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Texas Law Firms Start Announcing Year-End Associate Bonuses - Four Texas-based law firms and a half-dozen national law firms with offices in Texas have announced that they are awarding their associates with year-end or holiday bonuses and special achievements ranging from $15,000 to $140,000. November 25, 2025Texas Solar Panel Maker Files for Bankruptcy - Houston-headquartered PosiGen and 10 of its affiliated companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday in the Southern District of Texas. November 25, 2025
Lawyers Discuss Impact of Judge Smith’s Scathing Dissent in Redistricting Case - Pushing aside what’s already been reported — like the number of times Judge Jerry Smith wrote that he dissents (16), the number of times he calls out Judge Jeffrey Brown by name (279) and the number of times he references the Soros family (17) — The Lawbook asked more than a dozen appellate lawyers to weigh in on the aftermath: whether the tone of the dissent and the majority’s decision on the timing of the opinion’s release would have an impact on the judiciary, and the public’s opinion of the judiciary, moving forward. November 21, 2025
Former TV News Anchor Gets 10 Years in Pandemic Loan Scam - Stephanie Hockridge, a former local news anchor in Phoenix, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of Fort Worth for her role in what prosecutors called a vast fraud based on phony applications for loans under the Covid-era Payroll Protection Program. Her husband, Nathan Reis, pleaded guilty in August for his role in the scam. November 21, 2025
Lynn Pinker Wins Trade Secrets Case in Eastern District of Texas - A jury found Signature Systems Group had committed breach of contract and misappropriated the trade secrets of Spartan Composites, a company that manufactures industrial mats used at construction sites. Following a few hours of deliberation, the jury awarded the requested damages along with punitive damages. November 21, 2025
Houston Appellate Court Won’t DQ AZA as Transocean Defense Counsel - In a five-sentence per curiam opinion issued Thursday morning, the First Court of Appeals in Houston declined to disturb rulings from a trial judge that allowed the law firm Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing to continue its defense of Transocean in multidistrict litigation stemming from offshore workers’ injuries. Lawyers from Arnold & Itkin, representing the plaintiffs, had argued the move was required and told The Texas Lawbook Thursday they are considering all options as it relates to a possible appeal. November 20, 2025
Centerpiece
Litigation Roundup: Harrison County Pharma Lawsuit Nets $41.5M Settlement - In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announces a $41.5 million settlement of one Harrison County state court lawsuit against pharmaceutical industry defendants and files another in the same venue, and a fraternity at the University of Texas at Austin draws a wrongful death lawsuit in the wake of a freshman’s death by suicide. November 24, 2025
SPACs Gobble Targets Ahead of Thanksgiving - The week that ended Nov. 22 saw 20 deals reported with a total reported value of $5.5 billion, heavy on deal volume and private equity transactions, including a PE firm buying a majority stake in Topgolf. The seven days prior saw 16 deals at $16.4 billion, marking ten straight deal-weeks of $11 billion or more. Tailing that streak, a week in the single-digit billions seems like a literal downer.
But this time last year saw fewer deals (15) at a lower reported value ($4.55 billion), and a heavy volume of private transactions tends to depress reported values.
It also proved a special week for SPACs — that and more in this edition of CDT Roundup. November 23, 2025
But this time last year saw fewer deals (15) at a lower reported value ($4.55 billion), and a heavy volume of private transactions tends to depress reported values.
It also proved a special week for SPACs — that and more in this edition of CDT Roundup. November 23, 2025
Expert Voices
Covenants Not to Compete on ‘Y’all Street’ — Insights on Texas Law for Newly Relocated Texas Professionals - In the midst of a relocation, it’s tempting for companies and professionals alike to narrow their focus on the obvious to-dos, like finding new homes or offices or hiring new staff. But what’s equally important is ensuring all parties understand what their move means in terms of employee job mobility, specifically when it comes to covenants not to compete. November 24, 2025
Texas Emerges as a Leading Force in State Privacy Law Enforcement - Over the past two years, Texas has emerged as a leader in the U.S. state privacy regulatory landscape. The state’s attorney general has launched a broad privacy enforcement initiative, secured notable settlements and filed lawsuits against major players across industries ranging from social media to insurance. With new privacy laws that have come into effect in 2024 and 2025 and a steady stream of enforcement activity, Texas has established itself as a state that businesses must pay close attention to when evaluating compliance obligations. November 20, 2025
Stories You Might’ve Missed
The Legacy of Pennzoil v. Texaco 40 Years Later — The Civil Jury Trial of the Century - Pennzoil v. Texaco's legacy remains significant, as it changed how companies handle mergers and acquisitions, caused the Chamber of Commerce to designate Texas as a judicial hellhole in 1986 and directly led to two decades of massive tort reform efforts that dramatically limited the rights of Texans to sue businesses, doctors and insurance companies for wrongdoing. It also launched Texas trial lawyer Joe Jamail to national stardom and made him the richest trial lawyer in American history.
In this in-depth article, The Texas Lawbook provides a detailed timeline of the events involved in the historic litigation, as well as comments from more than a dozen lawyers about the legal strategies employed. November 18, 2025
