News

News

SPACs Stand or Fall on Their Disclosures

The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) boom has hit a major roadblock in the form of faulty disclosures. Given the centrality of the SPAC’s disclosures to a plaintiff’s claims, SPACs need to take special care in crafting their disclosures going forward. This article will examine how SPACs can use guidance issued by the SEC to craft robust disclosures that will weaken a plaintiff’s claims.

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Houston Appellate Court Slashes Verdict Against Apache in Oil and Gas Construction Dispute

On May 11, 2021, our client, Apache Corp., obtained an 83 percent reduction in damages it had been ordered to pay by a district court jury two years earlier. The Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston knocked down the initial $80.4 million figure—which had been awarded to Castex Energy Partners in a dispute over the construction of a large-scale oil and gas construction project in Louisiana—to about $13.5 million.

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Hicks Johnson Successfully Secures Minnesota Supreme Court Dismissal in Ongoing Mining Case

Hicks Johnson is representing Glacier Park Iron Ore Properties LLC, a large mineral owner, in a lawsuit (and resulting appeal) against United States Steel Corporation, a mining company, involving U.S. Steel’s burying of millions of tons of iron resource under stockpiled mining waste in Minnesota. This area of northern Minnesota, known as the Iron Range, is home to the largest iron mines in the country.

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Who Qualifies as a Healthcare Provider?

As healthcare becomes more technology-driven, the traditional understanding of what constitutes a “heathcare provider” has been blurred. Brandon Winchester and Andy Hicks examine protections afforded by the Texas Medical Liability Act, which can be used as an important tool for medical technology companies facing possible liability related to the provision of medical care.

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How to Prepare for the Deluge of SPAC Litigation

Transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have risen at a meteoric rate in recent months. Partner Varant Yegparian examines key legal issues that could arise in the event of SPAC litigation and provides sponsors—including private equity firms and investment banks—with a general outline of steps that may mitigate legal exposure.

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A Guide to Texas Trade Secret Laws

This article focuses on a spate of recent decisions from the Texas federal courts to show how the two laws can impact a trade secret dispute and how a party in litigation can maneuver them towards a favorable resolution.

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Three Steps Oil and Gas Producers Should Take Now

In the wake of President Joe Biden’s executive order revoking the Keystone XL pipeline permit, oil and gas producers are bracing for additional actions. Producers and others shipping oil and gas on potentially affected pipelines would be well served to apprise themselves of their rights and obligations as soon as possible.

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The Keystone XL Pipeline: What Happens Next?

On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order revoking the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline border crossing. While this is not the first time a U.S president has issued such a directive, it may be the final blow for a project that has been in progress for more than a decade.

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McGirt Update: Tax, Environmental, and Energy Implications

Three months on from the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the fallout is becoming increasingly clear in Oklahoma—wide-ranging effects on the state’s taxation and environmental regulatory bodies are already emerging. Summer associate Dave Finkel, Andy Hicks, and Adam Dinnell examine the post-McGirt landscape.

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Meet Bryan Zubay

Hicks Johnson is pleased to welcome associate Bryan Zubay to our team. We’ve asked Bryan to discuss his prior work experience, first impressions of Hicks Johnson, and commitment to LGBTQ pro bono work.

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Dan Hinde Elected to American Law Institute

Hicks Johnson partner  Dan Hinde has been elected to membership in the American Law Institute (ALI), the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law.

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