U.S. District Court Chief Judge Barbara Lynn of the Northern District of Texas issued an order Friday afternoon that calls for all civil and criminal trials scheduled now through May 1 to be reset at a later date as a result of concerns over the coronavirus. Texas Office of Court Administration told state judges to reschedule or suspend proceedings due to COVID-19.
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Charlie Beckham Sees ‘No Exit’ – A Lawbook Q&A
Longtime Houston bankruptcy attorney Charlie Beckham at Haynes and Boone lays out the landscape for the avalanche of Chapter 11’s expected in the oil industry thanks to the recent slide in commodity prices.
Let the Force Majeure Be with You: Litigating Coronavirus Disruptions
If you are like most people, you are trying to anticipate the short-term and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the recent spate of suspended meetings, conferences and other events, such as Austin canceling its South by Southwest festival, many are questioning the legal liability of the individuals and organizations involved. This issue has led a likely record number of people to read, for the first time, the force majeure clauses embedded in the standard boilerplate provisions.
Judge to Decide Conflict Issue Involving Firm Recording Client Calls
A Dallas state judge is considering a motion to disqualify a Houston law firm in an oil and gas royalty dispute for having a conflict of interest with the Bank of Texas. Natalie Posgate has the who and why.
Texas Chief Justice Hecht on Coronavirus: ‘We still have to do Justice’
Harris County is the first jurisdiction in Texas to postpone all civil jury trials due to the coronavirus outbreak. Other jurisdictions are considering similar actions. Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht told The Texas Lawbook in an interview late Wednesday night that Texas judges need to weigh the health and well-being of individuals with the requirement that the courts remain open and accessible to those who seek justice.
Energy M&A Experts: ‘A Long Dark Tunnel’
As the markets tumbled this week, The Lawbook’s Claire Poole began polling M&A experts for their take on what the future might hold. Their view was stark for the short term, cautious in the long term and instructive on the lessons that might be learned.
CDT Roundup: 16 Deals, 15 Firms, 70 Lawyers, $2.5B
It was a semi-busy deal week last week for Texas lawyers. But Monday’s stock market collapse – the biggest since the 2008 financial crisis – could be a transaction killer until a clear recovery is underway.
‘A Jarring Wakeup Call’
Pickering Energy Partners’ Dan Pickering offers his views of the turmoil in the oil and gas markets and what it means for dealmaking and bankruptcies in the sector.
Celebrating a Year of “Women In Law On The Record” Podcast
Allison Stewart has interviewed close to 50 women leaders in the legal industry, from the chief judge of the Seventh Circuit to the vice president of legal at Google to several Texas-based in-house attorneys. In this article looking back at the beginnings of her podcast, the Greenberg Traurig attorney shares personal highlights and some of the most frequently-asked questions she receives about the project.
‘No Place to Hide for Energy’
Oil prices and energy stocks are plunging, thanks to the coronavirus and Russia refusing to cut production, leading to worries about M&A and new bankruptcies. Observers are calling on companies to work toward generating more free cash flow by lowering spending and cutting production so they can pay down debt – and maybe acquire wounded competitors.