I always thought of Susman Godfrey as a swaggering, take-no-prisoner type of litigation firm that’s distinctly Texan. You know what I mean—it’s where partners take big risks, swig whiskey, make money like bandits, and strut around the office in cowboy boots. You can imagine the Marlboro Man or John Wayne leading the charge. And indeed, the firm’s late founder, Stephen Susman was a big personality who commanded every room he entered like he owned the place (because maybe he did).
Last August, the Houston-based firm threw me for a loop, installing a South Asian woman—Kalpana Srinivasan—as co-managing partner. ...