Marita Covarrubias is a high-ranking Dallas lawyer at Tenet Healthcare who shares a name with a secret agent on The X-Files. Derek Lipscombe was a former Houston Astros bat boy turned award-winning newspaper reporter who is managing counsel for Toyota North America. Both lawyers of color, Covarrubias and Lipscombe have represented their multibillion-dollar corporations in bet-the-company litigation matters — from class-action lawsuits involving cybersecurity and data breaches to massive antitrust challenges — in courtrooms across the country, and both have become critical advisors to the top executives and board members at Tenet and Toyota. Earlier this year, Covarrubias and Lipscombe became the first husband-wife duo to receive the 2024 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement. “Marita and Derek exemplify what it means to dedicate a lifetime of excellence, integrity and the betterment of the legal profession and the North Texas business community,” said Association of Corporate Counsel DFW Chapter President Alvin Benton, who is senior counsel for corporate compliance at Capital One in Dallas.
More Stories
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Marita Covarrubias and Derek Lipscombe
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Tenet’s Marita Covarrubias and Toyota North America’s Derek Lipscombe discuss the traits they seek in outside counsel, what outside counsel needs to know when working with them, how their jobs have changed over three decades and being parents to an amazing son with special needs.
Teaming Agreements Can Help Government Contractors Capitalize on Increased Defense Spending
In order to take full advantage of these opportunities from increased defense spending, companies must familiarize themselves with the legal regime that governs preliminary contracts in the industry. In particular, companies considering entering into a teaming agreement — often used to meet the multifaceted needs of a government contract — must understand their agreement’s enforceability and the obligations each party in the “team” incurs. Without this knowledge, companies might find themselves tied up in disputes over the requirements of a potential subcontract, which may delay the project’s completion and undercut its ultimate success.
Industrial 3D Printer Files for Bankruptcy in Houston
Massachusetts-based Desktop Metal Operating and 15 of its affiliated companies have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of Texas.
Paul Hastings Continues TX Growth Play with Energy M&A Hire
Peter Hays has had a career-long focus on onshore and offshore energy and a practice spanning both domestic and international markets.
CDT Roundup: Watt a Week as Deals Spark Up Power and Security
The week ending July 26 saw 15 transactions for just over $3 billion, which doesn’t sound like much. The volume is akin to the week before, in which 14 deals were reported for $6 billion. But both pale against the 19 transactions for $16.4 billion reported last year. The plain truth is that transactions in M&A dwindled in Q2 and have stayed dwindled in the first few weeks of Q3. But take heart; Q2 was the weakest quarter in Texas M&A deals last year and the year before. But there was plenty of diversity in the mix.
Seadrill Partners Seeks Approval of Jackson Walker Bankruptcy Settlement
Seadrill Partners and Seadrill Limited — the offshore drilling rig operators whose bankruptcy proceedings are among the 33 cases where the U.S. Trustee’s Office is trying to claw back millions in fees awarded to Jackson Walker — asked the court on Friday to approve its $485,000 settlement with the Dallas-based law firm.
Texas Lawbook Thanks Keurig Dr Pepper and Shell, Toyota and Vitol, and Many of You
A devoted single mom of three who worked two hourly wage jobs — one as a dishwasher and the other changing oil — because the state of Texas forced her to pay hundreds of dollars each month in child support to her deadbeat baby daddy, who was serving 20 years in prison for raping one of their children. She literally struggled to pay the rent and food for her family. Within hours of The Texas Lawbook writing about the case, lawyers at Reese Marketos stepped forward. Weeks later, a Dallas district judge signed an order reversing the Texas attorney general.
Three years ago, The Lawbook launched a full-time reporter position to write about pro bono, public service and diversity in the Texas legal profession. During the three years, The Lawbook has published more than 240 articles on Texas lawyers representing military veterans, abused children, asylum seekers, the elderly and those discriminated against because of their religious beliefs. Those 240 stories highlighted the pro bono work, public service initiatives and diversity efforts of more than 400 lawyers, 115 law firms and 60 corporate legal departments in Texas.
Now, we need your help.
Courtroom Curveball: $440M Longtime Dispute Over Sale of Astros Ends in Settlement
After nearly 12 years of litigating, it took exactly one day of trial testimony for Jim Crane and Drayton McLane to settle their $440 million fight over the sale of the Houston Astros and a stake in a regional sports network. The Texas Lawbook’s Michelle Casady has the details from the courtroom and more.
Cicis Trial Became an Opportunity to Train the Next Generation of Trial Lawyers
Both Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Winston & Strawn associates saw the Cicis trial as a valuable training opportunity. The associates argued motions and cross-examined witnesses on the stand.