William Pain Lord soon became involved in politics, as he became Salem's City Attorney in 1870. This launched him into his first elected office as a state Senator in 1878. He would resign this seat for a sucessful run as the Republican nomine for Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Lord served on the court from 1880 until 1894. He was a popular jusice and had a reputation of being the most competent Jurist in state history, serving out his last term as Chief Justice.