Law firms, especially large politically connected law firms, will take their most useless lawyers which can’t be fired for whatever reason (family, legacy hire, quota hire, political hire etc) and push them into a judge position to have them be out of the firm and be in a place to be useful to the firm.
No comment on this judge but given the history of the law firm of origin and its “quota hire” programs...
I have stated repeatedly here on FR that a judge is a failed lawyer.