Haynes and Boone, LLP

States are adopting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that shift packaging waste costs to companies. These laws, which are already in effect in California, Colorado, Oregon, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington, bring new compliance challenges. In the latest environmental alert, Mary Mendoza, Jeff Civins and Victor K. Salazar address five key issues: ✔ Who is subject to EPR regulation as a “producer”? ✔ What are the reporting and data requirements for producers? ✔ How are “eco-modulated” fees to be set by producer responsibility organizations or PROs? ✔ What changes to packaging are required? ✔ What are the consequences of non-compliance? Read the full alert to learn how these changes may impact businesses at the link in the comments.

As the Department of Labor considers guidance on incorporating private equity into 401(k) plans, employers remain cautious due to ERISA’s fiduciary standards and litigation risks. Haynes Boone Employee Benefits Counsel Thomas M. Hogan noted to HR Brew that while those standards are unlikely to change, the DOL could issue a “road map” through opinion letters or regulations to help plan sponsors navigate compliance. Such steps may offer needed clarity — but not immunity — in an evolving retirement investment landscape. Read more at the link in the comments.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Haynes Boone Dallas and Houston offices for our annual Coffee, Tea and the SEC breakfasts, co-sponsored by our friends at Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN), Baker Tilly and NIRI. These were great sessions full of networking, specialty brews and timely updates on SEC regulations and market trends!

Haynes Boone is excited to celebrate eDiscovery Day! Join us on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. at our Dallas office for an engaging afternoon of learning and networking. Hear from industry leaders at Ankura, Balfour Beatty plc, CaseGuild, Epiq, Haynes Boone, Hilltop Securities Inc., mmData and Purpose Legal. Event Highlights: ✅ Lunch & Networking ✅ Keynote: Judicial Perspectives on the Impact of GenAI with Judge Rodriguez ✅ Panel Discussions: GenAI Validation & Defensibility and Pricing, Metrics and Maximizing Value ✅ Networking Reception Space is limited—register today at the link in the comments!

Haynes Boone Partner Ben Owens and Associate David Zhou authored a detailed analysis for Secured Finance Network and Law360 on the practical challenges borrowers face when refinancing syndicated bank loans with private credit. The article outlines several issues that middle-market and lower-middle-market borrowers should evaluate, including: • Documentation strategy and whether to build from existing LSTA-based agreements. • Working capital needs, including revolver availability and letter-of-credit capacity. • Intercreditor considerations when pairing private credit term loans with separate revolvers. • Key differences in fees, amortization and debt-service obligations between bank and direct-lender structures. Read the full analysis at the link in the comments.

Haynes Boone and Appleby were proud to host the annual NAVember and Beyond event in New York, bringing together over 400 fund finance professionals from institutions around the globe. The event featured engaging discussions on key topics shaping the industry, including the rise of securitization and structured products in fund finance and the lifecycle of a NAV facility. Thank you to all who attended, especially our insightful speakers and our fantastic co-host, Appleby. We look forward to continuing these important conversations about the future of fund finance. #FundFinance #NAVemberAndBeyond #HaynesBoone #Appleby

The Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas has sided with Haynes Boone and temporarily halted discovery in the Gateway Church defamation case. “Gateway and its leaders simply do not belong in this lawsuit, which asks a secular court to pass judgment on the church’s statements and actions while investigating its former pastor’s misconduct,” said Litigation Partner Ron Breaux, who is leading Gateway's legal team on behalf of the firm.  Read more about the case and its latest updates at the link in the comments.

Texas developers should take note of Texas Senate Bill 840. In the latest real estate alert, Haynes Boone attorneys Keenan Kolendo, Stephanie Spell, Michael Coleman and Faris Babineaux explore the impact of Texas Senate Bill 840, now in effect, which streamlines the entitlement process for multifamily and mixed-use projects in major cities across the state. The new law introduces an administrative approval pathway for qualifying projects, reducing municipal discretion and creating opportunities for faster development, while still requiring careful compliance with statutory standards and private land-use controls. Read the full alert at the link in the comments.

Haynes Boone is delighted to welcome six new attorneys in Dallas, including Partners Bill Mureiko and Sarah Marks and Senior Counsel Barbara Ferguson and Eric Reis in the firm’s Family Wealth and Estate Planning group, Partner Ann Marie Painter in Labor and Employment and Partner April A. Goff in Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation. Haynes Boone has welcomed more than 25 lateral partners firmwide since the beginning of 2025, strengthening the firm’s capabilities in private credit, capital markets, M&A, energy, intellectual property, litigation and more. Read more about our new attorneys at the link in the bio.

If you didn’t see them the first time around, these are the Haynes Boone highlights from the past week.