S3 Eps 19: Inside Texas’s Biggest Verdicts with Randy Sorrels
Release Date: 07/26/2025
S4 Eps 1: Will Moye and Ryan Loya Share Major Verdicts
The Dirty Verdict
In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert welcome back fan-favorite trial lawyer Will (now with The Counsel Table podcast) alongside Ryan Loya, who’s fresh off launching his own firm. After some classic Dirty Verdict banter—college football pain, unexpected fan shoutouts, and law-firm “launch party” flexes—the conversation pivots into a deep dive on one of the most catastrophic industrial incidents Houston has seen in years: a propylene leak and explosion that devastated a neighborhood in January 2020. Will and Ryan break down how the...
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S3 Eps 30: Sean Teare - Harris County DA
The Dirty Verdict
The Dirty Verdict crew is back with Houston mediator Peter Taaffe and co-host Kyle Herbert—plus producer Amanda—welcoming back Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare for a wide-ranging, candid conversation. Teare breaks down what he’s learned in his first months in office, how he’s rebuilding morale by bringing veteran prosecutors back, and why he’s personally getting back into the courtroom. The discussion also dives into criminal justice priorities, jail population trends, a new diversion concept partnering with trade unions, and how today’s immigration enforcement climate is...
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Trial by Fire: Sammy Ford's Story
The Dirty Verdict
On this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with Houston trial lawyer Sammy Ford of AZA Law Firm for a wide-ranging conversation about big cases, career pivots, and what it really takes to build a life in the courtroom. Sammy walks us through his journey from growing up in Houston’s Third Ward and dreaming of Wall Street, to Harvard, UT Law, a Fifth Circuit clerkship, and stints at powerhouse firms Sussman Godfrey and Abraham Watkins—before landing at AZA. Along the way, he shares war stories from Enron-era work, hedge fund blow-ups, MDLs, and...
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S3 Eps 28: Imrana Manzanares from Nurse to PI Attorney
The Dirty Verdict
Mediator Peter Taaffe and trial lawyer Kyle Herbert host a “diet” edition of The Dirty Verdict with a powerhouse guest: Imrana Manzanares, former ICU nurse turned trial lawyer at Abraham Watkins. Imrana walks through her journey from the Texas Medical Center to the courtroom, what it’s really like doing ICU nursing in Houston, how she pivoted into law school, and how her medical background gives her a serious edge in personal injury cases. She also opens up about raising kids while building a career, surviving floods and tornadoes at the firm’s iconic building, and why yoga and fitness...
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S3 Eps 27:The Dirty Verdict — Halloween Edition 2025 🎃
The Dirty Verdict
The Dirty Verdict — Halloween Edition 2025 🎃 Costumes, bourbon, and big-law war stories collide. Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden welcome fan-favorites Mark Thiessen and Mark Metzger for our annual Halloween bash. It’s part comedy hour, part shop talk: mediation mind games, Stowers tactics, billboard math, PI client-poaching, charging trends in Harris & Galveston County, immigration cross-currents, and why this show is—ironically—a very visual medium. Watch for the costumes; stay for the legal gems. Chapters 00:00 Cold open: “This is a visual medium—watch on...
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S3 Eps 27:The Dirty Verdict — Halloween Edition 2025 🎃
The Dirty Verdict
The Dirty Verdict — Halloween Edition 2025 🎃 Costumes, bourbon, and big-law war stories collide. Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden welcome fan-favorites Mark Thiessen and Mark Metzger for our annual Halloween bash. It’s part comedy hour, part shop talk: mediation mind games, Stowers tactics, billboard math, PI client-poaching, charging trends in Harris & Galveston County, immigration cross-currents, and why this show is—ironically—a very visual medium. Watch for the costumes; stay for the legal gems. Chapters 00:00 Cold open: “This is a visual medium—watch on...
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S3 Eps 26: Marty Lancton Enters the Race: A Firefighter’s Bid for Harris County Judge
The Dirty Verdict
In this episode of Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with returning guest Marty Lancton, president of the Houston firefighters’ union and now an announced 2026 candidate for Harris County Judge. Marty opens up about why he’s running, what he’s learned from decades of front-line public service, and how his experience leading Houston’s firefighters has shaped his vision for Harris County’s future. The conversation covers everything from public safety, disaster response, and infrastructure to transparency, county budgets, and rebuilding public...
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S3 Eps 25: Billboards, Boxing & (Very) Venomous Hobbies ft. Anthony Pusch
The Dirty Verdict
Houston PI attorney Anthony Pusch joins Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden for a wild, wide-open conversation about building a law brand that actually cuts through the noise—plus boxing gyms, tasers, and… cobras. Anthony traces the path from seven high schools and a hot-headed teen to launching Pusch & Nguyen, shares the hard lessons behind PPC, TV, radio, and those viral billboards (including the infamous Step Brothers and “Brokeback” creatives), and gets candid about ethics complaints, attribution, and why authentic social content beats canned “10 things after an...
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S3 EPS 24: Jeff Davis on Oilfield Trials, Mentors, and Moshing Gone Wrong
The Dirty Verdict
Defense trial lawyer Jeff Davis joins Peter, Kyle, and Bill for a fast-moving hour that hops from a wild “mosh pit” case at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion to the nuts and bolts of catastrophic oilfield litigation. Jeff shares early-career war stories with Peter, breaks down indemnity and Chapter 95 fights, and explains why stipulating to liability can defang a jury’s anger. You’ll hear candid takes on focus groups, witness prep disasters, New Mexico’s hedonic damages, and how juries “send a message” without blowing up numbers. We wrap on golf: Bandon trips, Pebble magic,...
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S3 Eps 23: Sad Beige Lawsuit Explained w/ Trial Lawyer Thomas Frashier
The Dirty Verdict
Solo-hosting this week, Peter Taaffe welcomes trial lawyer Thomas Frashier of AZA Law to unpack a first-of-its-kind lawsuit between two Austin influencers—the viral “sad beige” copyright/trade dress case. Thomas explains how the Amazon Influencer/Associates ecosystem really works, why “stealing a vibe” isn’t the same as stealing IP, and how his team defended creator Alyssa Scheele to a decisive win. From pleading standards and the DMCA to likeness rights, PR strategy (yes, including a Beyoncé-quoting answer), and the three-month copyright registration rule, this is a masterclass...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with one of Texas’s most successful trial lawyers, Randy Sorrels. With over four decades of experience, Randy shares the highs, lows, and lessons learned from building his firm, serving the Texas legal community, and securing some of the biggest verdicts in the state. From his early days at Fulbright to leading the Sorrels Law firm to national recognition, this episode dives deep into trial strategy, damages innovation, mentorship, and the importance of giving back to the profession.
Episode Highlights:
- 🚀 Building a Legacy: How Randy launched his own firm and grew it to 28 lawyers across multiple cities in just five years.
- ⚖️ Damages Innovation: The strategies behind his groundbreaking approach to arguing damages and why believing in your client’s story is key.
- 🏆 Record-Breaking Verdicts: Inside the $352 million Cruz case and the Casey Clemens trial, plus lessons learned from high-stakes litigation.
- 🎓 Mentorship & Service: Randy’s contributions to the State Bar of Texas and South Texas College of Law, including 23 clinics for aspiring lawyers.
- 🌎 Diversity in Law: Building one of the most diverse law firms in the country and why it’s critical for connecting with juries.
- 💡 Advice for Young Lawyers: Randy’s take on work ethic, branding, and the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone to grow your career.
- ⚽ From Soccer Field to Courtroom: How his time playing soccer at Houston Baptist shaped his competitive edge as a trial lawyer.
- 🔥 Verdict Stories: Behind-the-scenes tales from legendary Texas cases, unexpected trial twists, and the mentors who shaped his path.
This episode is packed with wisdom for trial lawyers, law students, and anyone interested in the art of advocacy.