The Houston Bar Association has released its bi-annual evaluation of state and federal trial and appellate judges. The best rated judge mustered a “B” grade. Dozens of civil court judges got straight “F’s.” U.S. District Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal got the highest score, while Houston District Court judges Ursula Hall and Dedra Davis received the lowest rating.
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Jessica Magee: Going Back to TK ‘Made all the Sense in the World’
A former SEC senior enforcement lawyer, Jessica Magee talks with The Texas Lawbook about why she left Beneficient for Thompson & Knight and dishes advice to private equity on corporate governance. Meanwhile, Beneficient names a partner at Willkie Farr as its new chief legal officer.
Thirteen Years of Texas M&A: Three Law Firms, 2,000 Deals, $2 Trillion
Lawyers at Kirkland, Latham and V&E say they see each other across the table in the biggest M&A deals in the Lone Star State. New Mergermarket data shows the dominance of the trio of law firms in Texas dealmaking is far from a new trend. The numbers are staggering. To be sure, other corporate law firms operating in Texas have done their fair share of dealmaking. The Texas Lawbook looks back at more than a dozen years of M&A and the law firms doing the work.
Forest Park Bookkeeper Sentenced to Probation
Andrea Kay Smith, who kept the books for the bribes paid to surgeons at the now defunct Forest Park Medical Center, was sentenced Wednesday in a Dallas federal court. Smith testified about the scheme as part of a plea bargain with federal prosecutors. The Lawbook’s Bruce Tomaso reports.
Beneficient GC, Ex-SEC Associate Director Returns to T&K
As the second highest-ranking lawyer at the SEC’s Fort Worth Regional Office, Jessica Magee led several high-profile and pioneering enforcement actions.
CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 12 Firms, 129 Lawyers, $2.45B
M&A picked up globally in November, pushing yearly totals close to last year’s, and one forecaster expects more good times ahead. Claire Poole reports on that plus dealmaking among Texas lawyers.
State Bar Discipline
In its December description of disciplinary actions, the State Bar of Texas reports that it has disbarred one lawyer, suspended 13 others and issued public admonitions against seven lawyers and two judges.
Mergermarket: Kirkland Sets Texas M&A Record for Second Straight Year
Kirkland & Ellis is having back-to-back record years for representing businesses and private equity firms doing deals in Texas. Three law firms – Kirkland, V&E and Latham & Watkins – hold the top 18 spots for having advised the most buyers, sellers and investment banks in M&A transactions in a single year. The Texas Lawbook has the details.
Q&A in the PE Space: Mike McGill of MHT Partners
Mike McGill co-founded MHT Partners in Dallas in the first half of 2001. The timing wasn’t great. But McGill and MHT have endured, and Claire Poole talked to him about the growing influence of PE, what it takes to survive and what to expect after 2019.
CDT Roundup: 16 Deals, 11 Firms, 42 Lawyers, $2B
The U.S. is awash with private equity money at a time when deal activity is low, according to reports. Claire Poole explores that phenomenon plus the continuing slide in dealmaking activity involving Texas lawyers.