Sorrels Law announced Tuesday the addition of Houston lawyer Raina Spielman Newsome as a partner.
Newsome, who handles cases all over the state and in Arizona, brings more than 25 years of litigation experience to the firm. Her focus areas include medical malpractice and personal injury.
The firm’s namesake, Randy Sorrels, said he co-counseled a case with Newsome last year and saw “first-hand her knowledge and skill with complex legal and factual matters.”
“Raina is a wonderful addition to our law firm,” Sorrels said. “She is known in legal circles as not only brilliant with the books, but phenomenal with people.”
Newsome spent the last two years operating her own firm. She previously worked at firms including The Ammons Law Firm; Hunton Andrews Kurth; Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton; and Norton Rose Fulbright (then called Fulbright and Jaworski).
Her decision to leave Big Law in 2020 brought “so much more meaning” to her practice, Newsome told The Texas Lawbook. She has recovered more than $40 million in damages for her clients and their families.
Newsome decided to close her office and join Sorrels to dedicate more time to clients.
“I am extremely excited to be joining the Sorrels Law Firm and to continue my work helping people that need a strong advocate on their side,” Newsome said.
Newsome earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, where she served as an associate editor of the Texas Law Review.
Read more from The Lawbook’s interview with Newsome:
Why did you decide closing your office and joining Sorrels Law was best for your practice at this time?
I loved having my own practice, but the realities of operating a law firm often kept me from doing what I most wanted to do: help people. I had the opportunity to work with Randy on other matters over the last few years, and it was always a great experience. Randy is an incredible attorney and having his support and the resources of his firm backing me and my clients will allow me to be a more effective advocate.
You left Big Law to represent victims of negligence and medical malpractice, right? Can you talk to us about making that decision?
I left Big Law in 2020, to represent victims of negligence and medical malpractice, and doing that brought so much more meaning to my work as an attorney. Knowing that I am able to help people move forward from tragedy and to drastically change their lives for the better means everything to me. I often get very close to my clients and their families: I cry with them, I celebrate with them and I hug them. I have recovered life-changing damage awards for many of my clients and their gratitude that I helped them when they thought no one would is the best feeling.
What are some of the most memorable cases that you’ve handled thus far in your career?
One of my most memorable cases was representing a young woman who suffered brain damage as a result of being given the wrong medication, leaving her unable to work or care for her children. All she wanted to do was get better and get her children back, but she was going to need a lot of expensive help to get there. I was able to use the hospital’s own records to prove that the medication error occurred, and that the hospital tried to cover it up. Ultimately, I got her a big enough settlement that she could afford the help she needed and could get her children back as well. It brought tears to my eyes to see her reunited with her children.
Why did you want to become a lawyer and how did you choose to focus on medical malpractice and personal injury?
I became a lawyer because I love helping people and learning new things. I come from a family of medical professionals. My dad is a doctor and mother used to be a nurse, so I was proud that I could represent medical professionals like them when I first became a litigator. Later in my career, I faced the reality that not all cases should be vigorously defended and that many times the victims of negligence just become a number on a corporate balance sheet. I knew I needed to find more meaning in my practice.