” Nathan Hecht told an audience at the University of Houston Law Center.

Texas Lawbook 50 — The Beast

The Texas Lawbook 50 rankings by revenue debuted eight years ago this week. Vinson & Elkins topped the 2017 charts with $484 million in revenue generated by their Texas lawyers. They were followed by Baker Botts, Norton Rose Fulbright, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Haynes Boone and Jackson Walker. Ranked 11th in the chart was a relative newcomer to the state: Kirkland & Ellis, which reported $187 million in Texas revenue — double what the firm had reported a year earlier.

This week, the Lawbook 50 will unveil the top 50 firms that generated the most revenue in their Texas offices. Kirkland is not ranked 11th any longer.

The SoCal Five — Franchising Hotel California to Texas

Don Henley and the Eagles could very easily have been writing about Southern California corporate law firms checking into the Hotel California during their constant and seemingly endless, decades-long expansion efforts.

They are all checking into Texas — and with the money they are making here, they will never leave.

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