Social Media Influencer’s Texas Lawsuit Against Rival Could Pave the Way for Future Copyright Cases

A lawsuit filed by Sydney Nicole Gifford, a former Austin resident who promotes Amazon products, against fellow Austin-area influencer Alyssa Sheil survived a motion to dismiss last month. Lawyers who spoke with The Texas Lawbook said widespread attention on the case is likely to incite other influencers to contact lawyers and explore legal avenues, including litigation, to safeguard their brand aesthetics, even though those same legal observers expressed skepticism about the case’s viability moving forward.

January 10, 2025 Krista Torralva

Dallas Judge Finds Khoury, Shamoun’s ‘Improper and Incurable Jury Argument’ Mandates New Trial

Earlier this week, Dallas County District Judge Gena Slaughter issued a four-page order finding that the arguments made by defense lawyers Stephen A. Khoury and C. Gregory Shamoun in front of a Dallas County jury deciding a fraudulent transfer case were “improper and incurable.” But Khoury and Shamoun told The Texas Lawbook this week they are “shocked” by the finding and argue Judge Slaughter’s order is “inaccurate and incorrect.”

January 9, 2025 Michelle Casady

Johnson & Johnson Cleared of Causation in Mesothelioma Trial, But Jury Still Attempts to Award $22M in Punitive Damages

A Pittsburgh jury returned a confusing verdict Monday in a mesothelioma trial involving Texas lawyers on both sides. Jurors handed a defense verdict to the pharmaceutical giant but went on to answer questions about punitive damages that they shouldn’t have. J&J is nevertheless claiming the verdict as vindication.

January 9, 2025 Krista Torralva

Greystar Accused of Fraud, Breach in Suit Over Management of Dog-Centric Apartment Concept in Grapevine

The 119-page lawsuit brings claims for breach of contract, professional negligence, fraud, fraudulent inducement, fraud by nondisclosure, fraud by concealment, negligent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, defamation, business disparagement, and seeks indemnification.

January 8, 2025 Michelle Casady

Biggest Texas Verdicts of 2024

Juries in the Eastern District of Texas handed out the largest and second-largest awards of the year and five of the Top 10. But no jury in the state cracked the $1 billion damages award threshold in a single case in 2024.

January 3, 2025 Michelle Casady

Litigation Roundup: Fifth Circuit Rules Against NFL HOF’er LaDainian Tomlinson

In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Match Group draws a shareholder class action lawsuit in California, Medicaid fraud whistleblowers get a piece of a $212.3 million settlement, and a Harris County District Court judge sees a public reprimand against her vacated by a court of special review.

December 31, 2024 Michelle Casady

Litigation Roundup: Appellate Losses for Salesforce, Justin Timberlake 

In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the Fifth Circuit explains the limitations of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in allowing a lawsuit against Salesforce to proceed, the Houston city council greenlights a settlement in a revenge porn case involving members of the fire department and a multimillion-dollar jury award in a case involving a contract to construct a natural gas plant is slashed.

December 24, 2024 Michelle Casady

Law Firm, Transocean Slapped with $500K Sanction in Hurricane Zeta MDL 

In three orders issued Wednesday and Thursday, Harris County District Judge Rabeea Collier sanctioned Transocean and its former legal team for “egregious” conduct in the multidistrict litigation. The judge declined to disqualify the company’s new legal team, AZA, from continuing its representation of the drilling company.

December 19, 2024 Michelle Casady

Dispute Over Settlement Terms Leads to New Trial in 2019 Crane Collapse Case Against Greystar, Bigge

One week into an August trial, the real estate developer and crane rental company reached a settlement agreement with plaintiffs over the crane collapse onto a Dallas apartment complex. Or so they thought. A conflict over the settlement terms has prompted the case to return to court, and another trial date has been set.

December 18, 2024 Krista Torralva

In W&T’s Fight with Insurers over $250M Collateral Demands, Jurisdiction, V&E’s Representation Questioned

Recent developments in the dispute stemming from new Federal Bureau of Ocean Management bond rules targeting offshore energy companies include a question of whether the case belongs in federal court and if Vinson & Elkins should be allowed to represent two insurers after previously representing W&T for nearly a decade.

December 18, 2024 Michelle Casady