John Council

November 12, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

U.S. District Judge John McBryde of Fort Worth has prohibited one lawyer from practicing in the Northern District of Texas and suspended another lawyer from practicing in the district because of their behavior during the course of representing a defendant.

By John Council

13 minute read

November 02, 2009 | Texas Lawyer

Strasburger & Price was disqualified from representing a client in an insurance-coverage case after a party alleged that a Strasburger legal assistant had a conflict of interest. Strasburger's John Spiller (pictured) says it's unlikely he will ask for a rehearing on the disqualification ruling but he is weighing the possibility of pursuing a writ of mandamus.

By John Council

4 minute read

March 12, 2007 | Law.com

Here's a litigation head-scratcher: Does a prevailing plaintiff ever have a right to contest the legal fees incurred by the defense? That's the unusual question pending before a Texas court. A prevailing plaintiff is suing law firm Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, which represented the defendant in the underlying insurance claim dispute, alleging the firm charged too much to defend its client, thus reducing the plaintiff's recovery due to an eroding-limits provision in the defendant's insurance policy.

By John Council

7 minute read

November 30, 2009 | Texas Lawyer

After opposing parties filed motions for rehearing in a pair of cases and two state officials advocated the same in amicus letters, the Texas Supreme Court relented on Nov. 20: Justices will reconsider two decisions that have unleashed a gusher of discussion in the world of oil and gas law. Deborah Hankinson represents parties in the cases.

By John Council

14 minute read

August 07, 2006 | Texas Lawyer

U.S. District Judge David Godbey of Dallas recently ruled that a controversial provision in the new bankruptcy code that restricts the advice bankruptcy lawyers can give to their clients is unconstitutional.

By John Council

6 minute read

March 06, 2009 | Law.com

A Texas appellate court will soon have to decide whether a law firm should be disqualified from defending an insurer in a workers' compensation suit because one of the plaintiffs lawyers was a client of the defense firm. Law firm Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody allegedly withdrew from representing Thomas J. Henry in all legal matters one day prior to filing a motion naming him as a responsible third party in the workers' comp case. Graves Dougherty had represented Henry in two unrelated matters.

By John Council

7 minute read

October 21, 2002 | Texas Lawyer

Voters in the Nov. 5 general election have a choice between two skilled politicians in attorney general candidates Greg Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, and Kirk Watson, a former Austin mayor. Abbott and Watson hold different views on how to lead the Texas Office of the Attorney General. Both sat down for a question and answer session on Sept. 30 in Dallas with Texas Lawyer senior reporter John Council to discuss how they would direct the office.

By John Council

21 minute read

October 15, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

Attendees at bench-bar conferences don't usually go on the offensive, but that's what happened at a Sept. 28 Dallas Bar Association event at which two members of the Texas Supreme Court, including Justices Paul Green and Phil Johnson (pictured), answered questions.

By John Council

9 minute read

March 06, 2006 | Texas Lawyer

The Dallas office of Houston-based Baker Botts threw its annual client appreciation party Feb. 25, complete with new wave band The B-52's, five open bars, chocolate poured from three fondue fountains and a guy greeting partygoers in a giant lobster suit.

By John Council

7 minute read

September 15, 2008 | Texas Lawyer

It wasn't long ago that Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill's name most commonly was affixed to dissenting opinions, as she flailed against a conservative majority on the court that often outvoted her. So it came as a surprise to several appellate lawyers when they learned that O'Neill (pictured) — once a member of a moderate group of justices who often controlled the court nearly a decade ago — topped her colleagues with 12 signed majority opinions.

By John Council

20 minute read