In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Southwest Airlines attorneys are denied a stay of a sanctions order that they undergo religious liberty training, the Texas Supreme Court rejects Jerry Jones’ request to end an assault suit brought by a woman he allegedly forcibly kissed at AT&T Stadium and the Fifth Circuit revives a suit against the Food and Drug Administration over tweets about ivermectin.
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Holding Vigil: Law Firm Executives Deserve a Gold Star for Patience
Lawyers today face endless liabilities — both financial and reputational. Throw in the continuous industry-wide challenge of diversity and inclusion, a decline in associate writing skills and a truly mixed bag of social skills, and it is no wonder law firms find themselves stagnant and struggling to make big moves. This OpEd outlines key ways law firms can better utilize administrative resources and forge more strategic pathways.
Energy/Infra Lawyer Purohit Leaves Latham for Paul Weiss
Ravi Purohit becomes co-head of Paul Weiss’s infrastructure practice. There has been speculation that Paul Weiss is planning to open a Houston office and has been out trying to recruit lawyers.
Texas Seeks Stay of Federal Court Ruling Against School Book Ban
The fast-moving case is heading to the Fifth Circuit over the First Amendment implications of a new law requiring booksellers to rate material sold to public school libraries. Would Texan Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet be banned for sexual content?
P.S. — A Corporate LGBTQ+ Conference, A Maui Fund, A Life Saved
This edition of P.S. details September dates for the DBA’s phone legal clinics, an upcoming conference that aims to inform on the LGBTQ+ climate and help corporations build more inclusive workplaces, ways Texas lawyers can support the ABA’s disaster relief efforts in Maui and a back-to-school fundraiser that is close to the hearts of lawyers at Norton Rose Fulbright. Plus: the son of a well-known Dallas lawyer’s life-saving tale.
Business Court Building Blocks Taking Shape
The hotly contested legislation establishing a new business court and intermediate court of appeals to handle complex commercial cases goes into effect Sept. 1 as litigators wait for judicial appointments and procedural rules. Many expect challenges to the business court’s system of appointed judges and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals’ statewide jurisdiction. Janet Elliott outlines the issues.
Making Your Closing Argument — Where Exactly is the Beef?
Closing arguments are one of the most anticipated parts of any jury trial. Consequently, it’s important for the advocate to choose his or her words carefully for maximum impact. We’ve found that jurors throughout the country are very responsive to an approach that emphasizes the inability of one side to prove its case. Finding a way to couch the argument with broad appeal is all the more persuasive.
A Word With the Lawyers Who Helped Eviscerate the Texas Tampon Tax
On Friday, Texans will no longer pay sales tax for menstrual products and an array of family care products. While lawmakers passed SB 379 only a few months ago, the new state law is the product of years of work by a coalition of young Texas women and their lawyers at Baker Botts. In a Q&A with The Lawbook, the lawyers talk more about their work on this pro bono matter and SB 379’s significance.
Fifth Circuit Expands Scope of Liability for Title VII Discrimination Claims
Upending nearly 30 years of precedent, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s recent ruling in Hamilton v. Dallas County makes it easier for employees to challenge perceived workplace discrimination going forward. The resulting uncertainty in the law will likely lead to more lawsuits challenging “non-ultimate” employment decisions based on policies and practices that employees perceive to be discriminatory and fewer grants of motions to dismiss or for summary judgment.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Reality or Mirage?
Similar to trends seen in other industries, passenger and cargo airlines are taking steps to increase the visibility of efforts to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Their actions reflect the expansion of government regulatory initiatives and the changes in consumer preferences. But for the aviation industry, finding solutions that reduce or mitigate GHG emissions is especially difficult. It’s an area that will produce deals and technological investments for years to come.