A Haynes and Boone, LLP litigation team helped client 4X Industrial win an appellate ruling on Dec. 23 from the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston.
The court granted mandamus relief for 4X, which was sued by Russell Marine, a competitor in the railroad construction industry. The dispute arose after 4X hired two professionals who had been fired by Russell Marine, which claimed that its former employees had been entrusted with trade secrets.
Russell Marine sued 4X for misappropriation of trade secrets and sought discovery of 4X’s trade secrets, claiming it needed them to prove its case. The trial judged ordered 4X to produce the requested documents.
Appealing the order, 4X filed a mandamus petition and motion for stay in the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. On Dec. 23, 2021, the appellate court granted mandamus relief, issuing a 26-page published opinion that concluded that Russell Marine had not met its burden of demonstrating that it needed 4X’s trade secrets to establish Russell Marine’s claims.
Haynes Boone Associate Natasha Breaux took the lead in drafting the mandamus petition. She was assisted by Partners Adam Sencenbaugh, Kent Rutter and Matt Deffebach and Associate Henson Adams.
Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2021 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
