Like many firms, Baker Botts is exploring how best to leverage AI — both for the benefit of our clients and for training our lawyers. This summer, the firm hosted an AI Learning Lab that immersed 70 summer associates in a simulated typical workflow for a trade secret dispute. What we learned was encouraging.
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Thought Leadership: Why Texas Businesses Are Embracing Mediation
Texas businesses are increasingly turning to mediation for dispute resolution. While cost-effectiveness is a significant factor, it’s not the only benefit driving this trend. Mediation offers important advantages beyond financial ones, making it a valuable tool for businesses.
‘What-a-Lawyer’ — Meet the Fast-Food Chain’s CLO Elena Kraus
“I have witnessed Elena transform not just our legal department but also how the company operates in many positive ways, with an emphasis on legal and business ethics at all times,” said Whataburger VP of legal affairs Jeff Hagelman. “From Day One, Elena emphasized the ethical and respectful treatment of others, not just within the company but also with those outside the company, including adverse counsel and business competitors. From a legal community perspective, Elena has pushed each of us in the Whataburger legal department to take active roles in the communities we serve, including our home city of San Antonio. Elena is more than just a lawyer — she is helping run and lead the company.”
The Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook are honoring Whataburger Chief Legal Officer Elena Kraus with the 2025 C. Lee Cusenbary Ethical Life and Leadership Award.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Elena Kraus
Texas Lawbook: How has the GC/CLO role changed during your 35 years in-house? Elena Kraus: So much has been written about the changing role of the GC/CLO recently that I
Litigation Roundup: Zero Times Zero is Not $26.9M
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, three former federal judges in Texas join more than two dozen of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject President Donald Trump’s tariff regime, the parties involved in an East Texas water fight reach an agreement and a math lesson from the Dallas Court of Appeals wipes out a $26.9 million prejudgment interest award.
Huntington Expands in Texas and Across the South with Purchase of Cadence Bank for $7.4B
Another week means another bank consolidation in Texas. Huntington Bancshares said Monday that it is acquiring Cadence Bank in a stock swap valued at about $7.4 billion. Cadence — with dual headquarters in Houston and Tupelo, Miss. — has more than 390 locations across Texas and the South.
Wachtell and Sullivan & Cromwell advised on the deal. Cadence’s Houston-based chief legal officer is Shanna Kuzdzal, who replaced the bank’s longtime in-house leader Chuck Pignuolo in 2023 when he retired.
Updated — BioBridge GC Richey Wyatt Used Problem-Solving Skills to Bring Students Back to Class
BioBridge Global GC Richey Wyatt was walking into his gym in June 2020 when he received a text message from San Antonio entrepreneur Graham Weston, who was seeking solutions to help get the city’s children back to in-person learning. Minutes later, the two men were on the phone. The result was the creation of Community Labs and Bridge converting its blood testing laboratories to accommodate rapid Covid-19 testing of thousands of San Antonio school children, teachers and staff.
“We went from zero to 180 miles per hour really frickin’ fast,” Wyatt told The Texas Lawbook. “It was a wild ride that we knew would have a big impact on our community.”
Citing his extraordinary legal and community achievements, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Lawbook are honoring Wyatt with the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement. Wyatt and 11 other San Antonio corporate general counsel will be recognized on Nov. 6 at the inaugural San Antonio Corporate Counsel Awards ceremony.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Richey Wyatt
Texas Lawbook: What are the biggest challenges facing GCs in Texas today? Richey Wyatt: In highly regulated industries like ours, being able to navigate what we call “regulatory fluidity.” In
CDT Roundup: Blackstone, TPG, Meta, Blue Owl Dominate a $61B Week
Some weeks are heavy on volume. Some weeks are heavy on value. This week was a whopper in both counts: 19 transactions valued at more than $61 billion, including 18 in the M&A/Fundings column. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
Texas’ U.S. Senators Make Judicial Nominee Recommendations, Trump Nominates Kirkland Partner for NDTX U.S. Attorney
Two names have been submitted to the White House for consideration for judicial vacancies in the Southern and Western Districts of Texas. There are 10 total judicial vacancies in Texas federal district courts. Additionally, Kirkland & Ellis partner Ryan Raybould has been nominated for U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. All four U.S. attorney’s offices have had vacancies since the start of the year. There have not been nominations for the other three districts.