Dallas lawyer Ashley Yen, who was recognized for her efforts guiding Methodist through Covid-19, is taking her first general counsel role.
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Corporate Directors and Officers — Fiduciaries or Discretionaries?
I have enjoyed the privilege of being a chaired professor at Southern Methodist University for over 35 years. That’s a good run, which I hope to keep going for a long while. In teaching my corporate and securities law courses during that time, a key principle arises with frequency — namely, that corporate directors and officers are fiduciaries. These fiduciaries are charged with acting in their respective corporation’s best interests with due care and loyalty. If they fail to do so — according to the rhetoric — they will be held accountable and subject to liability exposure. But is this merely rhetoric without substantive content? Is the term fiduciary a misnomer? In my new book, I answer these questions with a resounding “yes.”
CDT Roundup: AI’s Energy Appetite Continues to Fuel Tech, O&G Deals
The week ending Aug. 2 saw 17 transactions reporting values of $19 billion. You can compare that to last week’s 15 deals for $3 billion or the 26 deals for $16 billion we reported this time last year. The news this week is the same news last week: It’s all about AI infrastructure. The good news is that even those deals cut a healthy swath across emerging data-related business sectors. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.
IP Heavyweight Jeff Homrig Returns to Weil
Weil has bolstered its Texas presence by bringing back Jeff Homrig to the firm, this time as its Co-Head of its new IP, Technology & Science Litigation practice.
Sungard AS, Jackson Walker Reach Bankruptcy Fee Settlement
Information technology company Sungard AS New Holdings has asked the court to approve a $385,000 settlement it reached with Jackson Walker that would end its bankruptcy fee dispute with the Dallas-based law firm. This marks back-to-back weeks companies involved in the bankruptcy fee dispute have asked the court to approve settlements with the firm.
ECP, KKR Announce $4B Data Campus in Texas
Marking their first investment in a $50 billion joint venture campaign announced last year, Energy Capital Partners and KKR said Friday they are investing $4 billion into the development of a data center campus in Bosque County, about 75 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Kirkland & Ellis advised on the JV.
MPLX Acquires Sour Gas Operator from Five Point for $2.375B
MPLX said Friday it has agreed to pay $2.375 billion in cash to Houston-based Five Point Infrastructure for Northwind Delaware Holdings, a New Mexico sour gas gathering, treatment and processing service operating in the Permian Basin. Latham & Watkins advised Five Points on the transaction.
Quanta Services Acquires Dynamic Systems for $1.35B
Seeking to expand its presence in the surge of data center development, Quanta Services, a Houston-based platform for industrial energy and power services, announced Thursday the completion of its acquisition of mechanical and plumbing specialists Dynamics Services for $1.35 billion. King & Spalding advised on the deal.
Unlocking Multifamily Development and Land Use in Texas Cities
Texas’s 2025 legislative session marked a major shift in land‐use policy. With Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature on SB 840, the state joined a broader wave of reforms aimed at unlocking housing supply by curbing municipal zoning and regulation. These laws will work in concert to dismantle longstanding barriers to multifamily development by streamlining conversions of commercial properties, raising the bar for rezoning protests and reducing lot‐size mandates. Together, these measures represent one of the most sweeping efforts to expand housing options and revive underused urban assets in Texas cities.
P.S. — Legal Aid Expands Across Texas with Volunteers, Grants and New Talent
In this edition of P.S., Texas legal aid organizations ramp up efforts to support communities affected by recent disasters. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid is calling on volunteer lawyers to assist flood survivors across Central Texas, while Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas launches its new mobile unit, the “Legal Aid Express,” to deliver on-the-ground disaster support to its region. SMU’s First Amendment Clinic received a $3 million endowment from the Stanton Foundation, with an additional $2 million challenge grant to expand its pro bono advocacy. Meanwhile, 17 University of Texas School of Law graduates received public interest fellowships, enabling them to serve underrepresented communities across the country. Finally, Sidley Austin’s Texas offices contributed to local hunger relief efforts as part of the firm’s “Summer of Service” campaign.