Acclaimed trial lawyer and business strategist John Lewis, Jr. ‘83 has been selected by Shook, Hardy & Bacon to lead its Houston office. Lewis joined Shook as a business litigation partner in 2019. He currently chairs Shook’s firmwide Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Initiatives across Shook’s 17 offices.

“I’m excited to explore the untapped business opportunities in the Houston market,” said Lewis. “Houston is a global city that ranks third in the nation in the number of Fortune 500 companies domiciled here. Opened in 1995, Houston is Shook’s second oldest office and one of the largest in terms of lawyers.”

Lewis served as chief litigation counsel at the Coca-Cola Company, advising board members on government investigations, corporate compliance, and class action litigation. Following his tenure in Coke’s legal function, he was appointed to serve as a member of the company’s global human resources leadership team as head of diversity and workplace fairness where he was a trusted advisor on workplace, marketplace, governmental and community affairs.

The return to Houston is also personal for Lewis.  “I grew up in the Greater Fifth Ward community just north of downtown. So I am a direct beneficiary of the investments made by Houston’s professional, corporate, faith and philanthropic communities. This city is directly responsible for much of the professional success that I have enjoyed to this point. It’s my hope that this new role will provide opportunities to pay that forward.”

Lewis earned his law degree from The George Washington Law School where he now serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, and his bachelor of arts, with honors, from Morehouse College where he was a Presidential Scholar.

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