Mary Alice Robbins

June 15, 2001 | Law.com

Businesses can enforce agreements that require consumers to settle disputes over defective products through binding arbitration instead of going to court, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled. In the unanimous decision, the court held a 1975 federal law, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, doesn't prohibit binding arbitration to settle warranty claims despite arguments by the Federal Trade Commission that it does.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

May 13, 2002 | Law.com

Steve Ladik of Dallas' Jenkens & Gilchrist is the man to call if you're a foreign athlete seeking that elusive green card. Beneficiaries of Ladik's legal skills include golfers Vijay Singh, Nick Price and David Frost. Although helping foreign sports figures represents only about 2 percent of his practice, Ladik says the work's a source of great pleasure.

By Mary Alice Robbins

7 minute read

July 16, 2001 | Law.com

Helping judges who suffer from alcoholism, chemical dependency or mental illnesses find help before their problems cost them their jobs is the goal of a unique program being implemented this summer by Texas' State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The Amicus Curiae Program will provide a venue for judges to seek help confidentially, with a focus on addressing problems, rather than on punishment.

By Mary Alice Robbins

4 minute read

August 09, 2002 | Law.com

The state`s two highest courts agreed to disagree when it came to deciding whether all appellate court opinions can be cited as precedent in the future.

By MARY ALICE ROBBINS

5 minute read

May 12, 2008 | Texas Lawyer

A Dallas attorney charged with intentionally filing a false petition for expunction of a client's records — a document filed in a civil proceeding — can be criminally prosecuted as a result of a May 7 ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

By Mary Alice Robbins

7 minute read

April 20, 2010 | New York Law Journal

By Mary Alice Robbins

9 minute read

May 20, 2002 | Law.com

Overturning a $1.2 million whistleblower judgment, the Texas Supreme Court held that the Texas Department of Transportation is not an appropriate agency to which a public employee can report an alleged drunk-driving incident involving a co-worker. The court's ruling interprets for the first time the term "appropriate law enforcement authority" as defined by the Legislature in 1995 amendments to the Texas Whistleblower Act.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

February 06, 2001 | Law.com

When Paul Koenig argues a case, his mother, Reba Eichelberger, is there -- as his co-counsel. The Texas mother and son team admit they fight over approaches to cases, but eventually agree. There have been some tense moments for Koenig ... like the time his mom exclaimed how "cute" he looked in his suit while he talked to a female lawyer. About 25 other lawyers heard her remark. "It was embarrassing," he says.

By Mary Alice Robbins

6 minute read

August 31, 2006 | National Law Journal

Lawyers can pay a fee to participate in an online service that matches subscribing lawyers with potential clients, as long as the service exercises no discretion in those match ups, the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas has determined.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

April 23, 2012 | Texas Lawyer

Diversity remains an elusive goal for some Austin firms. Five of the 20 largest Austin firms received failing grades on the "2011 Austin Law Firm Diversity Report Card" issued recently by three minority lawyer groups. "This is just a way to hold firms accountable," says Alex S. Valdes of Winstead.

By Mary Alice Robbins

12 minute read