Texas

  • September 18, 2024

    Cleanup Worker Wants Full 5th Circ. To Review BP Spill Suit

    A worker who alleges that he was exposed to toxic substances while cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 is urging the full Fifth Circuit to review a decision to dismiss his case, saying the panel that upheld the dismissal misconstrued precedent in finding that he needed to show that the discovery he sought was enough to defeat summary judgment.

  • September 18, 2024

    No Rehearing For 10th Circ. Methane Rule Challenge

    A Tenth Circuit panel rejected a request to reconsider its decision to throw out a ruling that partially invalidated an Obama-era rule limiting venting, flaring and leaks from oil and gas wells on federal land.

  • September 18, 2024

    DOL Points To 5th Circ. Ruling To Save Contractor Wage Hike

    A recent Fifth Circuit decision ruling that the U.S. Department of Labor could raise salary levels for overtime-exempt workers clarifies that the major questions doctrine should stay out of a case challenging the minimum wage increase for federal contractors, the DOL told the appeals court.

  • September 18, 2024

    Texas Firm, Marketing Biz Settle 'Click To Call' Ad Scheme Suit

    A Houston-based personal injury firm has reached a settlement with an Oklahoma-based marketing company it accused in a federal lawsuit of diverting clients and business to competitors through misleading advertisements in a click-to-call scheme.

  • September 18, 2024

    Texas Criminal Court Pauses Paxton Prosecutor Fee Ruling

    The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Tuesday agreed to pause a lower court ruling that would allow Collin County to pay a lower amount to the special prosecutors appointed to oversee the securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, putting the county's victory on ice while it considers the dispute.

  • September 18, 2024

    Texas Powerhouse: Bracewell LLP

    Bracewell LLP has been helping clients navigate billion-dollar deals and other big projects, while securing major courtroom wins, since its founding in the Lone Star State just shy of eight decades ago, earning it a spot among Law360's Regional Powerhouses of 2024.

  • September 18, 2024

    Norton Rose Adds Family Office Ace From Sidley In Dallas

    Norton Rose Fulbright has expanded its Dallas shop with the addition of a former Sidley Austin LLP attorney to its corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and securities practice who boasts substantial expertise in the family office industry.

  • September 17, 2024

    Allstate Freed From Texas Auto Insurance Class Action

    A Texas federal judge handed Allstate a win in a proposed class action over allegedly discriminatory auto insurance premium rates, adopting a magistrate judge's recommendations that the class not be certified and that the insurer be freed from the suit before trial.

  • September 17, 2024

    Another Texas Judge Halts NLRB Case Over Constitutionality

    A Texas federal judge granted an injunction Monday to halt administrative proceedings at the National Labor Relations Board filed by a social services search engine, finding that the employer was likely to succeed on the merits of its argument that agency judges are unconstitutionally shielded from removal by the U.S. president.

  • September 17, 2024

    Texas Fertility Clinic Hid 'Catastrophic' Lab Issue, Couples Say

    Five couples accused a Houston fertility institute of hiding "catastrophic" laboratory issues that affected patients' embryos, saying in a lawsuit that the entity instead injected multiple hopeful mothers with "dead or dying" eggs.

  • September 17, 2024

    SEC Fines 12 Muni Advisers $1.3M In Texting Probe Actions

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday fined 12 municipal advisory firms a combined $1.3 million over their failure to keep records of employees' use of text messages and other so-called off-channel communication methods to conduct business.

  • September 17, 2024

    Better Days Ahead For Associates, Recruiters Say

    Things are looking up for associates, recruiters say, as a strong economic outlook for the legal industry appears to be driving increased demand for younger attorneys after two straight years of layoffs.

  • September 17, 2024

    Munsch Hardt's Incoming CEO On The 'Heart' Of Texas Firm

    The newly elected CEO of Lone Star State mid-sized Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC is proud of the nearly 40-year history of success of the firm and plans to keep it on its current trajectory when he takes the helm at the start of 2025.

  • September 17, 2024

    Eversheds US Chief-Elect Talks Firm Goals, DC Move Plans

    Eversheds Sutherland named Lino Mendiola III the chief executive-elect for the U.S. side of the firm on Monday. Here, Mendiola talks to Law360 about his goals, his plans to continue the firm’s culture of innovation and why he’s transferring from Austin, Texas, to Washington, D.C., with the promotion.

  • September 17, 2024

    Texas Powerhouse: Haynes and Boone

    Haynes and Boone LLP charted a 7% growth in headcount last year on the heels of several significant merger and acquisition deals, attributing its success in part to a focus on mutual support within the firm and keeping retention high.

  • September 17, 2024

    Ex-Skadden Atty Joins Board Of Oil Property Co. LandBridge

    Oil property acquirer LandBridge Co. has added a former Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP partner to its board, where the company hopes to benefit from her capital markets and corporate governance expertise.

  • September 17, 2024

    First Financial Finds New GC In MidFirst Bank Deputy

    The Texas bank operating as First Financial has tapped a new legal leader from Oklahoma's MidFirst Bank.

  • September 16, 2024

    Colony Ridge Mortgage Co. Free Of Lending Suit, For Now

    A federal judge on Friday gave the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 30 days to amend its predatory lending lawsuit against a Texas mortgage company and a Houston-area real estate developer and lender, dismissing for now the government's claims that the mortgage company intentionally targets Hispanic consumers.

  • September 16, 2024

    Mass. Accounting Firm Hit With Data Breach Class Claims

    Accounting firm Katz Nannis + Solomon PC failed to safeguard sensitive client information and enabled a 2023 data breach, according to a proposed class action in Massachusetts federal court.

  • September 16, 2024

    5th Circ. Judge Chides High Court Calls in Abortion Pill Case

    U.S. Circuit Judge James C. Ho on Monday threw shade at the U.S. Supreme Court and the Biden administration over what he described as side-switching on federal conscience laws for doctors.

  • September 16, 2024

    Why A Tactic In The Youth Climate Change Battle Is Risky

    Young people suing the federal government for sweeping changes to climate policy are trying a new tactic, filing a mandamus petition in the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to get their case to trial. But some lawyers are worried the tactic may backfire, limiting the opportunity for others to use the courts to wage climate battles, experts told Law360. 

  • September 16, 2024

    Biden Methane Rule Is Gov't Overstep, ND Judge Rules

    The Biden administration can't enforce a rule aimed at curbing methane gas emissions from federally held oil and gas leases in a coalition of Republican-led states led by North Dakota after a federal judge found the states had sufficiently shown the government may have overstepped its authority.

  • September 16, 2024

    FDA Warns Vape Retailers About Approval Inadequacies

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned a slew of retailers that they are illegally selling vape brands and products, alleging they lack regulatory approval to do so.

  • September 16, 2024

    Texas Trio Ordered To Pay Lewis Brisbois $1.5M After TM Spat

    A Houston federal judge ordered a Texas trio to pay more than $1.5 million in statutory damages to Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP after finding last month that the group willfully stole the BigLaw behemoth's name for its mediation business in 2022.

  • September 16, 2024

    Raytheon Fails To Sink Ex-Worker's Age Discrimination Case

    A Texas federal judge refused Monday to throw out an age discrimination suit accusing defense contractor Raytheon of wrongfully firing a longtime employee after he tapped a male co-worker on the backside with a cafeteria tray.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Air Ambulance Ruling Severely Undermines No Surprises Act

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    A Texas federal court's recent decision in Guardian Flight v. Health Care Service — that the No Surprises Act lacks a judicial remedy when a health insurer refuses to pay the amount established through an independent review — likely throws a huge monkey wrench into the elaborate protections the NSA was enacted to provide, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • Justices' Removal Ruling Presents Hurdles, But Offers Clarity

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Campos-Chaves v. Garland and two other consolidated cases endorses a multistep notice practice that could impair noncitizens' access to adequate judicial notice, but its resolution of a longstanding circuit split also provides much-needed clarity, says Devin Connolly at Reeves Immigration Law Group.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • Justices' 'Blind Mule' Ruling Won't Change Defense Strategy

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last week in Diaz v. U.S., holding that expert witnesses can testify broadly about the mental state of “most people” in a group, simply affirms the status quo for the majority of defendants, and is unlikely to change defense counsel’s strategy at trial, says Walter Gonçalves at the Arizona Federal Public Defender's Office.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • What 11th Circ. Fearless Fund Ruling Means For DEI In Courts

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent backing of a freeze on the Fearless Fund's grants to women of color building new companies marks the latest major development in litigation related to diversity, equity and inclusion and may be used to question other DEI programs targeted at providing opportunities to certain classes of individuals, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Justices' Bump Stock Ruling Skirted Deference, Lenity Issues

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    Despite presenting a seemingly classic case on agency deference, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Garland v. Cargill did not mention the Chevron doctrine, and the opinion also overlooked whether agency interpretations of federal gun laws should ever receive deference given that they carry criminal penalties, say Tess Saperstein and John Elwood at Arnold & Porter.

  • Emerging Trends In ESG-Focused Securities Litigation

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    Based on a combination of shareholder pressure, increasing regulatory scrutiny and proposed rulemaking, there has been a proliferation of litigation over public company disclosures and actions regarding environmental, social, and governance factors — and the overall volume of such class actions will likely increase in the coming years, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Next Steps After 5th Circ. Nixes Private Fund Adviser Rules

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    The Fifth Circuit's recent toss of key U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules regarding private fund advisers represents a setback for the regulator, but open questions, including the possibility of an SEC petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, mean it's still too early to consider the matter closed, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

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