Sovereign Immunity Doesn't Shield SORM From Paying Portion of Award as Attorney Fee

A Texas appellate court last week ruled that an attorney who successfully defends an award to an injured state employee is entitled to payment for his services, even though the fee cannot be charged to the state. The Court of Appeals for the 8th District of Texas explained that the State Office of Risk Management enjoys sovereign immunity that prevents it from being held liable for attorney fees if it takes up an appeal and loses, but the court said the agency can't stop an injured worker from paying her attorney a fee from a portion of her future benefits payable by SORM. SORM'...