The Dirty Verdict

On this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe and Kyle Herbert welcome attorney and mediator Leigh Lewis to discuss her transition from a successful insurance-defense practice to full-time mediation.

Leigh reflects on growing up in Midland, Texas, studying environmental management at Duke University, attending the University of Texas School of Law, and building a litigation career that included approximately 30 jury trials and 16 years with Walters, Balido & Crain.

The conversation includes some of Leigh’s most unusual product-liability cases, the realities of preparing unpredictable clients for trial, and what plaintiff attorneys can do to improve their chances of reaching a favorable settlement at mediation. Leigh also offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on how defense attorneys and insurance carriers evaluate claims, witnesses, medical records, experts, venues, opposing counsel, and potential jury verdicts.

The episode concludes with a discussion about overwhelmed court dockets, Leigh’s decision to leave litigation for mediation, and the growing opportunities and privacy concerns surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in legal cases.

Major Topics Discussed

00:00 — Introducing Leigh Lewis and Her Move to Mediation

03:34 — Growing Up in Midland and the Path to Law School

10:04 — Building a Career in Insurance-Defense Litigation

12:18 — Leigh’s Most Unusual Product-Liability Cases

19:18 — Jury Trials, Client Preparation, and Unpredictable Witnesses

25:21 — How Plaintiff Attorneys Can Prepare for a Successful Mediation

37:01 — How the Plaintiff and Defense Bars Share Information Differently

47:26 — Leaving Litigation, Becoming a Mediator, and the Use of AI in Legal Cases

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe and Bill Ogden sit down with attorney Anthony Vessel of Marc Whitehead & Associates** for a deep dive into a practice area many lawyers encounter but few truly understand: disability benefits, insurance denials, Social Security disability, veterans disability claims, and ERISA litigation.

Anthony walks through how he found his way from Beaumont, Texas, to Texas A&M, South Texas College of Law, and ultimately into the highly specialized world of disability and benefits law. The conversation breaks down the realities of long-term disability policies, the challenges claimants face when insurance companies deny benefits, and why ERISA cases can be so difficult for plaintiffs.

The discussion also covers life insurance disputes, Social Security disability hearings, veterans disability claims, administrative law judges, and the importance of building a strong record before a case ever reaches federal court. Anthony also shares how his firm uses the Entrepreneurial Operating System to manage teams, track progress, and keep cases from falling through the cracks.

The episode wraps with Anthony’s passion for mediation, the value of trust in resolving cases, and why lawyers should know who to call when disability, VA, Social Security, or benefit denial issues come across their desk.

Topics:

* **00:00:14** — Introduction to Anthony Vessel and Marc Whitehead & Associates
* **00:02:16** — Anthony’s Beaumont background and early legal influences
* **00:05:00** — College, baseball, and the road to law school
* **00:09:00** — How Anthony entered disability and benefits law
* **00:12:25** — Long-term disability claims, ERISA, and insurance denials
* **00:15:14** — Life insurance claims and accelerated benefit disputes
* **00:22:41** — Social Security disability and private disability coverage
* **00:30:38** — Veterans disability claims and service-connected impairments
* **00:35:31** — Social Security hearings and administrative law judges
* **00:43:05** — Law firm leadership, EOS, and team organization
* **00:54:17** — Case value, referrals, and “triple threat” disability clients
* **00:56:09** — Anthony’s mediation work and ADR background
* **01:00:20** — Mediation in disability cases and settlement strategy

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with Laura Hollingsworth, Dana Levy, Leah Graham, and Daniel Dutko for a deep dive into the civil case surrounding the tragic death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

The panel breaks down the facts behind the case, the role of Angels communications director Eric Kay, the evidence that revealed a broader culture of drug access inside the organization, and the uphill battle of proving negligence against a Major League Baseball franchise. From third-party subpoenas and deleted text messages to emotional witness testimony and a jury question that changed the trajectory of the case, the guests walk through what it took to fight for accountability on behalf of Tyler’s family.

The conversation also touches on the Ken Paxton impeachment trial, the unique dynamics of a massive trial team, the personal responsibility defense, fentanyl in professional sports, and whether Major League Baseball has done enough to address the systemic issues exposed by the case.

Main Highlights:

The largest guest panel in Dirty Verdict history
Laura Hollingsworth, Dana Levy, Leah Graham, and Daniel Dutko join the show
Behind-the-scenes stories from the Ken Paxton impeachment trial
The origin of the Tyler Skaggs civil case
How Eric Kay’s role with the Angels became central to the litigation
Evidence that Kay was providing opioids to multiple players
The challenge of proving the Angels knew, or should have known, what was happening
Why the case was not simply about “personal responsibility”
The significance of the criminal trial and Kay’s 22-year sentence
The difference between an intentional overdose and a fentanyl poisoning
The role of the Angels’ team doctor and the opioid prescriptions connected to Kay
Discovery battles, deleted texts, and third-party subpoenas
Camilla Kay’s testimony and the evidence found through her phone
The structure of the trial team and each lawyer’s role
The three-and-a-half-month trial in Orange County
The jury question about punitive damages that shifted settlement pressure
The emotional burden on Tyler Skaggs’ family
How the trial exposed deeper questions about drug use in professional sports
MLB, the players union, and opioid testing after Tyler’s death
Whether the Angels and Major League Baseball have truly learned from the case

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Kyle Herbert, Peter Taaffe, and Bill Ogden sit down with trial attorney Trey Barton for a wide-ranging conversation about his path from teacher and coach to plaintiff’s lawyer, opening his own firm right as COVID hit, and building a practice largely through attorney referrals.
Trey walks through several recent verdicts, including a wrongful death/DWI case in Fayette County, a workplace foot-crush injury involving medical equipment, a commercial vehicle collision, and a bicycle injury case. Along the way, the group digs into trial strategy, jury selection, high-low agreements, damages arguments, corporate reps, deposition clips, and what makes a client’s story connect with a jury
Topics Discussed
00:00:15 — Introduction to Trey BartonThe hosts welcome Trey Barton to the show and kick things off with jokes about Aggies, Longhorns, Memorial Day, and Trey’s background.
00:02:05 — Growing Up in La Grange, Texas
00:04:39 — From A&M to Teaching and Coaching
00:06:53 — Deciding to Go to Law School
00:08:05 — Discovering Trial WorkAfter clerking for judges and seeing trials firsthand, Trey realized he wanted to become a trial lawyer instead of pursuing real estate transactions.
00:08:24 — Working Full-Time During Law School
00:09:32 — Defense Work and Learning the Other Side
00:10:26 — Opening His Own Firm in 2020
00:13:28 — Starting a Firm During COVID
00:17:35 — Building a Referral-Based Practice
00:21:04 — Wrongful Death/DWI Case in Fayette County
00:23:06 — Jury Selection in a Small Community
00:26:36 — Talking About DWI, Damages, and Accountability
00:28:06 — A $6.95 Million Verdict and Closure for the Family
00:32:52 — Nurse’s Foot-Crush Injury Case
00:36:13 — Medical Testimony and Proving Nerve Damage
00:38:40 — Trial Strategy with Witnesses and Liability
00:42:46 — $4.49 Million Verdict Without Economic Damages
00:43:10 — Per Diem Damages Arguments
00:45:19 — High-Low Agreements and Waiver of Appeal
00:47:09 — Commercial Vehicle Collision Case
00:48:27 — TBI, Herniations, and a Subsequent Accident
00:50:53 — Telling the Client’s Story
00:52:03 — Handling Preexisting Mental Anguish
00:53:10 — Auto vs. Bicycle Injury Case
00:55:35 — $500,000 Bicycle Case Verdict
00:56:04 — Trey’s Current Trial Docket
00:56:42 — Keeping Trials Short and Focused
00:58:29 — Final Thoughts and Contact Information

On this episode of The Dirty Verdict Podcast, hosts Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden welcome back Erica Rose and Chuck Sanders of Rose Sanders Law Firm for a wide-ranging, hilarious, and surprisingly thoughtful conversation.

The group catches up on Rose Sanders’ expansion into California, the differences between handling injury cases across states, and the realities of building a multi-state law practice. From there, the conversation moves through Disney trips, law firm growth, AI in legal work, defamation cases involving major public figures, and the serious legal concerns around AI-generated explicit images involving minors.

Erica also shares updates on her advocacy work, her family’s connection to the entertainment industry, and her daughter’s experience filming a Christmas movie in Los Angeles. The episode closes with reality TV talk, Houston’s entertainment potential, hiring challenges in law firms, and the usual Dirty Verdict mix of legal insight, sarcasm, and unfiltered banter.

00:00 – Welcome Back Erica Rose and Chuck Sanders

00:55 – Rose Sanders Expands to California

03:19 – Splitting Time Between Texas and California

04:17 – Disney, Dole Whip, and Theme Park Strategy

08:27 – Future Office Locations and Lifestyle Markets

10:59 – Notable Case Updates and a Daycare Bus Crash Case

12:06 – Social Media, Legal Branding, and Content Creation

12:50 – Hurricane Beryl MDL, Sanctions, and Bad Legal Filings

14:09 – AI in Legal Work and ChatGPT Risks

15:20 – Defamation Law and Anti-SLAPP Cases

15:56 – Gavin Newsom, Fox News, and High-Profile Defamation Litigation

17:46 – Alex Jones, Infowars, and The Onion

19:36 – AI-Generated Explicit Images and Child Safety Concerns

21:15 – Big Tech Liability and Legal Accountability

23:21 – The Power and Danger of AI

25:28 – Reality TV, Lawyers, and Entertainment Opportunities

28:27 – Erica’s Daughter Films a Christmas Movie

31:48 – Kids in Acting, Modeling, and Following Creative Passions

34:11 – Behind the Scenes of a Feature Film Production

36:24 – Red Carpets, Carmen Electra, and Reality TV Culture

40:02 – The Future of Reality TV

42:25 – Houston vs. L.A. Culture and Creative Risk-Taking

45:30 – Final Thoughts and Rose Sanders Contact Info

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with Judge Christine Weems of the 281st District Court in Harris County, Texas for a wide-ranging conversation about law, trial work, mock trial, theater, and the unexpected path that shaped her career.

Judge Weems shares how she went from an English major at the University of Texas to South Texas College of Law, where mock trial helped her overcome a fear of public speaking and discover her love for advocacy. She talks about early trial experience, mass tort litigation, moving between Houston, Dallas, and New York, working document review while pursuing theater, and eventually returning to Texas to build a litigation career that led to the bench.

The conversation also covers what motivated her to run for judge, the importance of trial experience on the bench, and her continued work in the arts through Cone Man Running Productions, including lawyer-cast theater productions that even offer CLE credit.

Episode Highlights
Judge Weems’ unconventional path from English major to trial lawyer to district court judge
How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking and discover courtroom advocacy
Early lessons from working as a law clerk and being handed real litigation responsibility
The impact of tort reform on asbestos and silica litigation work in Texas
Her time in New York pursuing acting, theater, and entertainment work while still practicing law
Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation and rebuilding a trial-focused career
Why trial experience matters for judges and how courtroom experience shaped her decision to run
The story behind Cone Man Running Productions and its lawyer-led theater productions
How legal professionals can participate in or attend theater productions while earning CLE credit
Chapters / Major Topics

00:00 — Introduction to Judge Christine Weems
01:43 — College background, UT, English major, Spanish minor, and unusual classes
05:26 — Discovering mock trial and meeting Brett Dressler
07:02 — Growing up in Spring and the early pull toward law
07:57 — How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking
08:43 — South Texas College of Law and early work with Robert Clark
09:22 — Choosing litigation over transactional law
10:29 — First jury verdict and early trial experience
11:12 — Moving to Dallas after 9/11 and working in asbestos litigation
12:39 — Missing the courtroom and returning to plaintiff-side trial work
14:08 — Houston theater, acting, and finding a creative outlet outside law
15:12 — Going to New York for acting conservatory
16:06 — Tort reform, asbestos/silica litigation, and a shifting job market
18:51 — Document review, theater work, and extra roles on 30 Rock and Law & Order
21:57 — Meeting her husband, family life, and deciding where to practice law
22:36 — Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation
23:30 — Personal injury work, board certification, and trying cases
24:12 — Judicial discretion, courtroom experience, and what sparked the idea of running
26:17 — Why she decided to run for judge
26:48 — The 2018 judicial race and life on the bench
29:51 — Founding Cone Man Running Productions
31:07 — Lawyer-cast theater productions and CLE credit
36:18 — Promoting And Then There Were None at Spring Street Studios