Walmart Inc., the largest corporate employer in the U.S., has named former Dallas prosecutor Erin Nealy Cox as its new chief legal officer. Cox, who has been a partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Dallas since 2021, will assume the job as the retail giant’s top lawyer April 13.
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Harris County Jury Clears Driver of Negligence in Fatal Crash
Jurors in Harris County found a man was not liable for the death of a woman who had run into the road to pick up tools that had fallen off a tow truck. The jury deliberated for three hours following an eight-day trial that was spread over two weeks before it returned its verdict last week.
Asked & Answered with Quinn Emanuel’s Chris Porter: Football, a Steakhouse & Storytelling
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan partner Chris Porter discusses what he loves about being a trial lawyer, his early dreams of being a restaurateur and how the door closing on his football career opened other opportunities.
The Lateral Portal — Clients are the Winners
Much has been written about the “hot” lateral market for law firm partners in recent years. This publication, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and others have all noted the fierce competition for talent. In years past, that competition centered around transactional or corporate lawyers. Today, it also centers around trial lawyers. Why? With fewer cases going to trial than ever before, even as deals are being done at historically record levels, why would trial lawyers be as in demand as deal lawyers? The answer: There aren’t that many of us around.
Clifford Chance Taps Alexandra Wilde to Lead Houston Office
Clifford Chance named Alexandra Wilde the Office Managing Partner in Houston, as the Magic Circle law firm continues investing in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
Wilde joined the firm after more than a decade at Jones Day in Dallas, as one of the first partners in the Houston office in 2023.
Learning from One of the First Business Court Trials
When the Texas Business Court opened its doors in September 2024, following years of discussing its potential promise, there was a flood of excitement from the business and legal community. Cases streamed into the new court in greater-than-expected numbers, especially in Houston and Dallas. But filing a case and trying it are two very different things.
Houston Jury Awards $47.6M in Drilling Tool Patent Case
The jury returned its verdict March 5, finding Downhole Well Solutions’ tools infringed three patents held by Impulse and that the infringement was willful. The jury rejected arguments that the patents were invalid. Impulse’s lead lawyer, John Keville of Sheppard, told The Lawbook the jury awarded the damages he requested “to the penny.”
Mayer Brown Lands Six-Partner Litigation Group
An energy litigation group led by Yasser and Meghaan Madriz has departed McGuireWoods for Mayer Brown, the firm announced on Tuesday.
WDTX Jury Finds Lyft Infringed Patent
An Austin jury found last week that the rideshare platform Lyft infringed one of Quartz Auto Technologies’ patents and awarded the company $1.05 million. Lyft, accused of infringing five patents, is calling the verdict a win.
Citi Report: Texas Law Firms Hit Double-Digit Revenue, Profit Increases in 2025
Despite weak demand, a decline in productivity and lower hourly rate increases than the national average, corporate law firms based in Texas experienced major increases in revenue and profits per partner in 2025, according to a new report by Citibank’s Global Wealth Law Firm Group. Citi’s Michael McKenney said 2025 started slow for the business law community with fears about a federal government shutdown and other macro concerns but ended the year in record fashion.