The Texas Supreme Court is once again considering the issue of damages for mental anguish in a case involving the cremation of a woman who died unexpectedly in 2007. The case, brought by a son who had been living out-of-state, hinges on whether the funeral parlor involved had a special obligation to find him for his approval. Janet Elliott has details of the argument in The Texas Lawbook.
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David Hernandez Serves as Trusted Counselor & Adviser to Hunt Family
Baltimore-born David Hernandez made his reputation in Texas as a tax lawyer and a strategic thinker. After years in the law firm trenches, he has emerged as a masterful in-house counsel at Hunt Consolidated and a trusted Hunt family adviser in a time of delicate transition. For this, and more, Hernandez is a finalist in the 2017 Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Learn more about him in The Texas Lawbook.
Janie Perelman: ‘People Just Want to be Treated with Respect’
A massive data breach in 2014 could have been catastrophic for Michaels Stores. The arts and crafts company had to explain what happened to regulators, notify 2.6 million customers and fend off no less than five massive lawsuits. But Michaels has recovered, and many credit the rapid and transparent response by Janie Perelman, the company’s assistant general counsel. And now she’s a finalist in the 2017 Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Read how she did it in The Texas Lawbook.
Famed Criminal Defense Attorney Doug Mulder Dies
Defense attorney Doug Mulder, who gained fame both as a prosecutor and defense attorney, is dead at 79. Details as they emerge in The Texas Lawbook.
Liberty Oilfield Launches $200M IPO to Delight of Industry – and Some Texas Lawyers
A noticeable lull in IPOs was broken last week by the revival of an issue postponed last year. Denver-based Liberty Oilfield Services not only revived the issue, it increased the size, suggesting to some that there is renewed equity demand from investors for energy companies. Claire Poole outlines the good news in The Texas Lawbook.
Liberty Mutual Corporate Counsel Kimberly Houston “Sees the Bigger Picture”
Kimberly Houston’s fascination with the law may have begun with “Matlock,” but it’s grown into an expertise on such weighty subjects as employment misclassification and regulatory compliance. As Corporate Counsel for Liberty Mutual, the insurance giant, Houston has wrestled with large-scale undertakings, from a class action defense to the development of the company’s new corporate campus in North Texas. And now she’s a finalist in the Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Read about her in The Texas Lawbook.
Chris Luna Uses ‘Carrots and Sticks’ to Push for Law Firm Diversity
Chris Luna, chief counsel at MetroPCS, has been a fixture in Dallas business and public life. He is an outspoken proponent of diversity in both the legal profession and the businesses they serve. His legal department is a finalist in the Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Find out why in The Texas Lawbook.
11th Circuit Rejects Andy Beal’s Appeal in Owls Head Battle Against BB&T
A three-judge panel in Atlanta’s U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has upheld a lower court’s decision to not award damages to a North Texas vulture fund in a contract dispute against BB&T Bank over loans that both financial entities held in a failed Florida real estate project.
Stacie McNulty ‘Embodies the Spirit’ of the Public Service & Pro Bono Award
Stacie McNulty is a highly-respected authority on intellectual property. Her observations on the subject have been cited by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. But her long-standing commitment to programs dealing with HIV and other public health issues commands something close to awe. As a result, she’s a finalist in the upcoming Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Details in The Texas Lawbook.
Award Finalist: Oncor’s Complex Asset Swap with Sharyland
When Oncor Electric Delivery Company and Dallas-based Sharyland Utilities swapped assets in 2017, it was more than another $400 energy distribution deal. It was a solution to a problem that had plagued and perplexed 60,000 rate payers. That’s one of the reasons the deal is a finalist in the Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards. Read about what made it unusual and who made it happen in The Texas Lawbook.