Bracewell & Giuliani

1. Asarco Sues Sterlite Over $2.6B Purchase Agreement

Friday, Mar 19, 2010

Asarco LLC has accused Sterlite Inc. of violating a May 2008 purchase and sale agreement when it aborted a bid to buy the then-bankrupt mining company for $2.6 billion and to assume millions of dollars in its contractual obligations and liabilities.

2. Bracewell Snags 2 Paul Hastings Energy Partners

Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP has amped up its already busy energy practice, adding two former Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP partners with expertise in the oil and gas industry to the firm's Washington branch.

3. Actus' Web Payment Patent Suit Survives Bid To Toss

Thursday, Feb 11, 2010

A federal judge has refused to toss a suit filed by Actus LLC accusing a slew of financial and retail companies — including Capital One Financial Corp., Visa Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. — of infringing patents covering electronic methods for processing payments, determining that such a move would be premature.

4. CCS Medical Disclosure Statement Approved

Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010

A bankruptcy court judge has given the go-ahead to bankrupt medical device maker CCS Medical Inc.'s disclosure statement for its prepackaged restructuring plan, which a group of second-lien lenders are opposing because they say the plan squashes their claims.

5. Western Gas Picks Up Anadarko Assets For $254M

Monday, Feb 01, 2010

Western Gas Partners LP announced Monday its purchase of a natural gas pipeline and other midstream assets in southwest Wyoming from affiliate Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for about $254.4 million.

6. Investors Alarmed As Rule 2019 Uncertainty Persists

Thursday, Jan 28, 2010

The controversy over whether distressed debt investors should be forced to disclose how much they paid for their bankruptcy claims is growing, with contradictory court opinions and contentious amendment proposals only adding more fuel to the Rule 2019 debate.

7. Prosperity To Buy 3 US Bank Branches In Texas

Thursday, Jan 21, 2010

Prosperity Bancshares Inc. has agreed to buy three Texas branches of U.S. Bank — which hold approximately $420 million in deposits — as well as purchase certain loans and other assets.

8. Exxon, XTO Say Fracking Regs Would Threaten Merger

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010

The CEOs of Exxon Mobil Corp. and XTO Energy Inc. told lawmakers Wednesday that proposed federal regulations over a controversial drilling process would stymie their planned $41 billion merger.

9. Law360 IP Editorial Advisory Board

Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010

Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2010 intellectual property editorial advisory board.

10. Judge Orders CCS 2nd-Lien Lenders Committee

Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

A bankruptcy judge has ordered the formation of an official committee of second-lien lenders in the CCS Medical Inc. Chapter 11 case, reserving the right to remove any members appointed to the committee by the U.S. trustee.

11. Goldman Pay Suit Could Signal New Wave Of Litigation

Friday, Jan 08, 2010

In the wake of a pension fund suing Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to recoup billions of dollars in executive compensation, many observers are wondering if the revolt against Goldman could be a harbinger of things to come.

12. Perot Investor To Disgorge $8.6M In Insider Trading Suit

Wednesday, Jan 06, 2010

Perot Investments Inc.'s Reza Saleh has agreed to return $8.6 million in profits federal securities regulators said he garnered by investing in Perot Systems Corp. ahead of a $3.9 billion buyout offer from Dell Inc.

13. Securities Cases To Watch In 2010

Friday, Jan 01, 2010

2010 is expected to be another banner year for securities litigation as high-profile cases brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and major lender squabbles wind their way through the courts.

14. Energy Cases To Watch In 2010

Friday, Jan 01, 2010

Of all the energy cases to watch in 2010, the most important ones may be the ones not yet filed, energy litigation experts told Law360.

15. Assessing FERC's New 'Notice Of Violation' Strategy

Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009

In the first significant policy action under new Enforcement Director Norman C. Bay, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently introduced a notice procedure designed to increase the transparency and disclosure of FERC Office of Enforcement investigations, say David M. Perlman and Andrew M. McLain of Bracewell & Giuliani LLP.

16. 5th Circ. Clears Superior Offshore’s Liquidation Plan

Wednesday, Dec 16, 2009

A federal appeals court has upheld a bankruptcy court's confirmation of Superior Offshore International Inc.'s Chapter 11 liquidation plan, finding that the undersea construction company satisfied bankruptcy rules in its treatment of securities suit claims related to its initial public offering.

17. Receiver Seeks $545M From Stanford Investors

Tuesday, Dec 08, 2009

Having failed to pin down certain investors in Robert Allen Stanford’s alleged Ponzi scheme as relief defendants, the receiver for the Stanford estate is now taking a different tack to recover at least $545 million in proceeds that some 200 investors received from the alleged scam.

18. Law360 Ranks Largest IP Practices

Friday, Dec 04, 2009

Finnegan Henderson LLP, Fish & Richardson and Morrison & Foerster LLP topped the Law360 IP 100 this year, boasting the largest intellectual property practices in the United States, as measured by the number of practicing lawyers.

19. Law360 Ranks Largest Employment Practices

Friday, Dec 04, 2009

Littler Mendelson PC, Jackson Lewis LLP and Ogletree Deakins PC topped the Law360 Employment 100 this year, boasting the largest employment practices in the United States, measured by the number of practicing lawyers.

20. Law360 Ranks Largest Insurance Practices

Friday, Dec 04, 2009

Marshall Dennehey, Clausen Miller PC and Cozen O'Connor topped the Law360 Insurance 100 this year, boasting the largest insurance practices in the United States, measured by the number of practicing lawyers.