On
October 7, 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Executive Order No. GA-32 (“Order”), relating to the continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Order brought welcome news to bar owners and thirsty patrons across the state of Texas by permitting the conditional reopening of bars. However, before the bottles are popped and the beers are
Sometimes the Best Messages are Unspoken
I recently volunteered to speak at a program about safety precautions for COVID. The irony of it all was that the program inadvertently placed the participants at risk. The program organizers didn’t realize it. The facility staff didn’t catch it, and not a single other presenter blinked an eye. Was I being paranoiac?
In late
Who’s On The Hook? Make Sure Your Indemnity Agreement Is Enforceable
Consider the following scenario that frequently plays out in contract negotiations: You have spent days (if not weeks) going back and forth with the opposing party ironing out the terms of a lucrative deal. The bulk of the negotiating has revolved around important issues such as payment terms, default, and cancellation protocols. You even have
Shutting Down The Only Game In Town: The Future Of Eight-Liner Game Rooms in Texas
At 
the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Supreme Court of Texas issued an opinion that may lead to the shutdown of “eight-liner game rooms” across Texas.
In the City of Fort Worth v. Rylie, 602 S.W.3d 459, 463 (Tex. 2020), the Court considered whether Chapter 2153 of the Texas Occupations Code, which provides
Texas Expands Its Medical Marijuana Law
On June 14, 2019, Governor Greg Abbot signed into law a bill (House Bill 3703) expanding access to medical marijuana products in the State of Texas.
Effective immediately, qualified physicians can prescribe medical marijuana products to treat epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis (commonly known as MS), spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as
Dallas Now Requires Paid Sick Leave, But The New Law May Be Challenged in Court
The Dallas City Council recently enacted a paid sick leave ordinance that requires private employers to provide eligible employees with paid sick leave. It’s important for Dallas employers to understand their obligations under this new law, which we summarize below.
Before we do that, however, a big picture consideration: the ordinance seems likely to face
Trade Secret Protection v. Patent Protection: A Risk-Reward Decision That Can Have Major Implications
There is much confusion in the public about the difference between a trade secret and a patent. Both are associated with innovation, and each constitute a business asset that should be vigorously protected. But why do some companies choose to patent their innovation while others choose to cloak it as a trade secret? The Uniform
Dallas Bike Share Laws: Making actual progress or just spinning our wheels?
Much like the actual “bike share” bikes themselves, the topic of bike share programs seems to pop up around every corner in Dallas. Let me start by going on record as being pro-bike share.
But not everyone is a fan. Complaints about the bikes seemingly ring from every neighborhood from Oak Cliff to Preston Hollow.
Ignorance Is Not Bliss: It’s Time to Enact a Meaningful Sexual Harassment Policy
Each day more and more women come forward to share their stories of abuse within the workplace and without. And people are actually listening.
In the not-so-distant past, the primary concern for some employers may have been the legal consequence of firing a worker after she internally reported sexual harassment. Now, as women become
Re-Evaluating Liability Exposure and Security Needs in the Era of Mass Shootings
During the last five years, the United States has seen a drastic increase in mass shootings.
On November 5, 2017, just after 11:00a.m., a gunman entered a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and opened fire. That Sunday morning 26 church patrons were killed and another 20 were injured including men, women and children.
On October