When Tim Johnson’s friend and boss – the founder of the company he worked for – died tragically in a plane crash, it was a “punch in the gut.” But things were about to get worse. In the wake of his friend’s death, Johnson uncovered a massive fraud at his company. The skill and determination with which he approached that problem, as well as others that emerged at Peak Completion Technologies, has resulted in his nomination as GC of the Year for a Small Legal Department in Houston’s 2019 Corporate Counsel Awards.
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Grammer Defamation Trial Pits Real Housewife vs. ‘Real Life’
The legal battle stems from an October 2013 incident in which Camille Grammer alleges her ex-boyfriend assaulted her in a Houston hotel room after they got in an argument. The defamation trial is U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer’s second jury trial since joining the bench last year. Natalie Posgate is in the courtroom.
Section 199A: A Brief Introduction
One of the most discussed parts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is IRC section 199A, which includes the complex rules for determining when a taxpayer can deduct up to 20% of certain “pass-through” income. Jason Freeman of Freeman Law provides an analysis of the Treasury’s final regulations governing this provision.
DBJ: Property Owners, Dallas Developer Battle on Shores of Possum Kingdom Lake
With the help of a deep-pocketed backer, property owners are duking it out with the owner of the resort, who says he has been unfairly targeted.
Precision Drilling’s Veronica Foley: ‘A Superstar in All Respects’
Precision Drilling GC Veronica Foley is fluent in Spanish, fluent in French and talented in ways that her colleagues regard her as “a superstar.” From unique legal projects to everyday functions she helps keep the company out in front of issues. And now she is a finalist for GC of the Year for a Mid-sized Legal Department in the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards.
Houston Judge Orders Ex Execs to Pay Superior Energy $72M in Global Kickback Saga
A state district judge in Harris County has ordered two former executives of a Superior Energy subsidiary to pay $72 million, after a jury ruled in December that they committed fraud, breached their fiduciary duties and misappropriated trade secrets against their former company. Natalie Posgate reports.
Apache GC Lannie, Bracewell’s Rafte Put Together Complex M&A
When Apache Corp. and Kayne Anderson Acquisition Corp. set up a joint venture to develop West Texas assets, that turned out to be the easy part. But add Apache’s desire to contribute options for long-haul pipelines to the Texas Gulf Coast and things got complicated. Apache’s GC and outside counsel Bracewell solved a trunkful of structural difficulties, leading them to become finalists for the M&A Transaction of the Year in the 2019 Corporate Counsel Awards. Claire Poole explains why.
CDT Roundup: 16 Deals, 14 Law Firms, 91 Texas Lawyers, $38.9B
Early last week, M&A activity for the year was lagging. Then came the $33 billion sale of Anadarko to Chevron. With that deal, everything changed – at least statistically. The equity and debt markets continue to be stingy, so what do companies do for new capital? Claire Poole has the answer, along with her weekly roundup of deals involving Texas lawyers.
Richard Rosenberg: GC of U.S. Zinc and Public Service Champion
In 2015, when Richard Rosenberg became board president of the 65-year-old Center in Houston, the nonprofit was a mess. It had no cash reserves, a $6 million debt and its deteriorated campuses had been badly punished by Hurricane Harvey. Flash forward the loan is paid, the campuses are flourishing and Rosenberg, GC of Houston’s U.S. Zinc, is sole finalist and worthy winner in the Public Service category of the 2019 Corporate Counsel Awards.
The Texas Lawbook Top 50: Corporate Lawyers Make $6 Billion, Elite Law Firms Biggest Beneficiary
Corporate lawyers operating in Texas made a record-smashing amount of money in 2018. Exclusive new research by The Texas Lawbook shows that the top 50 business law firms with offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin generated just a hair shy of $6 billion in revenues in 2018 – a 6% increase from 2017. Twenty-six corporate law firms worked more hours and collected more dollars last year than ever before. Several elite legal practices had huge financial gains last year. A few large Texas legacy law firms experienced significant economic declines in 2018. The Texas Lawbook has the details.