Twice in two weeks, a Republican-appointed Fifth Circuit appellate judge directly dressed down a Houston trial court judge in opinion. But this time, the trial judge is fighting back. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison and Judge Jerry Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit have gotten into a nasty public feud that Texas legal experts describe as astonishing. The Lawbook has complete details.
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Dallas Firm Files $3M Suit For Ex-KU Football Coach
Former University of Kansas head football coach David Beaty has hired Dallas law firm Deans & Lyons to pursue litigation against the school’s athletic department on claims that it owes him $3 million for having breached his employment contract. But KU says there’s much more to the story. Natalie Posgate has both sides.
Someone’s Missing at CERAWeek: Lawyers
Giant energy conference CERAWeek by IHS Markit is in full swing in Houston. About 5,000 are expected to attend. What there isn’t a lot of at the conference, however, is lawyers. Senior M&A writer Claire Poole is there and has the details.
Kirkland, V&E Advise on TPG’s $930M Purchase of Tailwater-backed Goodnight Midstream
The sale preempts Goodnight’s plans to go public, although Bloomberg reported in November that Tailwater was also looking at a possible sale of the company that would value it at $2 billion.
CDT Roundup: 9 Deals, 6 Law firms, 49 Texas Lawyers, $1.8B
On the eve of SXSW, it seems like a good time to explore the venture capital business in Texas, especially since some major firms are using the festival’s venues in Austin to court some of the emerging VC stars. The Lawbook’s Claire Poole takes a look at some of the names to look for, along with her weekly chronicle of Texas-inflected transactions.
Trump Nominates Justice Brown, Brantley Starr for Federal Judgeships
No president in U.S. history is having as much impact on the federal courts in Texas as President Trump. On Friday, President Trump nominated Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown and Texas Deputy First Assistant Attorney General Brantley Starr to the district court bench. The Texas Lawbook has details.
Updated – Bill Powers, a Lion of the Texas Bar, Remembered
Bill Powers served three years in the Navy and taught jurisprudence and legal process to thousands of students over three decades. He was dean of the UT School of Law for five years and president of UT for a decade. Powers, 72, died Sunday morning from complications from a fall he experienced in September. The Texas Lawbook looks at Powers’ career.
Houston Appellate Pro Departs Boutique He Co-Founded
Roger Townsend and Austin lawyer Dana Livingston have left Alexander Dubose Jefferson & Townsend for Cokinos Young.
The State of Business Law in Texas
The Texas Lawbook is conducting its annual survey of Texas law firms to gauge economic trends in the business law community. The deadline is March 15.
Energy Litigation Group Bolts to McKool Smith
A trio of Houston energy litigators led by William D. Wood have left Norton Rose Fulbright for McKool Smith.