Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Eduardo V. Rodriguez took under advisement Thursday whether to sanction Jackson Walker, expand the universe of cases subject to fee disgorgement or even appoint a special master if needed after an hourlong show-cause hearing in Houston. The hearing was prompted by the court’s discovery of more undisclosed cases in which former judge David Jones presided while romantically involved with former Jackson Walker partner Elizabeth Freeman.
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Dallas Business Court Jury Rejects Synergy’s $100M Claims, Orders $1.5M Refund to Blackbrush
The 12-member jury delivered a complete defense victory for Blackbrush Oil & Gas and affiliated investors Thursday, rejecting clean-energy developer Synergy Thermogen’s $100 million-plus breach-of-contract and fraud claims in the Texas Business Court. Following a two-week trial before Judge Bill Whitehill and seven hours of deliberations, jurors found that Synergy and founder Rich Halvorson fraudulently induced the parties’ advisory agreement, ordering them to return the investors’ entire $1.5 million seed investment.
Camp Mystic Bankruptcy Judge: Debtors Get a Chance to Cure Conflicts, No Trustee Appointment for Now
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez denied without prejudice competing motions to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee or to approve independent fiduciaries in the Camp Mystic bankruptcy, giving the debtors until Oct. 28 to file an amended plan to give independent fiduciaries control over the potential settlement of wrongful death lawsuits. The proposed plan the camp filed, he said, failed to provide the kind of independence necessary “to move these cases forward.”
Fort Worth Appeals Court Rules Pro Hac Vice Admission Opens Door to Texas Lawsuit Against California Lawyer and Firm
In a 42-page opinion authored by Justice Dabney Bassel, the three-justice panel partially revived a lawsuit against California-based Global Legal Law Firm and partner James C. Huber. The court ruled that Huber’s pro hac vice admission in a Texas commercial dispute subjected him to Texas personal jurisdiction after he allegedly demanded that a witness withdraw sworn testimony.
Q&A with LSEG Head of Primary Markets for the Americas & Haynes Boone London Partner
The Texas Lawbook visited with Chris Mayo, the LSEG’s head of primary markets for the Americas, and Haynes Boone capital markets partner Nick Davis, who helped navigate recent London offerings for Texas-based companies, about where the LSEG fits in the evolving listings landscape.
$100M Dispute in Synergy v. Blackbrush Reaches Jury
After closing arguments in the Texas Business Court trial, 12 jurors now weigh the 46-page charge. Synergy accuses Blackbrush Oil & Gas of sabotaging its clean-energy technology. Blackbrush says Synergy founder Rich Halvorson squandered its $1.5 million investment.
Westlake Chemical Gets Win in East Texas Pipeline Easement Dispute
The lead lawyer for Westlake Chemical said defeating the motion for a permanent injunction seeking to shut down a section of ethylene pipeline can be viewed as a win for Texas’ midstream energy industry. Express H20 Pipeline and ROW had argued a 3.5-mile portion of the Westlake pipeline violated its exclusive, blanket easement.
Premium Q&A with Rachel Donnelly
Texas Lawbook: What do you look for in hiring outside counsel? Rachel Donnelly: I look for outside counsel that is an expert in their field, incredibly responsive and with a
KKR’s Arctos Acquires 7.5% of Atlanta Falcons
Kirkland & Ellis advised Dallas-based Arctos in the addition of the Falcons to its portfolio of NFL-approved minority investments. In addition to Atlanta, the KKR-backed sports investor now has ownership positions in Cleveland, Los Angeles and Buffalo. League rules limit private equity ownership to 10 percent or less.
Affinius Capital’s Rachel Donnelly is the ‘Simone Biles of the Texas Legal Community’
Rachel Donnelly once planned to become a forensic psychologist before a law degree changed her path. Now she’s chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel at Affinius Capital, where she’s helped steer the firm through SEC exams, a corporate rebrand and its expansion into AI-driven data centers. Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have named her the winner of the 2026 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Chief Corporate Compliance Officer of the Year.