Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
Noncompetes on a Rollercoaster: Status of FTC Rule and State Law Restrictions
Noncompetes on a Rollercoaster: Status of FTC Rule and State Law Restrictions
The legal landscape of noncompete agreements in the U.S. has changed significantly. It remains in flux, particularly considering the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) actions regarding its final rule on the matter. Employers – and those keeping up with employment law…
From Clerks to Courtroom: Building Stronger Summers at Galloway
From Clerks to Courtroom: Building Stronger Summers at Galloway
Each summer, Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith brings bright, talented, and eager law students to its law clerk program and to the results-driven client service of a premier corporate defense and litigation firm. Clerks go beyond observing – they…
Workers’ Compensation Alert: New Rules on MSA
Workers’ Compensation Alert: New Rules on MSA
A new reporting rule went into effect on April 4, 2025, that could impact employers and businesses in the Gulf South, Midwest, and nationwide. Now, Medicare requires workers’ compensation payers to report MSA (Medicare Set Aside) amounts in any settlement…
Rising to the Challenge: Embracing the New Era of Legal Talent Despite the Decline of New Litigators
Rising to the Challenge: Embracing the New Era of Legal Talent Despite the Decline of New Litigators
Where have all the lawyers gone? Law firms large and small across the country, even those with the strongest and deepest benches, have been asking this question since 2020. Faced with the challenge of a dwindling talent pool, in-house legal…
Balancing Success: How Galloway Attorneys Champion Their Professional and Personal Lives
Balancing Success: How Galloway Attorneys Champion Their Professional and Personal Lives
It’s been said that juggling personal and professional obligations can be like juggling glass and plastic balls. Not every family ball is glass, and not every work ball is glass either. Determining which obligation takes priority – to keep all…
How Employers Traverse the Complex Forest of Employee Leaves
How Employers Traverse the Complex Forest of Employee Leaves
Employee leave laws are incredibly complex with overlapping regulations, evolving expectations, and legal landmines. As a result, employers often can’t see “the forest for the leaves” and can be left tangled in confusion and exposure, trying to navigate the FMLA,…
Texas Legal Alert – Proposed Bills on Texas Property Code
Texas Legal Alert – Proposed Bills on Texas Property Code
Texas House Bill 3289, a proposed bill that could impact the Texas Property Code and construction contracts, is scheduled for public hearing on April 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith attorney Shannon Walla, with decades of…
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
We previously highlighted the Benefits Review Board’s (BRB) decision in Marcus Schulmeister v. Blackwater USA et al, BRB No. 23-0255 (September 25, 2024) — a matter arising under the Defense Base Act — and how this decision casts doubt over the…
Mind the Gap: Identifying Potential Risks in Construction Contract Language
Mind the Gap: Identifying Potential Risks in Construction Contract Language
Before ground is broken or hammers are put to nails, well-drafted agreements governed by construction contract law set the essential foundation for all parties involved in the construction project, including owners, contractors, and subcontractors. Those in the construction industry should…
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith maritime attorney Jason Waguespack was featured in the January 2025 quarterly edition of “The Marine Insurer.” The text of the article, “When COGSA was challenged,” appears below. From a vessel leaving Vietnam to seeking…
Galloway Prevails in Lafayette Workers’ Compensation Case
Galloway Prevails in Lafayette Workers’ Compensation Case
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith has prevailed on a complete defense verdict in a workers’ compensation case in Lafayette, Louisiana. Jason Wilson and Jared Nelson secured the dismissal with prejudice. With experience and expertise, Galloway handles complex employment law…
Professionalism and Ethics in an AI-Driven World
Professionalism and Ethics in an AI-Driven World
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly embedded in legal practice and business operations with the intensified implementation of generative AI tools and in-house, proprietary language learning models. The legal profession, in turn, faces new challenges and opportunities in upholding high…
Galloway Secures Win in Texas Oil & Gas Trial
Galloway Secures Win in Texas Oil & Gas Trial
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith secured a positive outcome in a five day jury trial in Harris County, Texas. Mark “Tiger” Pharr and Jordan White, both in the firm’s Dallas office, successfully represented their client in a complex product…
Employment Law Lessons from the Tyler Skaggs Civil Trial
Employment Law Lessons from the Tyler Skaggs Civil Trial
Setting the Scene Effective workplace oversight isn’t just an HR ideal — it’s a company’s first line of defense against risk, liability, and reputational harm. When managers enforce policies consistently and act on warning signs, they protect both people and…
Ticket for Due Process – The Right to Live Testimony in DBA Claims
Ticket for Due Process – The Right to Live Testimony in DBA Claims
A recent decision by Administrative Law Judge John Herke provides guidance when a claimant attempts to submit deposition or unsworn testimony in lieu of testifying live at Formal Hearing. With DBA claimants continuing to allege claims related to delayed-onset psychological…
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