Russell draws on his own experience in county government to help governmental entities with their unique challenges.
After a lengthy career as a litigator, Russell served as a judge for the Dallas County Court, where he presided over approximately 1,000 trials, including 180 jury trials, for a wide variety of civil lawsuits. The experience gave him great insight into judicial thought processes and a heightened ability to consider matters from all angles. Already a gifted litigator before his time on the bench, Russell now approaches clients’ cases with an inside perspective on how a judge is likely to view his arguments. He places a high priority on ensuring that clients are never surprised and aims to give them a full assessment of all possible outcomes, as well as the likelihood of those outcomes.
Russell returned to the private sector after his time as a judge and later took on the role of Civil Division Chief for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, serving as chief legal counsel for the county government. The position provided the opportunity to practice in a wide variety of areas, from litigation to real estate to matters of public law, and Russell gained extensive experience with the unique challenges of local government operations.
At Husch Blackwell, Russell represents a variety of local and state government entities, serving in both an advisory capacity and as a litigator. His work includes election law and litigation, matters relating to the Open Meetings Act and Texas Public Information Act, public real estate and eminent domain, state procurement laws, law enforcement activity and related disputes, and matters affecting local utility districts and flood districts. With nearly a decade of experience inside a county government, Russell understands firsthand the complex issues public entities face, and he is excited to help clients serve the public.