After more than a decade in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Phillip R. Dupré is joining Phelps Dunbar as counsel.
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Crescent Energy to Acquire Permian Rival Vital Energy for $3.1B
V&E, Kirkland and Gibson Dunn were among the advisors on the deal which secures a spot for Crescent among the top ten independent oil and gas producers in the region.
Texas Mini-TCPA Expands to Include Text Messages
The updated law represents a major expansion of the Texas Telephone Solicitation Act’s scope beyond traditional telephone calls, reflecting the evolving landscape of digital marketing communications. Certain businesses that send marketing text messages without registering face liability under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act as well as substantial penalties of $5,000 per individual text message that individual plaintiffs may recover. A federal court in the Eastern District of Texas last month awarded $170,000 to a single pro se plaintiff under the existing version of the statute for 34 phone calls.
Keurig Dr Pepper Legal’s ‘Visionary Leadership’ and ‘Transformational Influence’
Anthony Shoemaker tracks his success as a lawyer and a leader back to his high school days when he worked at a local golf club repair shop in the Houston suburbs. He learned a lot and has implemented those life lessons in his three years as the chief legal officer at Keurig Dr Pepper. The results have been extraordinary successes for Shoemaker, for the corporate legal department he leads and for the beverage giant, which is why the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook honored Keurig Dr Pepper with the DFW Corporate Legal Department of the Year in January at the DFW Corporate Counsel Awards.
This morning, KDP agreed to acquire JDE Peet’s for $18.4 billion. We are resharing The Lawbook‘s profile of Shoemaker and KDP’s in-house team from earlier this year.
Keurig Dr Pepper Turns to Paul Weiss to Lead $18.4B Deal for JDE Peet’s
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison served as lead counsel for Keurig Dr Pepper in its landmark $18.4 billion acquisition of Dutch coffee giant JDE Peet’s, alongside the in-house lawyers of KDP’s team. Paul Weiss continues to be a central legal adviser in high-profile Texas transactions, even as it eyes its first office in the state. A&O Shearman advised JDE Peet’s.
CDT Roundup: Data Centers, AI Hunters and HVAC Companies Fuel PE Activity
The week ending Aug. 23 saw 23 deals for just over $15.2 billion. The deals included three transactions — in media, oil and gas and electrical services — which together accounted for $13.6 billion, amounting to 90 percent of the total. But the week saw a slurry of PE transactions, most of them in the electrical, HVAC or data services sectors and they involved a broad variety of interesting businesses. That and more in this week’s CDT Roundup.
Susman Godfrey EO Litigation Timeline
President Donald Trump has issued executive orders targeting a half-dozen law firms, including Houston-based Susman Godfrey, accusing them of “spearheading efforts to weaponize the American legal system and degrading the quality of American elections” and “undermining the effectiveness of the United States military.” The EOs also accuse the firms of racially discriminatory practices via their diversity and inclusion programs. Here is a timeline of events tied to the EOs.
DOJ to Appeal Susman Godfrey Victory in Trump EO Case
The U.S. Department of Justice notified U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan that the government plans to appeal her decision two months ago to strike down President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Susman Godfrey. The Justice Department provided no details of its appellate arguments.
P.S. — Law Firms Feed Minds and Meals
In this week’s column, Gray Reed honors the legacy of James “Jim” McGraw, a founding partner and a beloved University of Houston Law Center alumnus, through the firm’s creation of a $50,000 endowed scholarship. We also spotlight volunteers from Greenberg Traurig’s Dallas office who packed over 100,000 meals to help feed children in Haiti. Also, the Texas Access to Justice Commission has announced this year’s Deborah G. Hankinson Award winners, recognizing local bar and young lawyer organizations for their commitment to expanding access to justice. Finally, Spanish-speaking lawyers or assistants are sought for a Houston volunteer opportunity and tickets and sponsorships are still available for a Casino Night benefitting the San Antonio Legal Services Association.
Gray Reed Continues C-Suite Expansion
Brandon Meek has joined the 150-lawyer firm as chief marketing officer. The move is Gray Reed’s second C-suite addition this summer.