State Bar Director Spotlight • June 2026

Pierre Grosdidier

HOMETOWN: ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE
POSITION: SENIOR ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN HOUSTON
BOARD MEMBER: SECTION REPRESENTATIVE SINCE 2023

INTERVIEW BY WILL KORN
PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERRE GROSDIDIER

I HAD ALWAYS TOYED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE IDEA OF BECOMING A LAWYER, but I was more strongly drawn to mathematics and the sciences when I was in high school and college. I became a chemical engineer and graduated with a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1986, just when my specialty (refinery computer controls, known in the industry as “advanced process control”) was in full expansion. That industry grew very well until it was fully mature around 2000, and refiners began to invest in network technologies and wireless instrumentation. For me, by 2003, the future was either in sales or managing IT projects. I found neither particularly challenging.

I DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT IN MY LIFE, AND, VOILÀ, I ELECTED TO FULFILL MY YOUTHFUL DREAM AND GO TO LAW SCHOOL. I was accepted into the University of Texas School of Law, but I lived in Houston. I thought the University of Houston Law Center might be better for my family because I would be home every night. Also, if the money ran out, I could get a job and switch to the night program. A lawyer friend of mine insisted that I attend the UT Law open house for newly admitted students. My plan was to attend to keep him off my back but with no intention of going to school in Austin. On the way to the open house in Austin, there was a billboard on I-10 that said, “This is Texas, think big!” Right there I knew I was going to UT Law. I am not one to argue when I get a message from above. Then, I had a couple of lucky breaks. First, I was accepted as a summer intern by Haynes and Boone, an exceptional Texas firm that did not blink at the thought of hiring a fellow my age. Then, during one of the first summer socials, one of the partners asked me if I knew anything about advanced process control because he had a lawsuit in that domain and could use a little help. I told him that I had a Ph.D. and 18 years of experience, so I thought that I might indeed be able to help him. That got me a part-time clerkship at Haynes and Boone during my third year and an offer as an associate.

I KNEW VERY EARLY ON THAT I WANTED TO DO LITIGATION. I think of it as a chess game, where you have to think through a couple of steps ahead every time you do something. What got me interested in litigation is the fact that no two lawsuits are the same. The problems are always different, and you always have to learn new things. Soon, I was involved in lawsuits that dealt with technical issues like broken equipment, computer breaches, environmental contamination, or defective construction. I enjoyed these cases because I was very much at ease with the technology thanks to my engineering background. I felt that it gave me an edge over opposing counsel. A Haynes and Boone partner encouraged me to prepare for the construction law specialization exam the first time it was offered and, much to my surprise, I passed. I have been doing mostly construction litigation ever since and loving it. There is not a boring day.

I HAVE SERVED AS A SECTION REPRESENTATIVE AND WILL BECOME A DISTRICT DIRECTOR THIS MONTH. I have come to appreciate the huge machinery that runs quietly and that makes the State Bar of Texas so successful. It takes many people many hours of quiet dedication to work through all the issues that the bar must address. It is very impressive and not apparent when you are outside the board.

DON’T JUST GO WITH THE FLOW. USE YOUR JUDGMENT. Think about your role and the issues that are submitted to you. Ask questions if something seems off kilter to you. Speak up during meetings if you have something to say. And when all the talking is done, support the decision, even if it is not what you wanted.

THE TOP ISSUE FACING ATTORNEYS TODAY IS ACCESS TO JUSTICE. NO DOUBT. If I had the solution, I would probably also have the solution to world hunger and galactic peace. My suggestion is to have a look at how European countries deal with the issue. We have been looking at other states, but those are all in the same box with the same problem as we have in Texas. I would look at how the legal professions in Canada, England, Australia, France, and Germany provide affordable legal services to the citizens of their respective countries.

I WOULD TELL A YOUNG ATTORNEY OR LAW STUDENT THAT LAWYERING IS A PROFESSION WHERE LEARNING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE JOB. Never assume that you know all there is to know. Read as many cases as you can regarding your domain of expertise. Read CLE articles for subject matter overviews and to identify the key cases and issues in your domain. As to litigators, ask yourself hundreds of questions. Ask yourself not only what you should do to move your case forward, but also what you would do if you were on the other side of the case. That way, you can anticipate your opponent’s moves.