Diamondback Grabs Midland Basin Properties from Lario Oil for $1.4B
Kirkland advised the buyer and V&E the seller in what is proving to be a dramatic pickup in second-half oil and gas deals.
Check That Off My Bucket List: SMU Dedman Law Alumni at SCOTUS
Eleven SMU Dedman School of Law alumni and the school’s new dean were sworn in before the nation's high court in a live ceremony before all nine justices this month. The group also heard oral arguments in two related administrative law cases.
"It was like being on the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl. But better," Amy Osteen, a 2000 graduate of the law school, said.
Dallas Jury Rules for Defendants in Wrongful Death Suit by Family of Electrocuted Worker
On their second day of deliberation, jurors in the court of state District Judge Monica McCoy Purdy awarded damages of $3.94 million to the family of electrician Gabriel Vela, who was killed in 2019 while working at a West Texas midstream energy plant. However, because the jury found Vela 51 percent responsible for his death, the defendants will not be liable. Bruce Tomaso reports.
CDT Roundup: 13 Deals, 9 Firms, 81 Lawyers, $14.8B
So much attention has been given to energy and energy transition that it would be easy to overlook other business sectors that make up the Texas M&A market. Take the healthcare sector, for instance. Healthcare has become a new favorite among PE investors, according to PitchBook. This week's Roundup looks at a few of the reasons for that, as well as healthcare stats for Texas. All that, and the usual roster of lawyers involved in last week's Texas-related transactions.
Night of the Living Lochner: Did the Constitution End Economics in 1791?
In 1985’s classic film, The Return of the Living Dead, a rainstorm spreads a zombie-creating chemical throughout a city. In 2022, the Supreme Court’s relentless focus on originalism has also awakened long-dead legal doctrines. One such resurrection appears in the concurrence from Golden Glow Tanning Salon v. City of Columbus, which advocates examination of a constitutional “right to earn a living” in light of how such economic matters were understood in the late 1700s.
Wrongful Death Suit Over Worker’s Electrocution is a Grab for a ‘Champagne and Caviar Lifestyle,’ Defense Lawyer Says
In closing arguments, attorneys for a West Texas midstream gas facility say electrician Gabriel Vela died because of his own negligence. A plaintiff’s attorney counters that the gas plant’s conduct was ‘the grossest of gross negligence’ he’s seen in 34 years of practice.
Federal Judge’s $3.64M Verdict Doesn’t Quell Long, Bitter Litigation Between Legal Recruiters
Since U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled that Evan P. Jowers improperly poached business from his former boss, Robert E. Kinney, Jowers has filed a new lawsuit in Florida and a motion for a protective order, alleging that Kinney threatened his family. Kinney, in turn, is seeking sanctions against Jowers and his current and former lawyers.
Litigation Roundup: Fluor Settles Shareholder Suit, Fifth Circuit Explains What Waiver Means, Amazon Sued & More
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the University of Texas settles a gender discrimination lawsuit with the law professor Linda Mullinex, Amazon draws a patent infringement lawsuit over robotics used at its fulfillment centers, the Fifth Circuit denies a bid from a fraudster — who waived his right to appeal — to challenge his 14-year sentence and a settlement is reached in a shareholder lawsuit against Fluor Corporation.
P.S. — Happy Veterans Day from The Texas Lawbook
On this Veterans Day, The Texas Lawbook thanks veterans for their service and lists a cluster of upcoming events benefiting veterans as well as law firm initiatives and individual lawyers who have helped those who served.
Robert Uhl: Helping Veterans One Benefits Application at a Time
Since he began his legal career in 2018, Sidley associate Robert Uhl has spent hundreds of pro bono hours helping veterans obtain combat-related benefits. Sometimes, the road is tough, but it's not stopping him. The Texas Lawbook spoke with Uhl to learn why this work is important to him and why he continues to do it.