The Dirty Verdict

Hosts Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden sit down with Houston trial lawyer Cordt Akers, who lives at the intersection of criminal defense, white collar, and a bit of PI—all while carrying one of the more unusual origin stories you’ll hear on the show.

Cordt walks through growing up in Houston, heading to Tulane (where Hurricane Katrina hit on his first day), and spending his early years as a working musician—until a brutal moment of “natural talent vs. hard work” forced a career pivot. That pivot led to South Texas College of Law, mock trial, and a fast, intense run through the Harris County DA’s Office, where a terrifying in-flight emergency and an unexpected moment of humanity reshaped how he viewed prosecution—and ultimately why he left.

From there, Cordt breaks down his path into the Dan Cogdell orbit, building a reputation in federal white collar, and what it’s like to carry the emotional weight of trial work—especially when the outcome is literally life-changing. He also shares two major acquittals from the year, including a high-emotion murder trial in San Jacinto County and a public corruption case that went sideways for the prosecution in the best way possible.

Funny, serious, and very “Dirty Verdict”—this one moves from My Little Pony headgear to murder trials to the reality of justice, ego, and what makes a great trial lawyer.

Episode Highlights (with timestamps)

00:00:41 – 00:01:36 — Christmas edition energy, jokes flying, and Bill’s back in the studio

00:01:36 – 00:03:14 — Meet Cordt Akers: criminal defense + some PI, and the “multiple practice areas” intro

00:03:14 – 00:06:16 — The legend of Brock Akers (Cordt’s dad): verdict history, reputation, and the TLA membership banter

00:06:16 – 00:11:08 — Houston → Saint Michael’s/Jesuit → Tulane… and the jazz musician era (plus Katrina on day one)

00:11:08 – 00:12:46 — South Texas Law: dreams of entertainment law die in Contracts I

00:12:46 – 00:15:29 — Mock trial war stories: Golden Gate tandem bike terror + “they changed the rules after us”

00:15:29 – 00:18:02 — The mock trial culture: training under pressure (and sometimes with a hangover)

00:18:02 – 00:20:06 — DA’s Office stint (about 20 months) + the brutal elevator moment with Rusty Hardin

00:20:06 – 00:22:23 — Working for Dan Cogdell: mentorship, white collar exposure, and leveling up fast

00:22:23 – 00:27:14 — The turning point: in-flight engine fire, a stranger’s prayer, and Cordt’s realization about prosecutorial impact

00:27:14 – 00:29:22 — “How do you teach young prosecutors emotional intelligence?” + the ego vs. justice conflict

00:29:22 – 00:33:51 — Leaving Dan’s shop: taking the “take over the muffler repair center” option and building his own lane

00:36:01 – 00:37:08 — Two major acquittals this year: murder case + public corruption case

00:37:08 – 00:41:53 — San Jacinto County murder trial breakdown: alleged facts, accident defense, and the emotional verdict moment

00:42:10 – 00:44:12 — The “weird” public corruption case: daring the State to call the defendant first… and it backfiring on them

00:44:12 – 00:45:24 — Why he usually doesn’t talk to juries afterward (and a wild “we thought you were fake” jury comment)

00:47:44 – 00:50:34 — Where the DA’s office and federal prosecution are headed + why white collar cases feel like they’re dwindling

00:52:16 – 00:55:30 — Wrap-up: possible Father’s Day episode with Brock, where to find Cordt (acresfirm.com), and final laughs

(Recorded 12/16/25)
The crew kicks off the holiday episode in peak Dirty Verdict fashion: festive sweaters, friendly roasting, and a proposed “punishment” that somehow turns into high-stakes Trivial Pursuit. Then repeat guest Andrew Cobos jumps in and the conversation shifts from jokes to jaw-dropping: Ironman distances, brutal open-water swims, and why Andrew’s next “goal” is somehow even crazier—climbing Mount Everest.
From there, the episode turns serious as Andrew breaks down his firm’s work in major mass tort litigation, including PFAS “forever chemical” exposure, firefighting foam, and what those cases mean for veterans and industrial firefighters. The hosts also dig into the realities of taking on the government, how these claims are being built, and the bigger idea behind it all: using litigation to force real-world accountability and policy change—then somehow landing the plane back in Dirty Verdict land with talk of lawyer boxing matches and black-tie fight night.

Timestamps & Highlights
• 00:00:15 – Holiday chaos begins — Peter, Kyle, and Bill trade greetings, jokes, and sweater-season banter.
• 00:00:40 – “Punishment” ideas — the crew floats leprechaun makeup and even retaking the SAT as consequences for missing the memo.
• 00:01:14 – High-stakes Trivial Pursuit — $100 per person, teams allowed… and trash talk immediately escalates.
• 00:02:11 – Andrew Cobos returns — repeat guest is back, and the guys immediately notice he’s in serious shape.
• 00:02:33 – Ironman résumé revealed — Andrew details completing two half Ironmans and a full (and clarifies the year).
• 00:02:53 – Ironman distances explained — swim/bike/run breakdown, plus the “it’s longer than it sounds” reality.
• 00:03:08 – Galveston + Cozumel swim stories — calm water vs brutal open-ocean conditions.
• 00:04:34 – Full Ironman in Florida — Andrew talks Panama City Beach and why “flat” can still feel brutal.
• 00:05:36 – Next goal: Everest — Andrew explains he’s transitioning from endurance racing to mountain climbing.
• 00:06:09 – Everest risk talk — crowding, danger, and the harsh reality of summit attempts.
• 00:06:47 – Andrew’s practice growth — the hosts talk about how well his firm is doing and why he keeps it lean.
• 00:09:05 – Lean firm philosophy — small team, low overhead, and staying intentional about growth.
• 00:09:45 – Mass tort focus — Andrew gets into the 3M earplug litigation and the scale of bellwether outcomes.
• 00:10:38 – PFAS explained (“forever chemicals”) — what it is, where it came from, and why it’s a major national litigation front.
• 00:11:15 – Firefighting foam + cancer discussion — exposure pathways, firefighters, and what makes these cases so serious.
• 00:12:16 – C8 vs C6 — the distinction, the “PR shift,” and why it still matters in litigation.
• 00:13:23 – Dose + duration challenge — why proving exposure over time becomes a battlefield in these cases.
• 00:15:03 – Legal-movie sidebar — the crew riffs on classic litigation films and how realistic negotiation scenes can be.
• 00:16:12 – 3M earplug case scale — why it’s one of the biggest MDLs and what makes it uniquely massive.
• 00:17:08 – Transition to Fort Hood/Cavazos topic — the conversation turns to a major new, troubling set of allegations.
• 00:18:07 – Andrew’s military background + context — West Point, Fort Hood experience, and systemic concerns.
• 00:20:15 – “Floodgates opened” moment — the scope expands quickly once the case becomes public.
• 00:22:22 – Power dynamics + policy failures — Andrew explains why structural safeguards matter in military medical settings.
• 00:24:22 – Moving beyond litigation — emphasis on policy reform and conversations with lawmakers.
• 00:26:48 – Volume of clients referenced — Andrew discusses the scale of representation and coordination.
• 00:31:52 – Intake + mental health support — the firm’s workflow and why trauma counseling is a priority.
• 00:34:38 – Broader military context — comparisons to other cases and how these situations escalate institutionally.
• 00:36:17 – Andrew’s MP deployments — route security, IED reality, and what that job actually looked like.
• 00:41:07 – Army–Navy tradition — library pushups, West Point culture, and Houston’s West Point club.
• 00:43:24 – Why Andrew keeps the firm small — travel, retreats, and culture as a deliberate strategy.
• 00:46:55 – Lawyer boxing idea returns — the crew starts fantasy-booking “Dirty Verdict Fight Night.”
• 00:48:10 – White-collar boxing memory — black-tie vibe, big money, and how it could work as an event.
• 00:50:32 – Wrap-up — thanks, shout-outs, and where to follow/listen.

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe and Kyle Herbert sit down with Houston branding powerhouse Chi Nguyen to unpack the real story behind one of the most recognizable legal marketing campaigns in the city: We Push. You Win.

Welcome back to The Dirty Verdict—and this week, Peter Taaffe and Kyle Herbert are coming to you Tuesday after Thanksgiving with two things on the agenda: a little post-game storytelling from a wild weekend in Austin, and a masterclass in building a real law practice the right way.

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 litigation evolved into a massive Texas MDL, why the case became “the gamut” of tort claims (personal injury, property damage, business interruption, subrogation, and more), and how the trial team secured two monster verdicts—$37.8M in the first trial and $118M+ in the second. The group also digs into trial strategy: how MDL “trial tracks” get chosen, how the defense approached (and arguably misplayed) damages, the value of picking the right liability narrative, and why juries—especially younger jurors—are thinking differently about corporate accountability.
If you want a real-world masterclass in explosion litigation, MDL mechanics, and trial tactics under pressure, this one’s loaded.

Show Highlights (with timestamps)
• 00:00:00 – 00:01:00 — Intro
• 00:01:00 – 00:02:22 — Will’s return + the running joke about his podcast spinoff era (The Counsel Table / “coaching tree” banter).
• 00:03:03 – 00:04:28 — Ryan Loya joins, shares his background, and announces his new firm launch (including the Bentley showroom party).
• 00:04:28 – 00:05:33 — Law-firm websites, domain-name chaos, and the “starting a business is just buying URLs” reality.
• 00:06:15 – 00:07:52 — College football detour: hostile road environment stories and Texas/Georgia frustration.
• 00:07:52 – 00:09:43 — Fan shoutouts, the “who’s your favorite host?” debate, and the crew reacting in real time.
• 00:09:43 – 00:12:13 — The incident overview: propylene leak, ~10+ hours of gas accumulation, switch flip → explosion → neighborhood damage.
• 00:12:13 – 00:14:00 — Casualties and injuries discussed; why Houston’s lack of zoning can put heavy industry next to homes.
• 00:13:42 – 00:15:12 — MDL explained (for non-lawyers): centralized claims, same tort, different damages—how it differs from class actions.
• 00:15:12 – 00:17:03 — The case complexity explodes: nuisance, injury, property, insurer subrogation, business interruption; plus bankruptcy complications.
• 00:18:05 – 00:21:31 — Defendants and liability focus: gas detection systems, service obligations, corporate handoffs, and the “we didn’t own it anymore” defense.
• 00:20:47 – 00:21:31 — The first big number lands: $37.8M (Trial 1), and the second: $118M+ (Trial 2).
• 00:21:31 – 00:23:14 — How MDL “trial tracks” are picked: plaintiff picks vs defense picks and the strategy behind each.
• 00:23:14 – 00:24:57 — Settlements/non-suits reshaping the lineup right before trial; trial team composition and collaboration across firms.
• 00:26:03 – 00:28:00 — Trial strategy critique: defense under-anchoring damages, limited pushback, and why that can backfire.
• 00:28:18 – 00:29:31 — Key tactical move: narrowing targets (“ride one horse”) to simplify the liability story for the jury.
• 00:31:02 – 00:32:18 — Fault allocation talk + a rare joint enterprise finding discussion and what it means in practical terms.
• 00:33:07 – 00:34:36 — The “reptile” angle without gross negligence: internal safety language like “protect the community” becomes trial fuel.
• 00:38:06 – 00:39:48 — Appellate counsel mentions + jury selection decisions (including shuffling based on early panel composition).
• 00:42:44 – 00:44:14 — Trial 2 injuries: orthopedic workups/surgeries, chemical exposure claims, and the major plaintiff: a 9-year-old with scleroderma.
• 00:46:03 – 00:47:25 — Practice pointer: the danger of trial-depo video strategy and how cross-exam choices can haunt you.
• 00:46:31 – 00:48:30 — Deliberations lasted days; holdout dynamics; biggest award in Trial 2: $58M to the child plaintiff.
• 00:48:30 – 00:49:36 — A Gen Z juror’s accountability mindset: “I’m not signing unless the corporate defendant is 51%+.”
• 00:50:18 – 00:52:28 — Will reflects on how the show helped his firm; big shoutouts to the collaborative team that carried the case for years.

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 impacting witnesses, prosecutions, and public safety in Harris County.
Main Highlights (with time stamps)
• 00:00:38 – Peter and Kyle kick off the show, explain Bill Ogden’s absence, and bring in producer Amanda
• 00:01:44 – DA Sean Teare returns: recap of his election win and what he’s focused on now
• 00:04:41 – Rebuilding the DA’s office: Teare shares how experienced prosecutors and leaders are coming back
• 00:05:39 – Teare talks trying cases himself—including a major intoxication manslaughter conviction—and why it matters
• 00:07:11 – Leadership style shift: “rolling up sleeves,” working dockets, and boosting office morale
• 00:13:02 – Key jail and crime stats: shifting focus away from low-level drug cases toward violent crime priorities
• 00:17:21 – Big opportunity: diversion programs + an innovative partnership with unions/apprenticeships to cut recidivism
• 00:31:04 – Immigration enforcement’s real-world courtroom impact: witnesses too afraid (or unable) to testify
• 01:03:42 – “Serial killer?” rumor addressed: Teare explains why the cases point to homelessness/addiction issues instead
• 01:07:51 – Wrap-up: where to follow the show + Teare hints at branding the union diversion initiative