Randy Wilson, who served 15 years as a state court judge in Harris County until he lost a re-election bid in a Democratic sweep in November, rejoined Susman Godfrey on Wednesday as a partner in Houston.

Wilson is one of the original partners at Susman Godfrey, the well-known trial boutique founded in 1980.

Wilson said that once he decided to return to trial work after leaving the bench, he didn't consider any other firm. It helped as well that his son, Daniel Wilson, is of counsel at the firm.

“For some time, I've wanted to get back into trial work. I missed it, and if I was going to go back into trial work, where else would I go but Susman Godfrey?” he said. “It is literally the best litigation firm in the country, and besides, it feels like home.”

Randy Wilson's return to a firm where he previously practiced for 23 years is yet another example of the increasingly frequent “boomerang effect” occurring in Texas' hot lateral legal market.

Wilson was appointed to the bench in 2003 and was re-elected several times. He is one of a number of Republican judges in Harris County—home to Houston—defeated by Democratic challengers in the November election. Wilson, a Republican, had been a judge in the 157th District Court. His official last day on the bench was Dec. 31.

Neal Manne, managing partner of 120-lawyer Susman Godfrey, said Wilson is a “fantastic” trial lawyer who helped build the firm during its first 23 years. Manne also said Wilson returns with valuable experience after 15 years as a judge.

“He's part of our history and our traditions and on a fundamental level, people really like him and like working with him. He's great with younger lawyers,” Manne said.

Steve Susman, founder of the firm, said in a statement that Wilson was a wonderful judge and is an even better trial lawyer.

Randy Wilson

Wilson said Thursday that he is already working on an oil and gas contract dispute that's set for trial this spring in federal court. He said the biggest adjustment in returning to private practice is adjusting to new technology. He said when he left the firm in 2003, he would retrieve documents from a file cabinet outside his office. But now he is learning how to call up documents through the firm's online document filing system.

Wilson, who is 66, said many lawyers his age are choosing to retire, but he has “gas in the tank” and is excited to get back into the courtroom and try lawsuits.

And, he notes, he's got 34 more years to work if he wants, since Susman Godfrey in 2018 adopted a retirement policy that sets mandatory retirement at the end of the year a lawyer turns 100.

 

Further Reading:

Susman Godfrey Adopts Retirement Policy: At Age 100, You're Out!

The Boomerang Effect: You Can Go Home Again