Susman Godfrey partner Stephen Shackelford was preparing to give an opening statement this spring in the highest-profile case of his career—Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation suit against Fox News Network—when Fox agreed to pay his client $787.5 million.

While the settlement is believed to be the largest defamation settlement involving a media organization in U.S. history, Dominion CEO John Poulos said Shackelford impressed him with more than just his legal expertise.