Texas Lawyer RSS

Tesla Autopilot, Along With Driver, Blamed in Fatal Harris County House Crash

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:44:26 EST

A Houston area family is suing Tesla and the driver of a Model 3 after the vehicle's Autopilot system allegedly failed to detect a dead-end street and crashed through their home, killing a 76-year-old woman and injuring her son-in-law.

Texas Appeals Court Tosses $500 Million Ore Theft Suit Against Vale

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:05:21 EST

A Texas appellate court dismissed a $500 million conversion claim against Brazilian mining giant Vale, ruling that shipping iron ore to Texas wasn't enough to establish jurisdiction over an alleged mineral rights dispute that occurred in Brazil.

Camp Mystic Files Bankruptcy, Leaving Lawsuits in Limbo

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:33:46 EST

The Christian girls summer camp has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy nearly a year after the deadly Fourth of July flood that killed 24 campers and two camp counselors.

Texas-Founded Vinson & Elkins, Chamberlain Hrdlicka Fill C-suite Roles

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:28:17 EST

The new chief operating officer at Vinson & Elkins has more than two decades of experience as serving as COO at two Big Law firms.

'They Needed a Texas Lawyer': Gibson Dunn's Journey to Landing the SpaceX IPO

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:38:27 EST

“Gibson Dunn was selected for the deal because we were unique in our ability to execute on it, said capital markets co-chair and Houston office co-leader Hillary Holmes.

Preparing Law Students for the Realities of AI in Practice

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:29:59 EST

Law school clinics across the country are beginning to integrate generative AI into their practice, and students are quickly discovering a consistent pattern: while AI speeds up finding information, it does not make it any quicker to make good professional decisions.

Winston Partners Continue to Depart in Texas

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:00:59 EST

While well more than a dozen partners have jumped from Winston & Strawn's Texas offices to other firms this year, the departures may not be directly linked to the firm's recent merger with U.K. firm Taylor Wessing.

Paul Weiss Adds Bracewell Energy M&A Partner in Growing Houston Office

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:47:30 EST

Austin Lee is the latest transactional partner to join Paul Weiss's new office in Houston.

Trial Set For Texas Woman's Case Against Uber

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:12:56 EST

The Sept. 14 trial would be in a case called Jane Doe QLF 001 v. Uber, in which a woman from Fort Worth alleges her Uber driver forced her to perform oral sex on him during her 2020 ride from Arlington.

Supreme Court Says Appeal Waivers Unenforceable if They Lead to 'Miscarriage of Justice'

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:42:12 EST

The Supreme Court rejected the federal government's argument that an appeal waiver signed by a criminal defendant during a plea agreement is virtually always enforceable, no matter the circumstances.

Supreme Court Says Gun Charge for Marijuana Use Alone Unconstitutional

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:38:54 EST

In a major ruling for marijuana and gun rights activists, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government may not prosecute individuals simply for being a habitual drug user in possession of a firearm.

Newsmakers: Bracewell Adds Two Partners in Houston

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:59:59 EST

Also: Balch & Bingham adds partner; Dykema adds attorney.

Trial Skills: Chat Messages Sink Defense, Lead to $17.5M Verdict

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:57:20 EST

A Houston jury's unanimous verdict and a judge's final judgment delivered Yetter Coleman's client Advance Energy Partners $17.8 million after WeChat messages between an oilfield pipe supplier and a Chinese mill exposed a bait-and-switch scheme in which the supplier pocketed millions by secretly substituting a knockoff product for the premium casing it had contracted to deliver.

Wealth, Worth, and Wellbeing in Divorce Proceedings, Part 2

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

Financial security and mental health are not in opposition. They are interdependent. Helping clients understand this interdependence, early and clearly, is one of the most valuable services we can provide.

States Increasingly Consider 'Alternative Pathways' to the Legal Field, but Not Everyone Wants to Break Ties With the ABA

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:07:27 EST

A growing majority of states have adopted "alternative pathways" to the legal profession, such as innovative pathways to licensure or allowing graduates of non-American Bar Association-accredited schools to sit for the bar, though only a few have opted to take over accreditation altogether.

Access to Justice Should Not Depend on Geography: What Florida and Texas Reveal About Uneven Outcomes

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

Geography will always play a role in the law. Courts are local. Statutes are state-specific. Juries are drawn from the communities where cases are filed. But the quality of justice should not vary as much as it sometimes does.

Cyberattacks Against Lawyers Are Growing More Sophisticated, Officials Warn

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:32:45 EST

Texas lawyers face increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks that exploit professional habits like hierarchy and time pressure, and attorneys are warned that failing to take reasonable cybersecurity precautions might violate their ethical duties.

2 Winston Energy Partners Jump to Bracewell in Houston

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:16:46 EST

Energy partner Kevin Brophy, who joined Bracewell as a partner along with colleague Ming Lei, was co-chair of Winston & Strawn's energy and infrastructure group prior to the firm's recent merger and name change.

Texas Teens Ask Supreme Court to Block Parental Consent Law for App Downloads

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:15:23 EST

"Every day the law is enforced, Applicants are denied their basic rights to organize, advocate, express ideas, and discover new perspectives through the most important medium for human communication," lawyers for the challengers told the Supreme Court in an emergency application this week.

Dave & Buster's Taps Nexstar Veteran Rachel Morgan as Chief Legal Officer

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:06:07 EST

Morgan, who spent nearly 30 years in private practice, corporate America and media, succeeds Rudy Rodri guez Jr., who joined the entertainment chain less than 18 months ago.

Big Law Dads Would Like a Word

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:59:59 EST

Kate Reder Sheikh interviewed current and former Big Law fathers, both partners and associates, about their experiences. Here is what she learned.

Are You Smarter Than AI? Legal Expert Warns Texas Bar About Rising IQ

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:41:32 EST

An AI expert warned Texas lawyers that artificial intelligence is advancing so rapidly it will surpass all human intelligence within a year, making it urgent that legal and moral values be embedded into AI systems now, before it's too late.

Asleep at the Wheel? How to Safely Apply and Protect the MCA Overtime Exemption

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

Legislative changes, conflicting court decisions, and strict eligibility rules create hazards for inattentive employers and fertile ground for litigation. This alert breaks down what employers need to know and how to avoid potholes.

Top Firms Increased Leverage Over Past Five Years, Fueled by Nonequity Partner Growth

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:59:59 EST

The top 50 Am Law firms saw the largest increase in leverage between 2020 and 2025, on average increasing leverage by 1.04 points, while the bottom quartile only increased leverage on average by 0.16 points.