Johnny Carter was honored by his alma mater, Midwestern State University, during its Alumni Association’s Homecoming brunch Oct. 29. Carter was named the Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumnus by MSU in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Carter joined Susman Godfrey in 1998 and made partner in 2002. He has received numerous honors, including being named a Rising Star three times by Law & Politics Magazine, and a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation. He was named MSU’s Distinguished Alumnus from the Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2006.
“I loved everything about Midwestern,” Carter said of his student days. “It was the right size for me. MSU was the last time in my life when I sometimes felt like I knew everyone around me.” Carter credits many of his professors with making his time at MSU memorable, particularly the late Dr. Ernest Dover. “His constitutional law classes were a great introduction to the law,” Carter said.
One of Carter’s favorite activities was College Bowl, a competition where a team of four would answer trivia questions. “The campus College Bowl tournaments were the stuff of legends: super-competitive and hard-fought,” Carter said. “MSU was always the best or second-best team, consistently beating U.T., A&M, and everyone else in Texas except Rice.”
During his final year at MSU, Carter was elected student government president – the first position where he felt real responsibility and had a real office.
Carter earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from MSU in 1993, then attended The University of Texas School of Law where he was managing editor of the Texas Law Review. He received his J.D. with honors in 1996.
Each year, the six colleges of Midwestern State University honor an alumnus who has made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments and careers have brought credit to the university. In addition to the Distinguished Alumni honors, the Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to a recipient who has continually brought honor to MSU through his or her accomplishments. It emphasizes lifetime achievement in a field.
