My chat with legal luminaries during the coronavirus continues.

Vivia ChenToday, I'm zipping to Texas to visit legendary litigator Harry Reasoner of Vinson & Elkins. As managing partner of Vinson from 1992 to 2001, Reasoner expanded the Houston institution into a national and international firm. A big proponent of pro bono, Reasoner has a track record of taking on causes that are unpopular in his home state, including fighting to preserve affirmative action admission policies at the University of Texas School of Law. Now 80, Reasoner still practices—and speaks with a heavy Texas twang.

Below is an edited version of our phone conversation.

Where are you hunkering during coronavirus? I'm in my home in Houston, working remotely. I'm with my wife Macey.

I grew up in Houston but escaped to New York. But I'm always curious about my hometown. So what's the mood like there? Probably not as intense as it is in New York. Our mayor has been intelligent and proactive. But there's a lot of concern about how long we can stay in this mode, economically.

You've seen lots of down cycles during your 50-plus years of practice. How does this crisis compare? I would say it is materially different. We went through downturns with the energy industry and the mortgage loan collapse, but this is very different. People are worried about what they can safely do, how they can go about their lives.

And what worries you during this pandemic? I've chaired the Texas Access to Justice Commission for 10 years, and I'm deeply concerned that those who need a lawyer can't afford one. Sometimes 70% of the court dockets are filled with people trying to represent themselves. There's a need for lawyers right now for things like domestic abuse. Recently, we've asked the court to suspend evictions; evictions are a horrible way to treat people who lost their jobs. If you don't have a lawyer in those situations, it's very difficult.

Is that situation much more dire in Texas? We have large number of people who live below the national poverty level and a large percentage of veterans. The Texas Supreme Court has been a leader in trying to access justice. No state does great, but we're probably in the bottom quarter. We try to encourage pro bono, but that's not enough. Legal Services Corporation funds are declining, and Trump is trying to zero it out.

You sound like you'd fit in with the big liberal lawyers in New York. Do you get heat for some of the social issues you push in Texas. I was appointed chair of the Texas Access Commission by all Republican judges. When I was managing partner, I took the view that if you're homosexual and have a partner, you should be entitled to the same rights as a married heterosexual couple. I thought it was the right thing to do. I never had anyone complain to me.

How do you think we'll come out of the pandemic? Do you see any silver lining to this? It gives me serious concerns about our country's future. We've spent large amounts of money on health care, but when you look at results, we'd be at bottom. A high percentage of people can't afford health care, and Texas didn't accept the Medicaid part of Obamacare, so it's very difficult for people to get care. I'm concerned about inequity in health care and concerned that we don't spend enough on education. Our teachers make less than legal assistants at our firm—and that's not a smart thing. So, I'm not terribly optimistic.

No, you're not. You're almost worse than I am. But I keep hearing that Texas is turning into a blue state, and that change is in the air. I don't know what will happen. We need to be closer to the election. As for Texas turning, yes, in major cities. But Texas is intensely gerrymandered. Whether Texas overall will go blue remains to be seen. The problem is that people don't read the newspaper or anything with editorial control.

Unfortunately, you're confirming all the reasons why I left Texas. [He laughs.]

On a lighter note, what else are you doing during this pandemic? Anything entertaining? My daughter [Macey Reasoner Stokes], who's at Baker Botts, appellate section, brings me jigsaw puzzles. And I love to read fiction. I just finished "Where the Crawdads Sing." I read it out of curiosity and found it delightful. The author writes beautifully—her treatment of the ecology of the marshes where the protagonist lives, and the effect of abuse.

Any final words of advice for young lawyers? I feel I was lucky to practice litigation when it was fun. I'm not sure how things are evolving now. But it's important for lawyers to contribute through pro bono, and it's important for firms to make it available. If you're not doing it, you're missing out.

Contact Vivia Chen at [email protected]. On Twitter: @lawcareerist.