In hot pursuit of mineral leases in the frenzied 2010 Eagle Ford Shale play, Orca Assets paid $3.2 million for six leases in DeWitt County that they later discovered belonged to another company. Rather than simply accept a return of their cash, Orca sued the owner’s agent, accusing them of fraud, demanding $400 million in unrealized revenues. On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court suggested that Orca should have known better. Janet Elliott reports on the court’s reasoning in The Texas Lawbook.
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Sheppard Mullin Adds Bill Mateja in Dallas
The Texas Lawbook has learned that prominent white-collar criminal defense attorney Bill Mateja, who represents Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his ongoing legal battles, is joining two fellow partners from the Dallas office of Polsinelli in kicking off Sheppard Mullin’s Texas operations.
Texas Lawbook Exclusive: New Federal Judge Karen Gren Scholer’s ‘Crazy Busy’ Three Weeks
As the first new U.S. District judge in North Texas in more than a decade, Karen Scholer has undertaken a fevered pace her first 18 days on the bench. She’s hired two law clerks, been assigned 300 civil cases, conducted 55 status conferences and set two lawsuits for trial. In an exclusive Texas Lawbook interview, Judge Scholer discusses the nomination and vetting processes, the “judicial emergency” facing the federal courts in Texas and her first three weeks on the job.
Sabre’s Top Lawyer, Rachel Gonzalez, Heads to Starbucks
Rachel Gonzalez, who has held senior in-house legal positions at several Texas companies, will no longer have to pay for a cup of coffee starting next month.
Updated – K&L Gates Expands Energy Practice in Texas with Five-Lawyer Team
K&L Gates announced Thursday that it has beefed up its energy practice in Texas with several familiar faces.
Sheppard Mullin Pulling Together Partners in Dallas
The Texas Lawbook has learned that two partners from the Dallas office of Polsinelli and two lawyers from K&L Gates’ office in Dallas have already joined Sheppard Mullin’s operation.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Adds Houston Labor and Employment Shareholder
Diana Pérez Gomez was previously at Martin, Disiere, Jefferson & Wisdom.
Bracewell Attorneys Receive Awards from UH Law Center
Richard Whiteley and Stacianne Wilson were selected as the winners of the President’s Award and Rising Star Award, respectively.
Is the DOL’s Fiduciary Rule Dead – or Only Mostly Dead?
A recent decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Department of Labor’s so-called fiduciary rule, a set of regulations which would require that all retirement investing advice provided by financial professionals be in the best interest of their clients. The law’s uncertain future now rests in the hands of the Trump administration’s DOL. Timothy G. Verrall and Ron Chapman, Jr. of Ogletree Deakins provide an analysis.
Stewart Bradbury Debuts Pro Bono Efforts with Female Veteran Community
Stewart Bradbury kicked off Women’s History Month by sponsoring an event at the veterans’ empowerment center, Honor Courage Commitment. The attorneys at Stewart Bradbury were among 30 Dallas-area lawyers, judges, HR professionals, entrepreneurs and marketing professionals who helped female veterans create vision boards of what they want for themselves professionally and personally in their post-service life. Firm founder Amy Stewart explains why her 7-month-old firm made assisting women veterans a priority this year in this article.