Texas-related M&A data for 2023 compiled from The Texas Lawbook’s exclusive Corporate Deal Tracker reveals a strangely successful year — even a record year in some quarters. A record number of Texas-related deals were reported: 1,225 mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures with an aggregate value of $739.7 billion. That’s a 13.2 percent climb in deal volume over 2022 (1,082) and more than double year-over-year values ($367.1 billion).
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Brister, Gunn, Matthews Among Applicants for TX Business Court and 15th Court of Appeals
Twenty lawyers, including several former Texas appellate and trial court judges, have applied for appointment to the newly created business courts and intermediate appellate court. They include prominent figures such as former Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott Brister, appellate specialist David Gunn and Houston MDL Judge Sylvia Matthews. Five candidates from the Texas AG’s office also are seeking positions. Gov. Abbott will appoint the judges and justices, who begin hearing cases in September. The Texas Lawbook obtained the applications through a public information request.
What to Publish on Your LinkedIn Page: A Guide for Small and Mid-Size Law Firms
While large firms — with their hundreds of lawyers and hefty marketing departments — can churn out news on the regular, small and mid-size firms often struggle with keeping their LinkedIn pages populated. This article offers a roadmap to humanize your brand, connect with your audience, and establish credibility in the legal landscape. Publisher’s Note: This content is premium subscriber thought leadership and is published outside of our paywall.
SCOTX to Decide if ‘Emergency Exception’ Bars Family of Slain Bicyclist from Suing Houston
During oral arguments Wednesday, Justices questioned lawyers about the after-the-fact reviews for determining whether police officers act in good faith in rapidly evolving situations and when government immunity ought to apply.
Justices Eye Scienter in State’s $16M Medicaid Fraud Win
The main issue in the case involves whether the state proved scienter — that Dr. Richard Malouf knew he was in violation of the law when he filed forms for reimbursement 1,842 times representing he had performed certain services that were actually performed by trainees at his All Smiles Dental Clinic — which is required for the judgment to stand. After Texas was granted the early win by Travis County District Judge Catherine Mauzy, Malouf appealed and a three-justice panel affirmed the holding in October 2022. He took his fight to the Texas Supreme Court in January 2023, and in November the court agreed to hear the case.
What to Know About Wearables for the New Texas Privacy Act
As people head back to the gym to meet their New Year resolutions, more wearable devices are used, but what are their privacy concerns?
SCOTX Takes 3 Cop Crash Suits This Term
Each term, watchers of the Texas Supreme Court are likely to see the court grant review in a handful of cases interpreting oil and gas leases, or cases requiring them to delineate what constitutes a medical malpractice claim. But this term, the court has taken an interest in something slightly different: three cases involving police crashes and the immunity that typically shields officers from related litigation.
CDT Roundup: 9 Deals, 9 Law Firms, 87 Lawyers, $8.6B
If M&A markets seemed slow, capital markets appeared dead. According to a study by PwC, a record year in 2021 has been followed by near silence. The CDT Roundup this week looks at the stats behind a precipitous drop in IPOs and some recent, long-overdue attention to SPACs by the SEC. All that and the usual roster of Texas-related transactions reported last week.
Three Lawyers, Six Texas Justices Take Center Stage in Winter Storm Uri’s Biggest Case
Six Texas Supreme Court justices peppered three lawyers with about two-dozen questions during an hour of oral argument Tuesday morning in an effort to determine whether the state’s Public Utility Commission was within its power to manually set electric rates at $9,000 per megawatt-hour during the four days of Winter Storm Uri in 2021 or if a massive, multibillion-dollar repricing needs to take place.
“The question before this court is a narrow, legal one: Does the plain text of PURA authorize the PUC to order ERCOT to restore competitive scarcity pricing signals to the electricity market and ensure the reliability of the electric grid?” Macey Reasoner Stokes, an appellate partner at Baker Botts in Houston who represents Calpine and Talen Energy, told the state’s highest court. “We submit the answer is a resounding yes.” Lawyers for Luminant disagreed. The Texas Lawbook has the details.
The Corner Office: Q&A with Brian Bullard
In this Q&A, the Polsinelli Dallas office managing partner weighs in on the challenges associated with succession planning at a law firm, what he is seeing in private equity dealmaking, and the benefits of taking a “generalist” approach as a young attorney. Plus, he shares the classic children’s book on repeat at his home.