Julia Wright was a third grader when she did a book report on Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. “I didn’t know women could be lawyers until I read that book,” Wright told The Texas Lawbook. “I knew then that it was what I wanted to do. Throughout the 1980s, my dad would cut out newspaper articles showing the data of increased enrollment in law schools of women, showing me it was possible.” Forty-two years later, Wright is the general counsel at ChampionX, where she is one of two finalists for the 2025 Houston General Counsel of the Year Award for a Midsized Legal Department.
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Premium Subscriber Q&A: Julia Wright
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Julia Wright discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Litigation Roundup: Google, Texas in Talks to Settle Consumer Protection Lawsuit
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit revives a software company’s breach of contract lawsuit against the Tarrant County College District, a sex discrimination lawsuit against UT Southwestern Medical Center is set for a bench trial, and Houston lawyers secure a $31 million jury verdict in Miami.
A Guide to the Texas Mechanic’s Lien Process for In-House Counsel and Business Litigators
Lawyers should understand the steps in the mechanic’s lien process so that they can prevent or resolve issues related to unpaid work that could expose the company to financial risks, like lien foreclosure or delays in project completion. Preventing or resolving these issues early can affect a company’s bottom line. With careful drafting, corporate in-house counsel and savvy business lawyers may be able to add lien release language into any construction contracts the company enters, thus avoiding potential financial risk and general legal exposure all together.
Jury Sides With Marathon Oil, Rejects $123.7M Claim in Uri Natural Gas Delivery Trial
Federal jurors in Houston on Monday afternoon sided with Marathon Oil in a lawsuit stemming from the delivery of natural gas during February 2021’s Winter Storm Uri, rejecting a $123.7 million breach of contract claim lodged by Koch Energy Services.
GT Taps Bill Katz to Co-Chair Antitrust Practice
GT Executive Chairman Richard Rosenbaum in the firm’s announcement highlighted Katz’s experience advising clients in the healthcare and energy industries. Katz had practiced his entire career at Thompson & Knight/Holland & Knight.
Sorrels Law Recruits Head of Commercial Litigation Practice
Prominent personal injury law firm Sorrels Law has tapped Houston lawyer Brian A. Baker to lead its commercial litigation practice.
Maverick Natural Resources’ Sarah Payne is ‘Like Having a Cheat Code Against the Other Side’
Sarah Payne went to college and graduate school to be a journalist covering the music industry with the dream of writing for Rolling Stone. Her father, then a Houston trial lawyer, had other ideas. “I was worn down by my tenacious father over the course of two decades,” Payne told The Texas Lawbook. “My entering the profession was likely inescapable. It’s in my veins for better or worse.” Payne recently led her employer, Maverick Natural Resources, to a huge courtroom victory after a four-year contract dispute with XTO Energy regarding revenue sharing as part of a joint venture. Citing the jury trial success, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Lawbook named Payne the 2025 Houston Corporate Counsel Award recipient for Senior Counsel of the Year for a Small Legal Department.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Sarah Payne
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Sarah Payne discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
Real Estate Veteran Nick Buehner Returns to V&E as a Partner
Nick Buehner has returned to Vinson & Elkins as a partner in its Dallas real estate practice after serving in two notable in-house roles for the past nine years, the firm announced Monday in a news release.