Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

August 29, 2000 | Law.com

Family-law attorneys are more likely than other lawyers to encounter unstable clients -- some packing firepower. Even criminal-defense lawyer David Mitcham of Houston contends that the "nuttiest people in the system" are the ones fighting over kids. So how do solo and small firm lawyers who handle family-law work ward off crazy clients? It comes down to common sense, says one family-law lawyer.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

7 minute read

December 20, 2004 | Texas Lawyer

Gayla Crain, an employment litigator in Dallas, was a workaholic during 29 of her 30 years as a lawyer. She thrived on stress, ate poorly, ran herself ragged juggling her practice and family responsibilities, and simply failed to take good care of herself. But Crain will be celebrating the New Year with a new outlook on life -- the life she's thankful to have after suffering a major heart attack nearly a year ago.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

7 minute read

December 22, 2003 | Texas Lawyer

With revenues dipping at Vinson & Elkins, the firm with a reputation for invincibility is starting to show it, too, is vulnerable. Corporate Counsel magazine says the firm -- which once counted Enron as a major client -- lost the role as lead outside counsel to some Fortune 500 clients in 2003, including Dallas' Halliburton Corp., which had been the firm's oldest client, and Houston's Dynegy Inc.

By Miriam Rozen and Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

10 minute read

April 05, 2002 | Texas Lawyer

The recent filing of federal class-action litigation alleging some U.S. corporations owe reparations to the descendants of slaves because they conspired with slave traders could soon push the long-running issue of reparations to a head. Reparations for slaves, which first came up in the 1870s, are long overdue, Simon Wiltz, a member of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, said on April 4.

By BRENDA SAPINO JEFFREYS

4 minute read

November 17, 2000 | Law.com

Complaining that judges across Texas have set too many fen-phen suits for trial in 2001, lawyers for defendant American Home Products Corp. want the Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice to assign one judge to coordinate trial settings statewide. Although the company has been denied such requests in the past, defense attorneys say the Chief Justice can make it happen this time -- and should.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

8 minute read

July 25, 2000 | Law.com

Texas' largest firms don't reflect the diversity of the population of lawyers in the state, according to a recent study. "The bottom line is the firms don't really think diversity will help them increase their dollars," says Alfredo Silva, president-elect of the Mexican-American Bar Association in Dallas. Big firm hiring attorneys, however, say they're trying.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

9 minute read

March 16, 2005 | Law.com

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard a lot about spam e-mails and the "American Idol" TV program in two of the more interesting cases on its docket. The spam-related litigation was filed after the University of Texas blocked e-mails from an online dating service catering to current and former students. In a separate case, the 5th Circuit heard from a producer who claims he has rights to the "American Idol" talent show and should be compensated accordingly.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

9 minute read

January 11, 2002 | Texas Lawyer

Competing orders from state district judges in Austin and Corpus Christi are keeping lawyers hopping from courtroom to courtroom in a dispute over an Austin firm`s attempt to collect about million in contingent fees.

By BRENDA SAPINO JEFFREYS

9 minute read

August 26, 2011 | New York Law Journal

The summer of 2011 is winding down, meaning it's time for offers to summer associates for fall 2012. The hiring market in Texas is shaping up to be at least as solid as last year, a signal that Texas firms and others with large operations in the state are feeling optimistic about next year's business prospects.

By Jeanne Graham and Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

8 minute read

November 13, 2006 | Texas Lawyer

Former district attorney Louis W. "Bill" Conradt Jr. killed himself when officers tried to serve warrants on him in connection with an online-solicitation-of-a-minor case. He likely knew that the law that had brought the officers to his door was one of the strongest of its kind in the nation -- a statute that would eliminate any defense he could offer in a courtroom.

By John Council and Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

10 minute read