Texas Lawyer

10/20/2026

Texas A&M University School of Law Dean Robert “Bobby Ahdieh has been named Pace University's ninth president, effective Jan. 1.

Texas A&M University School of Law Dean Robert “Bobby” Ahdieh has been named Pace University’s ninth president, effective Jan. 1.

10/20/2026

An open Place 3 seat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is up for grabs in the Nov. 3 general election.

Hoping to fill it are Dallas criminal defense attorney Okey Anyiam, Houston criminal defense attorney Mark Ash and assistant attorney general Thomas Smith.

Ash recently responded to a questionnaire from Texas Lawyer. Anyiam and Smith did not return responses.

🔗 https://www.law.com/texaslawyer/2026/10/19/3-candidates-run-for-judge-of-texas-court-of-criminal-appeals/

10/20/2026

The Los Angeles-founded Massumi + Consoli has been growing nationally, recruiting partners during the second half of the year from firms including Paul Weiss, Gibson Dunn, Goodwin Procter, and others.

10/19/2026

Texas Supreme Court Justice J. Brett Busby faces a rematch from challenger Gisela D. Triana, a justice on Texas' Third Court of Appeals in Austin.

Busby recently responded to a candidate questionnaire from Texas Lawyer. Triana did not participate.

🔗 https://www.law.com/texaslawyer/2026/10/19/texas-supreme-court-justice-brett-busby-faces-justice-gisela-triana-in-election/

10/19/2026

A federal judge denied a Justice Department motion to disqualify Houston-founded Susman Godfrey LLP from representing the American Bar Association in a lawsuit against the Trump administration.

The government had alleged that Rule 3.7(a) of the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct prevents any Susman Godfrey lawyer from representing the ABA in the suit because the firm cannot be both an advocate and a fact witness.

In its response to the motion to disqualify, the ABA responded that the DOJ's attempt to disqualify its counsel was "a new chapter" in the Trump Administration's war on Big Law, asserting the government was "weaponizing the Rules of Professional Conduct.”

From Law.com's Brenda Jeffreys: 🔗 https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2026/10/19/judge-rejects-dojs-motion-to-disqualify-susman-godfrey-in-aba-suit-/

10/19/2026

Judge Audra Riley, presiding judge of Dallas County's Criminal District Court No. 3, is the Democratic nominee for Place 4 on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, challenging Republican incumbent Kevin Yeary in the Nov. 3 general election.

Judge Audra Riley, presiding judge of Dallas County’s Criminal District Court No. 3, is the Democratic nominee for Place 4 on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, challenging Republican incumbent Kevin Yeary in the Nov. 3 general election.

10/19/2026

Anyiam faces Libertarian Mark Ash and Republican Thomas Smith, an assistant attorney general backed by Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3 general election.

10/19/2026

Ashurst Perkins Coie has expanded its reach in the Texas market with an office in Houston and the addition of two Bracewell lawyers.

Joining the firm are energy transactions partner Tom Tomlinson and real estate attorney Tamara McKinzie.

"Their arrival gives us a strong foundation in Houston and strengthens our ability to support our clients in this key market," Paul Jenkins, global co-chief executive officer of Ashurst Perkins, wrote in a press release.

From Law.com's Brenda Jeffreys: 🔗 https://www.law.com/texaslawyer/2026/10/19/ashurst-perkins-coie-adds-houston-office-hires-2-bracewell-lawyers/

10/19/2026

Former Susman Godfrey executive committee member Alex Kaplan joined the litigation department at Kirkland & Ellis.

With a focus on antitrust, energy, M&A and technology-related disputes, Kaplan becomes one of roughly a hundred litigators to join Kirkland & Ellis as a lateral hire so far this year.

“You ask anyone in Texas, they know of Alex Kaplan,” said Andrew Kassof, a Kirkland litigation partner and firm executive committee member.

From Law.com's Andrew Maloney: 🔗 https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2026/10/19/kirkland-lures-susman-former-executive-committee-partner/

10/19/2026

Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby, a Republican, is seeking reelection to the court's Place 8 seat on Nov. 3 in a rematch against Democratic challenger Gisela Triana, a justice on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Austin.

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