Mr. Eskridge has litigated complex commercial matters at Susman Godfrey since 1994. He has been a partner since 1996, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts across the country. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center, where he teaches the course on Federal Courts.

Eskridge has obtained damage awards for plaintiffs at trial totaling more than $145 million, and over $425 million more by way of settlement. For defendants, he has won summary judgment, had class actions decertified, and otherwise successfully settled a wide array of cases upon terms which delighted the client. He has filed briefs in the Texas and U.S. Supreme Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, where he has also made oral argument. His wide range of litigation experience has included matters involving antitrust, patents, aviation disaster, securities fraud, the First Amendment, ERISA, and asbestos bankruptcy litigation, along with state law issues concerning contractual disputes, accounting malpractice, fraud, employment and trade secret issues, and insurance coverage.

Eskridge is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell, its highest rating. Texas Monthly and Texas Law and Politics magazines have named him among the State's "Super Lawyers" since 2005. Those magazines named him a "Rising Star" of the Texas legal profession in 2004. In its 2001 designation of "40 under 40," Texas Lawyer selected Eskridge as one of those "whose accomplishments distinguish them among their peers and are already making a mark on our state's legal community."

Since joining the firm in 1994, Eskridge's clients have included Baylor Health Care System; Caldera, Inc.; Cardiology Associates of Corpus Christi; Clear Channel Communications, Inc.; Equitas Limited, ACE Global Markets and various companies in the London Insurance Market; Healthcare Recoveries, Inc.; Medtronic, Inc.; Novamedix Limited; Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; The Aetna Casualty & Surety Company; and others. [Click here for a summary of several of Eskridge's key engagements.**]

Eskridge also volunteers his time and attention to serve the Houston community and legal profession. He serves on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater Houston, and for the Museum of Printing History. He is a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way, a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a Sustaining Life Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. Eskridge has served on several committees with the Houston Bar Association, including Judicial Polls, Professionalism, and Membership. He has testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, in favor of legislation seeking to implement innovative jury practices and techniques in Texas civil trials.

Eskridge was raised in Houston, and attended college at Trinity University in San Antonio, where he received his B.A., magna cum laude, in 1985. Eskridge attended law school at Pepperdine University, where he graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian in 1990, and now serves on the Law School's Board of Visitors, as well as on the University's Alumni Leadership Council. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Charles Clark, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Hon. Byron R. White then selected Eskridge to serve as one of the honored group of law graduates that clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court during its October 1991 Term. From October 1992 until June 1994, Eskridge resided in The Hague, The Netherlands, working as special assistant to Howard M. Holtzmann, U.S. Arbitrator for the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal. Eskridge returned to Houston in 1994, where he now lives with his wife, Monica, and daughters, Amelia and Riley.

EDUCATION

Pepperdine University (J.D., summa cum laude, valedictorian, 1990)

Trinity University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1985)

HONORS & DISTINCTIONS

Adjunct Professor (Federal Courts), University of Houston Law Center

Law clerk to Hon. Byron R. White, Justice, U.S. Supreme Court (October 1991 Term)

Law clerk to Hon. Charles Clark, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Special Assistant to Howard M. Holtzmann, U.S. Arbitrator, Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, The Hague, The Netherlands

Board of Visitors, Pepperdine University School of Law

Alumni Leadership Council, Founding Member, Pepperdine University

Master, Garland R. Walker, American Inns of Court

Named "Texas Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly and Texas Law and Politics (2005, 2007)

Named "Texas Rising Star" by Texas Monthly and Texas Law and Politics (2004)

Included in "40 under 40," Texas Lawyer's profile of the State's best young attorneys (2001)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Board of Directors, YMCA of Greater Houston

Board of Directors, Museum of Printing History

Alexis de Tocqueville Society, United Way of Houston

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts

United States Supreme Court Historical Society

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Admitted to bars of the State of Texas, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Eleventh and District of Columbia Circuits, Southern District of Texas, and various federal district courts

American Bar Association

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (Nominating Committee)

Sustaining Life Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation

Houston Bar Association (committee work including Judicial Polls, Professionalism, Membership, and Lawyers Against Waste)