Res Ipsa Blog

Yesterday, in In re Sara Steed, et al., the Texas Court of Appeals at Austin ruled that, in the case of the children of the thirty-eight mothers represented in the case, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services failed to show that there was an "immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the children." Prior to removing children from their homes, section 262.201 of the Texas Family Code requires a showing that (1) that there was a danger to the ... Read More

1    University of Houston Law Center     1.79% 2    SMU Dedman School of Law     1.81% 3    The University of Texas School of Law     2.13% 4    Texas Tech University School of Law     2.99% 5    South Texas College of Law     4.45% 6    St. Mary's University School of Law     4.99% 7    Texas Southern University—Thurgood Marshall School of Law     6.99% 8    Baylor University School of Law       7.23% 9    Texas Wesleyan University School of Law     10.15% Compare these to the best and worst law school attrition rates: The highest ... Read More

Despite the controversy surrounding Perry Homes v. Cull, I’ve limited my discussion to the facts and holding of the case. Traditionally courts have upheld arbitration agreements, and there is a strong presumption against waiver of arbitration. Perry Homes v. Cull was the first case in which the Texas Supreme Court found a party waived arbitration by substantial invocation of the judicial process. Facts In 1996, Robert and Jane Cull purchased a home from Perry Homes and a home warranty that provided a broad arbitration agreement, ... Read More

Based on Gross Revenues in Texas in 2007-2008: Jones Day $161.8 million Weil, Gotshal, & Manges $140.4 million Hunton & Williams $90 million King and Spalding 82.2 million Mayer Brown $64.2 million Notably, Hunton & Williams is a newcomer to this exclusive club. Up $60 million from last year's gross of $30 million, the increase in Hunton & Williams' revenue reflects the earnings of the nearly one hundred attorneys hired by the firm from the former Jenkens & Gilchrist. The complete article is available here. (Texas Lawyer) :: ... Read More

Update: July 2008 Texas Bar Results Available Here. February 2008 Texas Bar Results Announced Bar Passage Rates for First Time Examinees: Baylor Law School 95.83% Texas Tech University School of Law 92.86% Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law 92.31% South Texas College of Law 88.24% St. Mary's School of Law 86.96% University Of Texas School of Law 80.00% Texas Wesleyan School of Law 79.59% University Of Houston Law Center 78.95% Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law 59.26% Congrats to everyone who passed! (Looks like we were the first blog to ... Read More

Highest Grossing Law Firms Based in Texas in 2007 Akin Gump $752 million Fulbright $649 million Vinson & Elkins ... Read More

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Mark and Becky Lanier Professional Development, the newest addition to the Texas Tech School of Law, took place this morning. Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Texas Supreme Court heard two cases  in the new building. The new building adds over 34,000 square feet of space to the law school, including a 150 seat courtroom which is one of the most technologically advanced courtrooms in the nation. The building was made possible by a $6 million gift ... Read More

(click image for full size) Big Law: The University of Texas topped the list for graduates practicing at "Big Law" firms upon graduation at 28%. The next closest school was Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. Private Practice: Texas Tech University School of Law had the highest percentage of students entering private practice. (81%). Judicial Clerkships: University of Texas students have the largest percentage (10%) of students entering judicial clerkships upon graduation. Government Jobs: Texas Wesleyan had the most students entering government practice on graduation In-State ... Read More

Catharina Haynes, a partner at Baker Botts, and a longtime insurance defense lawyer, was confirmed by the Senate for a lifetime appointment to the influential United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Haynes served as a state court judge, winning the 1998 and 2002 elections for the 191st District Court in Dallas. As a trial judge she presided over nearly 200 jury trials and 100 bench trials. Haynes, a graduate of Emory, also served on the Emory Law Journal. She is also ... Read More

How any county in Texas would even be on the list after the massive tort reform Texas has gone through is beyond me. There was a time when "[t]hat venue probably add[ed] about 75% to the value of the case." That time is just a distant memory now though. In fact, as the article points out in passing, the Texas legal system was given the 18th highest score in the nation for the best overall tort system in the nation, as ranked ... Read More