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Steven Jansma — ‘A Good Lawyer but an Even Better Person and Friend’ - For 33 years as a trial lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright, Steven Jansma has scored huge courtroom victories in highly complex lawsuits for dozens of Fortune 500 clients, including a German automaker, an Ohio tire manufacturer, a Japanese chemical company, a national trucking operation and a major petroleum refinery, to describe a few, in state and federal courts across 26 states.
“It is his ability to see through the clutter, distill the complex into simplicity and then communicate in a way that is devoid of the emotion that one often sees in complex litigation matters," said Vulcan Materials senior counsel John M. Floyd.
But it is Jansma's deep commitment to public service in the San Antonio community that stands out the most, including Child Advocates San Antonio, Clarity Child Guidance Center, Catholic Charities and The Ecumenical Center, where he has helped shape programs that support vulnerable populations, Cody said. The Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Lawbook are honored to award Jansma with the 2025 C. Lee Cusenbary Ethical Life and Leadership Award. October 31, 2025
Top Stories
Top Stories
Traveling Oral Arguments: Justices Question Tax on Airline, Trade Secrets Claim for Tech Used on Driverless Semitrucks - The Fifteenth Court of Appeals heard arguments in disputes over taxes and trade secrets while at the Texas A&M School of Law in Fort Worth Thursday. One of the cases originated from the Texas Business Court. October 31, 2025
Oral Arguments at Law School Gives Students Opportunity to See Court in Action - The Fifteenth Court of Appeals held oral arguments at Texas A&M School of Law Thursday afternoon. Classes were canceled for first-year students to attend the oral arguments and watch the attorneys and justices in action. October 31, 2025
Massachusetts REIT Files for Bankruptcy in SDTX - Citing $2.5 billion in liabilities, Office Properties Income Trust and 75 of its affiliated operations — including two in Plano — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Oct. 30 in the Southern District of Texas. OPI, a real estate investment trust headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, has hired Latham & Watkins and Hunton Andrews Kurth as its bankruptcy legal advisors, Alix Partners as its restructuring advisor and Moelis & Company as its investment banker. October 31, 2025
P.S. — Houston-based Law Firm Deemed a Best Place to Work for Women, South Texas Lawyer Named to Time100 - In this edition of P.S., we report on national spotlights, local honors and pro bono achievements. October 31, 2025Judge Liu Calls Out ‘Deplorable Management’ of Case, Points to Central Docket System as Culprit - Travis County’s newest district court judge issued an order this week in a nearly 2-year-old dispute, stemming from a soured joint venture that was formed to buy and sell a luxury home in Austin, while granting and denying certain motions from both parties.
But the real news in the three-page order entered Wednesday in Brandon Becker v. UpEquity Title came in the final three paragraphs, where Travis County District Judge Cory Liu, appointed to the bench by Gov. Greg Abbott in March, took to task the Travis County central docket system. October 30, 2025
But the real news in the three-page order entered Wednesday in Brandon Becker v. UpEquity Title came in the final three paragraphs, where Travis County District Judge Cory Liu, appointed to the bench by Gov. Greg Abbott in March, took to task the Travis County central docket system. October 30, 2025
AZA to Open Dallas Office in January - The firm, which launched in Houston in 1993, was patient about opening a second office. John Zavitsanos said the amount of intellectual property work the firm is handling made Dallas a clear location for expansion. (Photo by Sharon Ferranti/The Texas Lawbook) October 29, 2025Dallas Stars Hire Winstead, File Counterclaim Against Jackson Walker-Represented Mavericks - In the sports showdown consuming Dallas, it will be Winstead PC representing the Dallas Stars in the litigation against the Jackson Walker-represented Dallas Mavericks. October 29, 2025
‘There is No Hope for Rehabilitation’: Judge Converts Dr. Phil’s Media Startup Bankruptcy to Chapter 7 - After a three-hour hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Scott Everett ruled to convert Dr. Phil McGraw’s Chapter 11 startup media bankruptcy case to a Chapter 7 and will have a trustee appointed. The ruling comes after a weekslong hearing in September on the motion to dismiss or to convert. October 28, 2025
Centerpiece
From ‘Gopher’ to Managing Partner: Larry Campagna Reflects on Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s 60th Anniversary - No one knows Chamberlain Hrdlicka, which turned 60 this month, better than Campagna, and so The Lawbook asked him to reflect on the firm's legacy, consider how the practice of law has changed, and elaborate on why being "mid-size" is just right for the firm. October 30, 2025
Valero GC Rich Walsh Fought the EPA and Won at the U.S. Supreme Court - Valero Energy GC Rich Walsh watched in astonishment in 2022 and 2023 as major petroleum-related companies were silent as the EPA allowed California to set more stringent fuel admission standards than required by federal law, creating an existential threat to their businesses. The California rules would force consumers to purchase vehicles that run on electricity instead of liquid fuels. Walsh led the charge to file lawsuits challenging these regulations. On June 20, Walsh’s efforts paid off when the U.S. Supreme Court handed Valero a sweeping victory.
“Sometimes it is very evident when we are very right, and I knew from the start that this was one of those times,” said Walsh, who is the recipient of the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Large Legal Department. October 30, 2025
Expert Voices
Lawyers Need Not Fear Being Replaced — If They Learn to Use It the Right Way - Like many firms, Baker Botts is exploring how best to leverage AI — both for the benefit of our clients and for training our lawyers. This summer, the firm hosted an AI Learning Lab that immersed 70 summer associates in a simulated typical workflow for a trade secret dispute. What we learned was encouraging. October 28, 2025
Thought Leadership: Why Texas Businesses Are Embracing Mediation - Texas businesses are increasingly turning to mediation for dispute resolution. While cost-effectiveness is a significant factor, it's not the only benefit driving this trend. Mediation offers important advantages beyond financial ones, making it a valuable tool for businesses. October 28, 2025
Stories You Might’ve Missed
Toyota’s Derek Lipscombe Named Texas Lawbook Foundation Co-Chair - The Texas Lawbook Foundation has named Derek Lipscombe, managing counsel at Toyota North America, as the new co-chair of the nonprofit’s board of directors. Lipscombe, a former newspaper reporter who is past president of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter, has served on The Lawbook Foundation board since it was founded in 2023. The Lawbook Foundation’s sole mission is to provide support for The Texas Lawbook’s news coverage of pro bono, public service and diversity in the Texas legal community. October 8, 2025
