October 2008
The Firm is pleased to serve as a platinum corporate sponsor of the Houston
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC). George Diaz-Arrastia and Joe Matta
recently attended the HHCC’s 25th Annual ¡Triunfando! Awards Gala held at
the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The Firm is proud to
have sponsored HHCC's Awards Gala, which honors Hispanic business owners and
corporate executives for their leadership and service to the community. The
HHCC has been at the forefront of Houston's economic development and growth
and is the leading regional advocate for the economic and civic interests
of the Hispanic business community. www.houstonhispanicchamber.com
August
2008
The Firm sponsored the Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas Foundation
Luncheon. This luncheon benefits the Hispanic scholarships program, which
supports Houston law school students in legal education. The
Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas Foundation is a forum and a means
for lawyers to promote the social, economic, and educational advancement of
all people of Texas
July
2008
Partner Mike Brem argued The Dow
Chemical Company v. Georges Ayemou, et al. in the Ninth Circuit. Listen
to the argument
here.
June
2008
The Firm is a Gold Sponsor of the
10th anniversary DuPont Minority Counsel Conference, which took place in
Wilmington, Delaware on June 25-27, 2008. The MCC is an annual event that
brings together lawyers and other professionals of color to DuPont to
network, hear from distinguished speakers, and participate in professional
workshops
June
2008
Will Russell was named by Texas Monthly magazine as a "Rising Star" in the
Texas legal community in 2008. In 2008, only nine lawyers in Texas were
selected for the international category. [See
attached].
June
2008
Will Russell was once again named by H Texas Magazine as one of
"Houston's Top Lawyers" for 2008.
http://www.htexas.com/feature.cfm?Story=873
[See
attached].
June
2008
Will Russell presented a speech in Mexico City on international arbitration
titled Ejercicio de la Abogaciá en el Arbitraje — Argumentación Escrita y
Oral in a conference presented by Mexico City’s Chamber of Commerce (CANACO)
and the International Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) of the American
Arbitration Association, June 26, 2008.
June 2008
Following a series of motions to
dismiss and a trip to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Andrew
Schirrmeister and Laura Jones obtained a complete dismissal on the pleadings
of an alleged no-injury products liability and fraud putative class action
against DuPont in Ryan v. Brookdale Int’l Systems, Inc., Cause No.
H-06-01819 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Texas. The lawsuit, alleging breaches of express and implied warranty and
fraud against DuPont and co-defendant Brookdale International Systems, Inc.,
was originally dismissed by district court Judge Gray H. Miller for lack of
standing, without reaching the merits of the claims. The Fifth Circuit
affirmed the dismissal of the warranty claims for failure to demonstrate
injury in fact, but remanded the fraud claims for further consideration. On
remand, one of the fraud claims was dismissed without prejudice under Fed.
R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) for lack of standing. After allowing the plaintiff a
chance to replead, Judge Miller dismissed the plaintiff’s remaining fraud
claims with under Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(b), and entered a final judgment in
favor of DuPont on all of the plaintiff’s claims on June 11, 2008.
June 2008
Andrew Schirrmeister was elected President of the World Affairs Council of
Houston for 2008-2009. The World Affairs Council brings world-class leaders
and thinkers to Houston for the exchange of ideas in formats as diverse as
luncheons, private dinners and corporate briefings, and is one of Houston’s
most prestigious citizen forums. The Council presents all sides of current
global issues, promotes better understanding of international relations and
contributes to national and international policy debates.
June 2008
The firm welcomes Janet Guggemos Garza. Janet graduated from the University
of California at Los Angeles (summa cum laude) in 1997 and received her J.D.
from Yale Law School in 2001. Following graduation Janet clerked for the
Honorable Judge Lee H. Rosenthal of the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.
June 2008
The firm welcomes Christi J. Guerrini. Christi graduated from the
University of Virginia (summa cum laude) in 1998 and received her J.D. from
Harvard Law School in 2001, where she was the Notes Editor for the Harvard
Journal of Law & Public Policy and co-editor of the Journal of Law, Medicine
& Ethics, Legal Developments Section. Christi was also an instructor of Law
at Brooklyn Law School, where she taught Patent Law, Legal Research, Writing
and Oral Advocacy.
June
2008
Andrew Schirrmeister spoke at the Harris Martin Benzene Litigation
Conference held on June 2 and 3, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Andrew’s
presentation was entitled Exposure Assessment Methodologies: The Focus on
Dose. A copy of Andrew’s presentation is
attached.
May 2008
The Firm is pleased to serve as a supporter of The Texas Supreme Court
Historical Society’s Annual John Hemphill Dinner held on May 30, 2008. This
year’s dinner speaker was Mark E. Steiner, Professor of Law at South Texas
College of Law and author of the award-winning book An Honest Calling: The
Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln. The Historical Society is a private
non-profit organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of the
history of the Supreme Court of Texas. The Society conducts educational
programs, supports historical research, publishes books, journals, and
electronic materials, and collects antiques and artifacts related to the
court’s history.
http://www.supremecourthistory.org/news.html
May 2008
In a complex business dissolution case, John Klug, George Diaz-Arrastia, and
Paige Boone secured a jury verdict in the 129th District Court of Harris
County, Texas in favor of the Firm’s clients, a lawyer turned businessman,
the healthcare company he co-founded, and investors in the company, against
claims brought by another co-founder of the company who had left the
company. The jury found in favor of the clients on all claims asserted
against them, including breach of duty, unjust enrichment and legal
malpractice. Before trial, the court had granted a number of partial
summary judgments in favor of the clients, including on the healthcare
company’s breach of contract counterclaim for $3 million against the
co-founder who had left the company. The jury found that he was entitled to
no offsets or credits against the $3 million obligation or to return of an
additional $1 million he had voluntarily paid to the company’s investors.
The amount of attorney’s fees and costs that the clients are entitled to
recover on the almost three-year case will be determined in a separate bench
trial.
May 2008
Andrew Schirrmeister has been
appointed lead counsel and liaison counsel in the Texas Multi-District
Litigation proceeding styled In re: Ford Motor Company Speed Control
Deactivation Switch Litigation.
April
2008
Will Russell spoke at the seminar "Remedies in Commercial, Investment and
Energy Arbitrations" hosted by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the
Houston International Arbitration Club, and the University of Texas on April
17–18, 2008. His presentation was titled "Alternative Fee Structures in
International Arbitration." The speech focused on the numerous ethical and
practical issues arising out of alternative fee structures, such as
contingency fees, in international arbitration.
April
2008
Carolyn D. Roch and William W. Russell
were named by Texas Monthly magazine as “Rising Stars” in the Texas legal
community in 2008. Texas Monthly uses a statewide system of balloting, peer
evaluation, and internal research to select less than 2.5 percent of all
Texas lawyers as Rising Stars. [See
attached]
April
2008
The Firm is pleased to support the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Southwest
Region and to have served as a patron sponsor of its 2008 Karen H. Susman
Jurisprudence Award luncheon, attended by George Diaz-Arrastia, John Klug
and Joe Matta. The ADL is one of the nation’s premier human relations and
civil rights organization leading the fight against anti-Semitism, racism,
prejudice, and bigotry. The Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award recognizes
exemplary contributions to the legal profession and continued dedication to
the mission of the ADL. The Firm congratulates Robin Gibbs as this year’s
Award recipient. www.adl.org/southwest
March
2008
The Firm is pleased to serve as a silver corporate sponsor of the Houston
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC). Will Russell, Bob Flora, and Joe Matta
recently attended the HHCC’s 15th Annual Meeting & Corporate Partners
Luncheon. The HHCC is an aggregator of information, resources and a promoter
of interests related to the Hispanic business community and is a catalyst
for businesses and professionals to create and develop resources needed to
build profitable and dynamic businesses.
www.houstonhispanicchamber.com
