The ongoing battle for elite legal talent in Texas continued Monday as Latham & Watkins announced it hired five new energy and infrastructure partners away from three rival firms — Baker Botts, Sidley Austin and Orrick — to bolster its project development and finance teams.
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Jurors on the Move, Contracts on Trial: October’s Texas Business Court Decisions
From UCC output contracts to the internal affairs doctrine, the Texas Business Court’s October docket provided a clear window into how the new bench is handling high-stakes corporate disputes. Notable rulings included applying Texas’ strict pre-suit demand requirements to a derivative suit against Coinbase’s directors and using the economic-loss rule to limit tort claims in commercial lease fights.
Weil’s Collapse Ran Through Texas
Weil, Gotshal & Manges was still profitable when its leaders moved to wind down the 95-year-old firm. Current and former partners say a long-running fight over growth, including how hard to invest in Texas, cost the firm talent it couldn’t replace. Now its roughly 70 Texas lawyers, who brought in roughly $118.2 million last year, are weighing offers.
CDT Roundup: Energy Deals Claim the Week
While energy deals provided bulk and value, it was Anthropic that provided the headlines for Texas lawyers with a special purpose vehicle designed to help fund $63 billion in compute from Anthropic’s major vendor.
Dueling Lawsuits Will Decide Arlington Stadium Bond Dispute
The city of Arlington is moving to protect a $270 million stadium maintenance funding deal and a lease extension for the Dallas Cowboys that would keep America’s team playing in the city through 2055. To quickly squash a taxpayer lawsuit blocking the deal, the city has invoked a statute to force an immediate trial.
Haynes Boone ‘Rounds Out’ Advertising Practice with New York Hire
Advertising and trademark leaders at Haynes Boone say the addition of native Texan Holly Melton brings a distinctive consumer protection element to the firm’s offering.
Dallas Federal Judge a No-Show for Fifth Circuit Misconduct Interview
U.S. District Judge Ada Brown failed to appear for a mandatory hearing Friday morning before a Fifth Circuit special committee investigating allegations that she abandoned her docket and directed racial slurs at a visiting attorney.
H-E-B’s Abel Martinez Opens Doors for the Next Generation of Texas Lawyers
As the son of a construction worker who bounced between the Rio Grande Valley and Chicago, Abel Martinez saw firsthand how ZIP codes dictate opportunity. Today, as H-E-B’s group vice president of partner relations, risk solutions and government affairs, he uses his platform to ensure young attorneys get a seat at the table. For his decades of mentorship and leadership, Martinez is the winner of the 2026 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion, presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook.
Premium Q&A with H-E-B group VP of partner relations, risk solutions and government affairs Abel Martinez
Texas Lawbook: What are the biggest challenges today regarding inclusion in the legal profession? Abel Martinez: One of the biggest challenges is turning good intentions into meaningful opportunities. Recruiting talented
Premium Q&A with USAA Principal Attorney Michael C. Danforth
Texas Lawbook: What do you think of mandatory pro bono programs at law firms and corporate legal departments? Michael Danforth: It may broaden exposure to pro bono needs and opportunities,