The Marshall Division of the EDTX is the latest federal court to shut down jury trials due to the coronavirus. Federal courthouses in Texarkana and Sherman have been closed through Dec. 4. Judges in the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas have postponed most or even all in-person jury trials for the remainder of 2020. The Texas Lawbook has the details.
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Three Federal Judges to TX GC Forum: COVID Issues Rule
Don’t expect federal civil jury trials in Texas to increase for the next few months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, three federal judges told 200 Texas general counsel Thursday. The judges have some other pet peeves, too.
Q&A: Alyssa Schindler
Texas Lawbook Premium Bonus Content: Q&A with Chevron Senior Counsel Alyssa Schindler The Texas Lawbook provides unique and substantive content to our Premium subscribers. In this interview, Chevron Senior Counsel
Chevron’s Alyssa Schindler Knows Firsthand the Difference Pro Bono Lawyers Can Make
The 2020 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for Creative Partnership goes to Chevron senior counsel Aylssa Schindler and Lauren Brogdon of Norton Rose Fulbright. The duo normally handle multimillion-dollar transactions and lawsuits, but they came together to co-engineer a major pro bono effort involving more than 20 lawyers from the energy giant and the global law firm to help 10 low-income victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Judge Declares Mistrial in EDTX Case that Underwent COVID-19 Outbreak — Updated
A federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas on Tuesday declared a mistrial in a commercial case after a COVID-19 outbreak among participants of the jury trial temporarily closed the Sherman federal courthouse and left the parties with less than six jurors.
CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 10 Firms, 157 Lawyers, $864.1M
In 2020, and for the first time in more than two decades, there were no FIDs made in LNG projects in the US. Blame that on the pandemic. But not to worry, there are enough projects on the boards to make LNG increasingly relevant, even under a Biden administration. The CDT Roundup explains.
Managing ESG Risks through the Energy Downturn
At a time when the energy industry is facing a “perfect storm” boards and executives are grappling with evolving expectations regarding ESG-related performance and disclosures. Sidley partner Heather Palmer weighs in with considerations on the implications of a Biden presidency.
What’s It Like to Try a Jury Trial — In Person — During the Pandemic?
Anybody who works in litigation knows that rolling with the punches is part of the job, and occasionally, even part of the thrill. But, when you throw the COVID-19 pandemic into the mix, you’re faced with a host of uncertainties and no rule book on how best to navigate the waters. Just last week a federal jury trial in Texas was halted after numerous positive cases and was declared a mistrial on Tuesday. CourtroomLogic Consulting’s Kacy Miller shares what she and the Carrington Coleman trial team learned from a recent in-person federal jury trial.
Prominent Austin and Dallas Plaintiffs’ Law Firms Merge
The firms announced Tuesday that their two shops are merging to create a 10-lawyer plaintiff’s practice that will have offices in Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth.
Lawyer Ranks Expanding in Mall Owner Bankruptcy
Two weeks after national mall owner CBL filed for bankruptcy protection in Houston, the number of legal and financial advisors involved in the corporate restructuring now includes Weil Gotshal, Akin Gump, Berkeley Research Group and at least seven other firms. The Texas Lawbook has the details.