Ten things every young lawyer should know, but doesn’t (Because they don’t teach it in law school)

“Oh good grief, another article by an older (I prefer the word experienced) lawyer who assumes he knows things younger lawyers could not possibly know.” But let’s face it, if a significant legal career does not somehow impart wisdom to the older lawyer that is not available to a lawyer who is not yet had that […]

5 things to consider when buying your first drone

More and more people are joining the drone craze. And it’s no mystery why – drones are really fun to fly and the images you can get are mind-blowingly cool. In this blog, I am focusing mostly on the hobbyist – which just means someone using a drone for personal entertainment rather than commercial purposes. […]

Trial Lawyers Beware: How the TRAPS Can Trap You in Ordering Transcripts

The Supreme Court of Texas recently denied review in a case our firm handled concerning an appealing party’s obligation to order hearing and trial transcripts. The bottom-line result of that denial is to entrench a potential trap for trial lawyers under the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. Rule 34.6(f) of the appellate rules provides that […]

Can Lawyers Get Advice About Their Cases on Social Media?

I have been practicing law since 1980. Throughout my career, lawyers have discussed their cases with each other.  As a young lawyer, I would seek out mentors both inside and outside my firm to give me good advice on how to handle cases generally and about specific issues relative to my cases.  In those days, […]

Disqualification Motions in Texas: Don’t Sit On Your Rights!

Among our firm’s growing practice areas is litigation where one party files a motion seeking to disqualify another party’s lawyers. These motions are becoming ever more common. We are hired both to file and pursue disqualification, and to represent lawyers in resisting disqualification. One of the critical issues in seeking disqualification—no matter what the grounds—is […]

My spouse got way too much of the property in our divorce! Can I appeal this disproportionate division?

One of the most common questions we get concerning divorce appeals concerns disproportionate property divisions. In most contested Texas divorces, trial courts attempt to divide the marital estate evenly between the parties. But not always. Sometimes, for various reasons, a trial court believes that one spouse should receive a disproportionately greater share of the estate. […]

Breaking Up is Hard To Do; Death of a Law Firm

An old French saying posits: “Any fool can start a love affair, but it takes a real talent to know how to end it.” The same is true for a law firm. And just like ending a love affair can cause anger and hostility you never expected, ending a law practice with lawyers you have […]

What Do You Do When You Think You Messed Up?

Lawyers are humans.  They make mistakes like everyone else does.  While all of us have a goal of practicing law perfectly, mistakes happen.  But how lawyers react to their mistakes is critically important. On April 17, 2018, the ABA released Formal Opinion 481, construing Model Rule 1.4.  It provides guidance as to what a lawyer […]