In the first three quarters of 2021, there were well more than 600 M&A transactions involving Texas corporate lawyers — most of them led by Texas corporate lawyers. In the latest rankings from the Lawbook’s Corporate Deal Tracker database, the top 10 Texas-based offices and Texas-based firms gobbled up more than two-thirds of the transactions reported to The Lawbook. At the top, as they have been for nearly a decade, are Kirkland & Ellis and Vinson & Elkins. But there are also a few surprising new names on the list. The Lawbook has them all.
More Stories
Sidley: ‘The Heat is On’
Angela Zambrano and Scott Parel took over as co-managing partners of Sidley’s Dallas office only a month ago, but they and Texas will be front-and-center this week when they host the management committee for the 150-year-old, 2,000-attorney global law firm. Sidley has made Texas key to its strategic growth. The firm’s headcount and revenue increased tenfold over nine years. And Sidley’s next global chair is their predecessor. As rocker Glenn Frey would say, “The Heat is On.”
Baker Botts Wins Summary Judgment in $5.6M Dispute with Venezuela’s State-Owned Oil Company
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston rejects claim by defendants that “through no fault of their own” they can’t access needed records and witnesses because of political upheaval in the South American nation.
American Airlines Sexual Assault Case Heads to Trial as Judge Denies MSJ
Lawyers at Miller Bryant scored a large win this week when a Fort Worth judge denied a motion for summary judgment by American Airlines in a sexual assault case brought by a flight attendant in January of last year involving an incident with a celebrity chef.
Houston Chronicle: Houston ISD to Pay $300K in Legal Fees Over First Amendment Violations
A federal judge has ordered Houston ISD to pay nearly $300,000 in legal fees for violating the First Amendment rights of a community activist who was banned from district premises.
CDT Roundup: 12 Deals, 12 Firms, 157 Lawyers, $8.3B
More than a few recent deals are highlighting two things: the return of $80 oil and the importance of the Haynesville natural gas play. The Lawbook’s Claire Poole takes a look at why the East Texas/northern Louisiana play is so hot of late. And, as always, there’s our regular review of last week’s M&A and CapM transactions.
TeamHealth Trial: A Threat, A Delay, A Juror Down
A stomach virus and a potential security threat sidetracked the ongoing jury trial in Las Vegas between TeamHealth and insurance giant UnitedHealthcare. The security threat proved false, but a juror was lost to the stomach virus. AZA, the Houston litigation boutique, is representing TeamHealth, a network of physicians and medical professionals complaining of systematic underpayment for their services by UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare, represented by O’Melveny & Myers, says TeamHealth charged too much in the first place. The Lawbook’s Natalie Posgate is monitoring the trial that both sides hope to conclude by Thanksgiving.
Astroworld Festival Suits Pile Up, Lawyers Bountiful in TRO Hearing in Harris Co. District Court
The first round of lawsuits – 31 of them as of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday – hit the Harris County District Court dockets through late Monday evening charging a plethora of individuals, businesses and a non-profit organization with gross negligence and premises liability related to the tragedy that occurred Friday at the Astroworld Festival that killed eight people and injured hundreds of others. The Texas Lawbook has the details, including the lineup of plaintiffs and defense lawyers already involved.
Winston & Strawn Grows Finance Practice with V&E Hire
Ryan Hunsaker, who was of counsel at V&E, has helped secure more than $6 billion in loans and other credit facilities for clients over his decade-plus career.
Ted Lasso Season Two Playbook Offers Mental Health Strategies for Attorneys
Where the theme of Ted Lasso season one was empathy, season two’s theme is clearly about mental health. This message could not be timelier for attorneys.