All eight lawyers from Houston firm Bell, Ryniker & Letourneau joined Blank Rome’s Houston office Aug. 1, expanding the firm’s maritime and energy practices in Texas.

On July 29, suspended Judge Christopher Dupuy won a ruling that halted a hearing in which lawyers from the Texas Attorney General’s Office sought to put him in jail for contempt. Yet the next day, Dupuy was put in jail anyway.

Eight energy regulatory lawyers left Vinson & Elkins to form Caldwell Boudreaux Lefler, a Houston boutique that will do work for the oil pipeline industry. The parting is amicable and the firms will work closely together when they can, says Mark Kelly, chairman of Houston-based V&E.

In a case of first impression, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Anti-Kickback Act [AKA] allows the federal government to allege vicarious liability against a corporation based on the acts of its employees.

Overall, deal count was down in Texas during the first half of 2013 compared to 2012, but the total value of acquisitions announced during the six-month period was up in part due to the $20.2 billion Dell Computer Co. leveraged buyout.