Jones Walker Lawyers Beat Texas Unauthorized Practice Ruling

The Texas Supreme Court said two out-of-state attorneys are permitted to defend age discrimination claims against AutoZone Inc., overturning a finding from two lower state courts that the lawyers engaged in unauthorized practice of law.

Friday’s per curiam opinion permits AutoZone to proceed with its desired counsel, Jones Walker attorneys Laurie Riley and Tracy Kern.

The high court found that a court filing from 2020 contained names and contact information—but, importantly, not signatures—of the attorneys. The lone signature belonged to co-counsel Bruce Koehler, a lawyer licensed in Texas who “assumed full responsibility for the filing,” the high court said. ...