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In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden sit down with trial lawyer and settlement planner Dan Horowitz for a conversation that starts with classic Dirty Verdict chaos and eventually lands on some genuinely valuable guidance for lawyers handling serious personal injury cases.

Dan walks through his path from Bay City, Texas, to the University of Texas, South Texas College of Law, Abraham Watkins, and eventually opening his own firm. Along the way, the group covers law school networking, the realities of partnership points, going out on your own, and why relationships matter just as much as legal skill.

The second half of the episode shifts into Dan’s current work in settlement planning, structured settlements, trusts, tax-free growth, fee deferrals, and how lawyers can better protect clients after a major recovery. Dan explains why settlement planning should not be treated as an afterthought, especially in cases involving minors, catastrophic injuries, long-term care needs, or clients receiving life-changing sums of money.

Main Topics with Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction / Meet Dan Horowitz
01:20 – Growing Up in Bay City, Texas
02:20 – Getting Expelled Senior Year
05:30 – Getting Into UT and Coasting Through the End of High School
07:00 – Driving Buses at UT / Early Work Stories
13:20 – Studying Business at UT
15:10 – Law School Path
16:20 – Biggest Law School Regret: Not Networking More
22:10 – Dan’s Professional Background and Recognition
23:20 – Early Legal Career and Firm Progression
25:45 – Becoming an Equity Partner
28:45 – Leaving to Start His Own Firm
31:25 – Transitioning Into Settlement Planning
33:00 – Getting His Insurance License
35:30 – Getting His Securities License
37:15 – Structured Settlements Explained
38:40 – Downsides of Structured Settlements
40:30 – Inflation Risk and Long-Term Planning
42:00 – Planning for Minors and Catastrophic Injury Cases
46:00 – When Lawyers Should Bring in a Settlement Planner
48:30 – Deferring Attorney Fees
51:00 – Structures as Protection From Bad Decisions or Pressure
52:40 – Customizing the Plan for Each Client

This week on The Dirty Verdict Podcast, Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden sit down with renowned jury consultant Robert Swafford for a deep dive into the strategy behind jury selection, witness preparation, and trial storytelling. Robert explains how he helps lawyers maximize strikes for cause, sharpen voir dire, and prepare witnesses for high-stakes moments in court.

The episode also explores Robert’s work on major cases like the Alex Jones trial, his thoughts on why most lawyers misuse voir dire, and what separates effective trial prep from wasted effort. Along the way, the conversation mixes practical courtroom insight with memorable stories about legendary trial lawyers like Joe Jamail and Warren Burnett.

Main topics discussed:

0:00 – Robert Swafford joins the show and explains his background as a jury consultant, along with the types of services he offers to trial lawyers.
5:00 – What jury consultants actually do, from writing voir dire scripts to courtroom coaching, witness prep, focus groups, and settlement videos.
13:00 – How to maximize strikes for cause and why jury selection is really about removing the worst jurors rather than finding the “perfect” panel.
25:00 – The language of voir dire, including why wording matters, how to ask better questions, and why most lawyers make it harder than it needs to be.
39:00 – Lessons from the Alex Jones trial, including written juror questionnaires, identifying problem jurors early, and navigating a highly charged panel.
47:00 – Legendary courtroom stories, featuring Joe Jamail and Warren Burnett, plus what those stories reveal about advocacy and jury work.
59:00 – Witness preparation in high-stakes cases, including Robert’s work preparing Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis for powerful testimony in the Alex Jones case.