Houston litigator James Reeder Jr. has joined Jones Day as a partner, coming from Vinson & Elkins, where he practiced for 30 years.

Reeder, who became part of Jones Day’s business and tort litigation practice Thursday, said he was looking for new challenges after three decades at Vinson & Elkins. He was attracted to Jones Day’s approach to the practice of law and its “worldwide global practice,” he said.

“It seems like a true partnership [with] seamless collaboration,” Reeder said.

The trial lawyer’s decision to change firms after such a long time at Vinson & Elkins came about organically through casual conversations with friends about their careers, he said. Those talks started in late 2018, Reeder said, as he began to think about what the next decade would look like for him.

Reeder said he has known a number of lawyers at Jones Day for many years, including partners Scott Fletcher, Bruce McDonald and James Olson. He also got to know Larry Rosenberg, a partner in Washington, D.C., through the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation, he said. Reeder is currently chair-elect of the section.

Reeder’s clients are in the chemical, health care, commercial aviation, energy and entertainment sectors, and he’s tried a number of antitrust suits and other suits involving claims of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, RICO, breach of fiduciary duty, deceptive trade practices and violations of federal and state securities laws.

He declined to identify clients but said one thing that attracted him to Jones Day was the firm’s interest in his skills as a trial lawyer, instead of “who your clients are and what kind of work you have.” He said that was a priority in his decision to change firms.

“If I ever was going to make a move, I wanted to go someplace that would celebrate me,” he said, adding that he had a “great, great role” at Vinson & Elkins.

John Majoras, a co-leader of Jones Day’s business and tort litigation practice, said in a press release that hiring Reeder sends a clear message that the firm is committed to providing clients with access to “experienced, effective litigation talent” in Houston.

“Jim is a very effective lawyer with an outstanding track record of delivering great results for his clients,” Stephen Olson, partner-in-charge of the Houston office, said in the release.

When asked for a comment on Reeder’s departure, Vinson & Elkins chair Mark Kelly provided this statement: “Jim has been a valued colleague for many years and we wish him the best in his new endeavor.”

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