Reed Smith LLP

William W. Russell Photo
Email
{{vCardForm.Header}}
{{vCardForm.Body}}
{{vCardForm.CaptchaError}}
{{vCardForm.DisplayMessage}}
Home Professionals William W. Russell

Will has been practicing since 1995 representing clients primarily in litigation and international arbitration in the fields of oil & gas, construction, and commercial disputes. Will has taken scores of cases through jury verdict, final arbitration hearing, and appeal as first chair. He is an adjunct professor of International Commercial Arbitration at the University of Houston Law Center, and has served two terms as the Chair of the Houston Bar Association’s International Law Section. He is a member of the firm’s Energy and Natural Resources section and is on the steering committee of the firm’s Latin American Business Group. Will is fluent in Spanish and has handled numerous cases involving Spanish speaking parties and projects in Spanish speaking countries.

Credentials

  • South Texas College of Law, J.D., Texas Law Review, Assistant Editor, Order of the Barristers, Magister of the Order of the Lytae, Mock Trial and Moot Court (1995 ABA National final round)
  • Southern Methodist University, B.A.

  • Texas

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Texas

  • Adjunct Professor of International Commercial Arbitration, University of Houston Law School, Spring 2019 to present; guest lecturer 2018.
  • Houston Bar Association International Law Section: Immediate past chair 2021, chair 2018-2019, 2019-2020; vice-chair 2018, council 2017, 2021-2022.
  • AAA Roster of Neutrals; AAA National Energy Panel of Neutrals
  • ICDR International Panel of Neutrals
  • State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee
  • Institute for Transnational Arbitration (Advisory Committee)
  • Asociación Latinoamericana de Arbitraje
  • Houston International Arbitration Club (one of the founding members)

  • Spanish
  • English

Awards & Recognition

  • Selected through peer review for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for International Arbitration - Commercial, 2022
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, 2022, in International Arbitration—Commercial
  • Adjunct professor at University of Houston Law Center, teaching International Commercial Arbitration, 2019 – present.
  • Recognized as a notable practitioner in Legal 500 2018 - present: Latin America – International Arbitration. (2022 : “Will Russell has been a superstar for our matters. He is particularly great for a gut-check as well as making sure we do not have many blind sides”).
  • Selected as America's Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators for Southern Texas for 2021
  • Selected by Center for American and International Law (Institute for Energy Law Section) for inclusion on the Energy Arbitrators List
  • Selected to Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” for international arbitration
  • Selected to H Texas Magazine “Top Lawyers” list
  • Selected to Texas Monthly: Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars Edition
  • Martindale Hubbell – AV Peer Review Rating
  • 'Will Russell has been a superstar for our matters. He is particularly great for a gut-check as well as making sure we do not have many blind sides' Legal 500 Latin America 2022

Notable Quotes

  • Francis Ojok, Ethically Challenged? A Commentary, The Journal of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, ITA in Review (Vol. 4, Issue 1)