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, Muirfield Village perfection, Big Cedar surprises—and a Houston muni tale you won’t forget.
Highlights
• Throwback trial: The Pavilion “mosh pit” case, early use of responsible third party, and a conservative jury’s $20k punitive “message.”
• Oilfield 101: Catastrophic injury (≈80%) vs. commercial down-hole disputes; indemnity/knock-for-knock dynamics; Chapter 95 control issues.
• From rig to courtroom: Day-one callouts, OSHA interactions, Permian & New Mexico venues, and why site visits matter.
• Strategy that moves numbers: How stipulating liability and smart focus groups cool juror anger—and when plaintiffs’ detailed demand letters help resolution.
• Witness prep—good, bad, ugly: The peril of over-coaching, “I don’t know” discipline, and the depo pause heard ’round the mediation.
• Venue quirks: New Mexico wrongful-death hedonic damages and RTP practice to get all actors on the form.
• Verdicts & lessons: A seven-figure Oklahoma verdict, why “ask” matters, and the anti-reptile effect of accountability.
• Golf cooldown: Bandon plans, Pebble as #1 played, Muirfield Village conditions, Big Cedar/Payne’s Valley cabins, and the Lions/Hermann Park debate.
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