The Texas Lawbook visited with Hodge to learn more about her vision for leading the firm’s ESG Risk and Investigations practice, what it’s like to be reunited with her former classmate and how she sees ESG evolving over the next several years.
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Tarrant County Pharmacist Testifies He Doctored Prescription Drugs to Boost Insurance Payouts
George Lock Paret, chief pharmacist at one of two Fort Worth compounding pharmacies co-owned by criminal fraud defendant Richard Hall, says he routinely modified the mixtures of ingredients in prescribed medicines to “make us more money.” Paret is one of several former associates of Hall’s testifying against his former boss in what prosecutors say was a $55 million bribery and kickback scheme to defraud federal insurance programs.
Update: Oral Arguments Postponed in Paxton Disciplinary Case
The Fifth Court of Appeals has granted an unopposed request from Ken Paxton to postpone oral arguments in the lawsuit brought against him by the state bar’s Commission for Lawyer Discipline, days after he requested they be delayed until after the conclusion of his impeachment trial.
“The case will be reset for submission in due course,” the court’s order reads.
Texas Lawyers at Shearman Aid J.F. Lehman on $1.2B Purchase of Heritage-Crystal Clean
The firm’s Dermarkar previously advised the private equity firm on deals, including during his tenure at Jones Day.
Ret. Bankruptcy Judge Sues Boy Scout Insurers in $2.4B Settlement Fight
More than 90 insurers have been named as defendants in the lawsuit brought by settlement trustee Barbara Houser, who formerly served as the chief bankruptcy judge in the Northern District of Texas until her retirement in May 2020.
Pharma Boss on Trial in Dallas in $55M Fraud Case
Prosecutors claim Richard Hall of Fort Worth recruited “a vast network” of marketers who signed up doctors to prescribe custom drug creams, which were billed to the U.S. government at thousands of dollars per tube.
$100M Sexual Harassment Trial Against Schlumberger Begins
Jurors heard opening statements Tuesday that included examples of the rig site sexual harassment Jessica Cheatham alleges she endured for more than two years while working for Schlumberger. The trial taking place before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt is expected to last 10 days.
Preparation Privilege: How the Bar Exam Amplifies Racial and Economic Disparities in the Legal Profession
The bar exam is a rite of passage for would-be attorneys looking to enter the legal profession. While its stated purpose is important — ensuring that new lawyers are equipped to represent their clients — the uncomfortable truth is that the bar exam often operates as a “test of resources” rather than one of competence. Indeed, many states are exploring alternatives to the bar exam.
CDT Roundup: 13 Deals, 9 Firms, 81 Lawyers, $8.3B
U.S. buyout and exit deals are seeing double-digit year-over-year declines, fundraising is shrinking and acquisition finance markets have stiffened in the face of interest rate uncertainty, according to Mergermarket. Against that backdrop comes a survey of 100 PE firm executives who are among those searching for places to place an estimated $1.1 trillion in dry-powder cash. In this week’s CDT Roundup, Claire Poole discusses what they see on the investment horizon after 12-18 months of investor caution, along with the names of lawyers involved in last week’s 13 M&A and funding deals.
H1 2023 M&A: ‘Meh’ Numbers Worth More than a Shrug
The Texas deal numbers are in for the first half of 2023, and according to The Texas Lawbook’s exclusive Corporate Deal Tracker they aren’t especially pretty. But beneath the surface lies a sense among Texas dealmakers that the money is still there, that investors are more disciplined and that deals with legs are simply more complicated and creative and, above all, still part of a vibrant economic pipeline.