Justice James P. Sullivan has interviewed to become a U.S. District Court Judge in Austin. It would be a fast track for Sullivan, who joined the Texas Supreme Court in January. Federal Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell also is said to be under consideration for the bench once held by Lee Yeakel.
More Stories
Litigation Roundup: Lawyers Can’t Shake $525K Sanction
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, a federal judge in Fort Worth makes a business pitch to Apple and X Corp., a hefty sanction is upheld against two lawyers, and a pro se litigant is called out by a Fifth Circuit panel for citing cases that “appear to be fake” in her sex discrimination appeal.
What Corporate Lawyers Need to Know About Recent Changes to Texas Law
Texas has made bold moves in its efforts to attract corporations by implementing one of the most sweeping sets of reforms to its corporate law. The Texas Business Organizations Code positions the Lone Star State as an increasingly attractive option for the state of incorporation. This article highlights the key points that corporate lawyers need to know about recent changes to the TBOC.
CDT Roundup: A $40B Data Center Deal Leads a 14-Deal Week
In a $40 billion deal a Blackrock-led consortium of major AI players acquired Plano-based Aligned Data Centers in one of the largest data infrastructure to date. It was one of 14 deals valued at $46.6 billion dollars reported to the Roundup last week. Even so, it was only the seventh-largest Texas-related deal of 2025. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
Forty Years in the Making, Harris County Finally Gets More Civil District Courts
Lawmakers this session did something that hadn’t been done in more than 40 years: approved the creation of new civil district courts in Harris County. The five new courts will come online next year and in 2027, and officials have said the additions will improve docket efficiency, enhance access to justice and strengthen the court system’s ability to serve Harris County.
Courts to Remain Open, Staff Sees Furloughs as Funding Halts During Shutdown
Despite the federal government shutdown, which took effect Oct. 1 due to congress’ failure to pass a spending bill, federal courts are still in operation. But after three weeks, and with no funding agreement in sight, the judiciary is beginning to feel the pressure as staff members are furloughed and funding dries up.
P.S. – Texas Lawyers Expand Access to Courtrooms and Playgrounds
In this week’s edition of P.S., we spotlight legal initiatives to expand access to justice, as well as one firm’s community service work expanding kids’ access to playgrounds.
Q&A: South Texas College of Law Dean Rey Valencia on SCOTX’s Tentative Move Away from ABA Oversight and Other Changes Facing Law School Leaders
In June, before officially taking over as president and dean of South Texas College of Law, Reynaldo “Rey” Anaya Valencia joined seven other Texas law school leaders in urging the Texas Supreme Court to continue the American Bar Association’s role as the accrediting body. The son of former migrant farm workers, Valencia, a Harvard Law graduate, is the school’s first Hispanic and person of color president and dean.
CMC Acquires Foley Products for $1.84B
Commercial Metals Co. said Thursday that it agreed to acquire Foley Products Co. for $1.84 billion in cash. Based outside Atlanta, Foley provides precast concrete and pipe products primarily in the Southeast, operating 18 facilities in nine states. The company’s products are used in drainage, water management, dry utility, and road construction across residential, non-residential and infrastructure sectors.
How an Unconventional Path Can Lead to a Perfect Fit in Practice
When I arrived at the office, my inbox was teeming with notifications for a new commercial real estate deal. Walking to the employee lounge, I ran into a corporate partner who placed me on a management buyout closing within the next two weeks. An hour later, a real estate partner approached me, asking about the tax consequences of a non-liquidating property distribution.
As I finally settled in at my desk, I paused, asking myself a question that has guided my career path all along: How did my past, with all its unexpected turns, lead me to this exact moment? I concluded my successful clerkship convinced of the power of three guiding career principles.