Written by Campbell A. Colyer   Have you realized that your petition is missing a crucial piece of damage, and you need to file an amendment? Did you just learn about a necessary party, and you need to add them to your case as soon as possible? Maybe you’re a defendant on the precipice of an answer deadline, and the plaintiff has already filed an amended petition. Will the deadline to answer be extended, thereby delaying a possible default judgement? In this article, we will look at how the filing of an amended petition in a Texas district or county […]

As we approach the one-year mark of the opening of the Texas Business Courts, we share litigation trends and our firm’s experience in practicing law in the business courts.  Since opening its doors on September 1, 2024, 10 judges across 5 active divisions have managed a total of 133 cases filed on their dockets. Division Number of Cases Filed First Business Court Division (Dallas) 35 Third Business Court Division (Austin) 13 Fourth Business Court Division (San Antonio) 14 Eighth Business Court Division (Fort Worth) 13 Eleventh Business Court Division (Houston) 58   As expected, the Houston and Dallas Business Courts […]

Cara Vasquez and Mark Waite, both formerly of DLA Piper, launched the boutique litigation firm Vasquez Waite on January 1, 2024, in Houston, Texas. The two attorneys, who developed a strong professional chemistry while at DLA Piper, specialize in litigation for the petrochemical and construction industries. Their decision to start the firm stemmed from a desire to focus on fast-paced commercial litigation, a dynamic they experienced during the 2020 pandemic. In its first month, the firm hired two employees, brought on multiple new clients, and signed ten engagement letters, all while maintaining a collaborative and ambitious approach. Despite their demographic […]

Vasquez Waite (“VW”) was founded in 2024 by Cara Vasquez and Mark Waite, who left DLA Piper (“DLA”) to establish their boutique trial firm focused on commercial litigation. The transition from a multinational, full-service firm with over 4,500 attorneys globally to a single Houston office with just five employees marked a bold step forward, driven by their ambition for growth. Vasquez and Waite shared their journey in building the firm. Read about it in The Houston Lawyer. See Dave Louie, Building Business: From Big(ger) Law to a Boutique, The Houston Lawyer, 2024.

The paper highlights the significant potential damages involved in construction law disputes, which can arise from various parties such as contractors, subcontractors, and owners. These damages stem from unpaid labor or materials, as well as impacts from delays or defects in projects. The focus of the paper is on the primary categories of damages for potential claim categories in construction disputes, excluding project-specific contracts and facts. It does not delve into details such as underlying claims, contractual limitations on damages, or collection intricacies like lien rights. To read more, Click Here

The Supreme Court of Texas recently issued a ruling—by denying a petition for review—which could be important to franchisors, franchisees, landlords, and tenants alike who are evaluating renovations. In Huge American Real Estate, Inc. vs. Fritz Management, LLC, et. al., Case Number 22-1106, on December 15, 2023, without a written opinion, the Supreme Court of Texas denied a petition for review that had been filed by the landlord in the case. Thus, for now, at least, the controlling written opinion in the case is from the Dallas Court of Appeals in Fritz Management, LLC v. Huge American Real Estate, Inc., […]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock—as many of us have at the end of the year—you’ve heard of the Texas Business Courts. Indeed, you may have attended a course on it or discussed it over dinner. It is one of the most interesting developments in the Texas legal industry in years. As a quick primer, in June 2023, Governor Greg Abbott created the Texas Business Courts through House Bill 19. Once they are up and running, these Courts will hear certain types of complex commercial disputes if they fall within their jurisdiction (summarized here): Corporate disputes At least $10 […]