Chief Justice Nathan Hecht spoke for almost 40 minutes Wednesday, supporting a variety of proposals that he said would increase court efficiencies, the caliber of judges and access to justice. “If the justice system were a business, and its customers had any choice, it would be in bankruptcy,” Hecht said.
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Government Reaches $144.5M Proposed Settlement in Sutherland Springs Case
If approved by the court, the settlement would bring an end to litigation brought by more than 75 plaintiffs in the wake of the shooting that left 26 dead.
Middle-Market M&A Opportunities Abound in Texas Despite Broader Market Uncertainty
A Katten report shows that private equity dealmakers are split on the 2023 M&A outlook but see promise in technology and other sectors.
CDT Roundup: 21 Deals, 12 Firms, 178 Lawyers, $18.7B
That Texas has created an increasingly diverse economy is no secret. But the CDT Roundup this week notes something surprising: that Texas added more tech workers to its workforce in 2022 than any other state. What has that to do with dealmaking? Apparently, lots. Claire Poole takes a look at the rise in Texas-led tech deals that paralleled the rise in tech workers. Or was it vice versa? That, along with a look at the week in deals and the names of the 178 lawyers who worked on them.
Sidley Lands Winstead Bankruptcy Partner Rakhee Patel
As corporate mergers, acquisitions and capital market practices have slowed in Texas the past few months, the focus on business bankruptcies and restructurings has returned. And the Texas offices of Sidley Austin have made one of the first big lateral moves. Rakhee Patel confirmed Tuesday that she has left Winstead after seven years as a shareholder and joined Sidley this week as a partner in the firm’s Dallas office. The timing could not be better for Sidley.
Litigation Roundup: SCOTX Sides with Ex-Dallas Cowboy, Llano County Dealt a Book Ban Blow
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, an intermediate appellate court split widens regarding gross negligence claims, sanctions requested by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in a fight over unpaid attorney fees are upheld on appeal, and a federal judge undoes one Texas county’s book bans.
Samsung Challenges Insurance Industry Playbook in $400M Claim Dispute
A $400 million insurance recovery action filed by Samsung Austin Semiconductor is shining a light on the playbook that insurance companies rely upon to create an unfair advantage in claim disputes. While the damages in this case are eye-popping, the allegations in the lawsuit paint a picture that is all too familiar for businesses and property owners across the state.
Ovintiv Exits Bakken for Permian in Tandem Deals with EnCap Totaling $5.1B
Gibson Dunn, Kirkland & Ellis and Vinson & Elkins counseled the various parties in the pair of agreements with a total of 70 Texas lawyers in the mix. The deal includes what Ovintiv describes as “a unique undeveloped asset” involving “some of the best rock” in the Northern Midland Basin of the Permian.
SCOTX Greenlights Degree Revocation by Public Universities
The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the consolidated cases in September where two former students argued their alma maters had denied due process and acted outside the scope of their authority in rescinding their doctorate degrees years after graduation. The majority of the Texas Supreme Court held that despite scant precedent, the law allows universities to take that action regardless of when the alleged academic misconduct underpinning the decision is discovered.
P.S. — A Silent Auction, A Screening Event, A Pair of Young DEI Leaders
In this week’s edition of P.S., Natalie Posgate details information on a special screening highlighting pro bono work by a large law firm with Syrian refugees that will support earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria, an upcoming silent auction benefitting a nonprofit treatment center for women in Dallas struggling with substance abuse and a Houston firm’s selection of two associates to participate in a prestigious diversity leadership development program.