The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

More Stories

Fallout in SDTX Bankruptcy Court

Have large corporations filed their Chapter 11 restructurings in Houston because the rules are favorable to debtors or because of Bankruptcy Judge David Jones’ expertise? Several bankruptcy lawyers fear it was the latter that made the Southern District of Texas the busiest jurisdiction over the past six years for complex business restructurings.

With Judge Jones’ resignation over the weekend amid a Fifth Circuit investigation, experts say that there is a danger of returning to the days when Texas lost billion-dollar restructurings to other jurisdictions.

Fifth Circuit Cites SCOTUS Precedent, Axes Win for McKinney Woman Whose Home Cops Destroyed

The panel determined that because the actions of the McKinney police took to end the hostage situation and standoff were “objectively necessary,” Vicki Baker isn’t entitled to compensation on her Fifth Amendment takings claim. The Fifth Circuit said U.S. Supreme Court precedent, which has long recognized an exception to the takings clause, mandated the outcome and that, as a lower court, “it is not for us to decide that fairness and justice trump historical precedent.”

A Bar Member’s Visit to the Supreme Court

Though I have been counsel on SCOTUS cert petitions and responses and the occasional amicus brief over the years, I never had the opportunity to argue before the High Court. I realized I needed to make my own arrangements to watch our Supremes in action.

The argument I observed involved a lawsuit out of Texas and the Fifth Circuit challenging the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding mechanism. The nine justices were active in asking questions of counsel.

CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 13 Firms, 125 Lawyers, $67.8B

The $59.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources by ExxonMobil last week produced the largest week by value ever recorded by the Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup. The deal caused upward movement in the stocks of other significant stakeholders in the Permian Basin, perhaps with other consolidation targets in mind. The Roundup wondered which Permian players might be next, and we have that list, along with the usual tally of lawyers and firms that helped produce last week’s record showing.

Litigation Roundup: Hunton AK Tapped to Defend Aetna in $1.3B Suit, Waco Jury Slams California Co. With $240M Infringement Verdict

In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Texas juries find infringement in one case involving smart thermostats and another involving cloud storage, a group of doctors want a Harris County judge to confirm a $153.5 million arbitration award in a dispute with UnitedHealthcare and federal prosecutors in Houston drop a female genital mutilation case.

Harry Reasoner, the ‘Quintessential Advocate,’ Retires

Six decades ago, a rookie Vinson & Elkins lawyer named Harry Reasoner tried his first case in court. Hundreds of jury and bench trials and 59 years later, Reasoner, now 84, tells The Texas Lawbook that he has decided to retire on Dec. 31.

Reasoner has won billion-dollar courtroom victories for plaintiffs and corporate defendants. His service of pro bono is unparalleled. He guided V&E through a time of tremendous growth, adopted progressive workplace policies in the 1990s such as same sex benefits and helped the Houston firm survive the Enron financial scandal.

Meet the Reasoners: Texas Legal Royalty

Harry Reasoner grew up on a farm outside San Marcos, milking cows and raising pigs for 4-H competition. At 80, he has had a storied career, representing corporations in some of the biggest trials in history. Clients pay as much as $1,500 an hour for his counsel. Now Reasoner’s two children – Barrett and Macey and the extraordinary courtroom success they’ve had – are making sure that their father’s legacy will continue for many, many years. Meet the Reasoners.

© Copyright 2026 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.