The morning after severe thunderstorms and hail caused the first phase of the BP MS 150 charity bike ride to be canceled, cool and clear skies kicked off day two of the annual event, which is typically a 180-mile trip from Houston to Austin. Because of the weather on Saturday, participants started on Sunday at the mid-way point. For the fourth year in a row, Houston lawyer Stephen Susman was the top fundraiser out of approximately 13,000 participants, bringing in $118,009. He was part of his firm Susman Godfrey’s team, named “Swift Justice,” which has raised more than $1.1 million since it started participating in the event 10 years ago. The BP MS 150 is organized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society South Central Region and raises money for research into the chronic central nervous system disease that is estimated to affect more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

Above, from left: Nicholas Kuhn, Stephen Susman, and Harry Susman pose before the start of the BP MS 150 charity bike ride. Photograph courtesy of Dan Shih.

This year was the sixth and last BP MS 150 for Susman, whose wife has asked that he throw in the towel at the age of 74. Because he was the top fundraiser the previous year, he completed the 2015 ride wearing the No. 1 bib.

“It was exciting to do so with all my friends and colleagues from the firm. But it was a special privilege to cross the finish line in Austin with three generations of my family, and I thank Harry and Nicholas for doing this with me,” Susman said of his son and grandson joining him.

Raising a total of more than $225,000 this year, Swift Justice had several top 100 fundraisers, including Jonathan Ross, Trey Peacock, and Terry Oxford. Last year the team was one of the top 10 fundraising groups, collecting more than $250,000.

Several other Texas law offices participate in the BP MS 150, including Gray Reed Law, Norton Rose Fulbright, Mostyn Law, McKool Smith, Gardere, Patterson & Sheridan, and more. For more information on the event, including details on how to form a team for next year, go to BP MS 150’s website. Information on multiple sclerosis is available at the National MS Society’s website.