NewsWire

Oil & Gas Ponzi Scheme Appears To Be Going Bust
Attorneys representing shareholders of Provident Royalties, LLC, are investigating claims that the company was nothing more than an oil and gas Ponzi scheme. Jeffery Zwerling of Zwerling, Schachter & Zwerling says Provident Royalties promised unrealistic returns of up to 18 percent from investments in oil and gas leases, and mineral rights. The SEC filed suit against Provident last month, alleging the bulk of new investor money was used to pay the high returns promised to earlier investors. "When oil and gas prices were riding high, everyone wanted to get in," says Zwerling. "But when prices nosedived, investors disappeared. That meant there was no new money to pay investor returns or return principal to people who wanted to get out. That's when a scheme such as this comes apart." To interview Mr. Zwerling, contact Mark Annick at 800-559-4534 or mark@androvett.com.

Lawsuit Filed In Deadly I-35 Tractor-Trailer Crash
Noted truck accident attorney Steve Laird of Fort Worth has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation and other defendants following a July 5 tractor-trailer crash on I-35 that claimed the lives of a teenager and his grandfather. The location was the site of another deadly crash earlier this week when three people were killed in a similar incident involving a big rig. Laird represents the 13-year-old's mother in claims against TxDOT, a construction contractor, the owner of the truck, and the truck driver. "This dangerous road project has been made even more deadly by the lack of oversight from TxDOT and its contractor, and by the trucking company's refusal to follow the law," says Laird. For more information on the lawsuit, contact Bruce Vincent at 800-559-4534 or bruce@androvett.com.

Was Orwell Off By 25 Years?
While many found delight in the irony of Amazon sending copies of Animal Farm and 1984 down a "memory hole" over copyright concerns, watching the coursework disappear from their Kindle reading devices prompted high school literature students to initiate a breach of contract class-action suit against the Internet retailer. Although the titles and companies involved are particularly noteworthy, says technology attorney Peter S. Vogel of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, this incident is just the latest chapter in the fight over digital rights management software, which restricts the use of copies and devices making it possible to remotely delete content. "DRM runs against the grain of the Copyright Act's ‘first sale doctrine' that permits a purchaser of a copyrighted book to sell that copy, but not reproduce it," he says. To interview Mr. Vogel, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.

New Law Changes Graduation Requirements
Teachers have been hired and class schedules established for the upcoming year, but public school districts across Texas may be scrambling to accommodate new graduation requirements for students. In May, state lawmakers passed HB 3 as part of a massive school accountability bill, giving students more options for electives and reducing required credits for health, physical education and technology classes. "Usually the state specifies a transition period, but in this case the changes can be effective immediately," says Bill Banowsky of Thompson & Knight, who is legal counsel for a number of districts. "We're still recommending that districts keep students on their current plans and phase in these requirements for next year, rather than attempt to hire new staff or make curriculum adjustments on the fly." To interview Mr. Banowsky, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

Jurors Return Multi-Million Verdict For Now-Closed Law Firm
Attorneys from the Dallas trial law firm of Sayles Werbner obtained a multi-million jury verdict on behalf of the now-closed Jenkins & Gilchrist law firm in a breach of contract lawsuit. Attorney Mark Werbner successfully argued in trial that the now-closed firm is still entitled to revenue from a former client's patent licensing program. The breach of contract trial hinged on an agreement between Jenkens & Gilchrist and Forgent (now known as Asure Software Inc.) in which Forgent agreed to pay the firm a percentage of fees from a patent licensing program. When Jenkens & Gilchrist ceased operations two years ago, Forgent stopped paying the fees. "When you boil it down, this lawsuit was about Forgent's failure to keep a promise it made to the law firm," says Werbner. To interview Mr. Werbner, contact Bruce Vincent at 800-559-4534 or bruce@androvett.com.