Hope Shimabuku, who was a regional director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the last decade, will lead the firm’s sixth U.S. office.
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Texas Business Court Is Ready to Expand. Will the Legislature Fund It?
Two years into its existence, the Texas Business Court has proven it can resolve complex business disputes quickly. But so far, the Texas Legislature has only funded five of the 11 divisions it created, leaving West, East and South Texas without access to the business court. With the 2027 legislative session on the horizon, talks with lawmakers are underway to expand the court’s divisions.
Comstock Resources Sells Stakes in Haynesville Assets to Azerbaijan for $1.65B, Creates Venture with Jerry Jones
Frisco-based Comstock Resources announced Sept. 1 that the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic has acquired one-fifth of its Legacy Haynesville upstream assets, about 15 percent of its Western Haynesville upstream assets and 15 percent of its stake in Pinnacle Gas Services for $1.65 billion cash. Baker Botts and O’Melveny advised on the deal.
Judge Albright Lured to A&O Shearman by Firm’s ‘Enthusiasm’ and Global IP Expertise
A year or so ago, former U.S. District Judge Alan Albright realized he was ready to make the next — likely the final — move in his long career in the world of patent and intellectual property litigation.
“I started really missing being a trial lawyer and the practice,” Albright told The Texas Lawbook in an interview Tuesday. “I’d watch during trials and lawyers would do something, and I would be old and grumpy and I would text my clerks: ‘They should have done this,’ or ‘That’s stupid.’”
Two Years In, Texas Business Court Finds Successes, Growing Pains
In a series this week, The Texas Lawbook dives into the Texas Business Court’s first two years of operation and what changes may come during the next legislative session.
Biz Court Jury Trial Begins in Battle Between Court Reporting Services Companies
A jury in Houston will decide whether deposition video and production company SmartDisk is owed about $6.4 million in breach of contract damages or if its former business partner, Lexitas, properly terminated the parties’ agreement and owes nothing.
Albright Joins A&O Shearman
Alan Albright was appointed to the federal bench in 2018 and quickly implemented local rules and procedures that turned his courtroom into a preferred venue for patent disputes. He stepped down from the role last month.
ONEOK Gets $9B from Apollo, Buys Brazos Midstream’s Natural Gas Assets in Permian Basin for $4.4B
ONEOK announced that it received a minority investment of $9 billion from private equity firm Apollo. The Tulsa midstream company also said it has acquired the Permian Basin natural gas assets of private Fort Worth-based Brazos Midstream for $4.4 billion cash. Latham and Akin advised on the deal.
SLB Acquires German Thermal Management Company from Apollo for $4.1B
Houston-based global giant SLB has acquired Kelvion, a German thermal management and heat exchange technology company, from Apollo for $3.4 billion cash and about $700 million of debt. Sidley Austin and Gibson Dunn led the deal. Paul Weiss was regulatory counsel to the PE firm.
Litigation Roundup: Dallas Panel Says 20-Month Delay by Trial Judge is ‘Abuse of Discretion’
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, we detail a brawl that took place in the sixth-floor library of the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in Houston, Deloitte agrees to pay $21.5 million to resolve an employment discrimination case in Dallas, and Texas reaches a settlement with Meta that will total about $1 billion.