The Great Trials Podcast

The Great Trials Podcast
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The Great Trials Podcast offers a series of laid-back, casual conversations with leading trial lawyers, taking listeners "behind the scenes" of America’s greatest trials. Hosted by acclaimed trial lawyers Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey, each podcast episode focuses on one important trial and includes in-depth, insightful interviews with the attorneys who successfully argued the case in front of a judge and jury.

  1. Jul 7

    Rena Leizerman | Supreme Court Decision, 9-0: Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC (2026)

    Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview trial lawyer Rena Leizerman of the Law Firm for Truck Safety about Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, a trucking case in which her team won a unanimous 9–0 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing negligent selection claims against freight brokers like C.H. Robinson to proceed under the FAAAA safety exception.   CASE DETAILS: The case stems from an Illinois crash where broker-hired carrier Caribe Transport, with a conditional FMCSA safety rating, struck Shawn Montgomery’s parked tractor-trailer, causing severe permanent injuries including a leg amputation. Leizerman explains the circuit split that led to Supreme Court review, the Court’s focus on interstate vs. intrastate issues, and a deliberate amicus strategy emphasizing safety, truck drivers, and 30 states rather than plaintiff groups. She notes ongoing regulatory and legislative broker pushback and that the case is headed toward trial. (READ MORE)   GUEST BIO: Rena Leizerman concentrates her practice in trial and appellate litigation involving serious personal injury and wrongful death related to commercial motor vehicle collisions. She has successfully opposed Petitions for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, litigated numerous issues of first impression in courts across the country, and obtained the first punitive damage verdict against a freight broker for negligent selection. She also drafts and submits amicus curiae briefs on behalf of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and consults with other advocacy organizations regarding amicus curiae submissions. (READ MORE)   CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS: MEET RENA LEIZERMAN RENA LEIZERMAN ON LINKEDIN TRUCKACCIDENTS.COM   LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES & MEET THE TEAM: Great Trials Podcast Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services  Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

  2. Jun 23

    Bill Horton & D’Arcy L.R. Rapp | Davis v. NCAA | $140 Million Verdict

    Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview trial lawyers Bill Horton and D’Arcy L.R. Rapp about their Dallas trial of Davis v. NCAA, arising from SMU lineman JT Davis’s repeated head impacts from 1955–1959, his later dementia, and a postmortem Boston University diagnosis of stage four CTE after his 2016 death.   CASE SUMMARY: They discuss securing a $140 million verdict ($30M compensatory, $110M punitive), the NCAA’s historical knowledge of concussion risks through decades of medical literature and internal documents (including a 1933 medical handbook), and how the team simplified complex science and governance evidence using timelines, boards, and themes like control, competitive disadvantage, and “recommendations vs rules.” They address defenses including Alzheimer’s, vascular factors, APOE4 genetic predisposition (framed as eggshell plaintiff), statute-of-limitations discovery issues, and trial strategy, cross-examinations, and damages presentation. (READ MORE)   GUEST BIOS BILL HORTON: Bill Horton has spent his career fighting for people who the system often overlooks—delivering results that stand among the largest in his field, including a $140 million verdict against the NCAA. Since earning his law degree in 2001, Bill has helped clients across Arkansas and the country secure justice against corporations, insurers, and powerful institutions. His work spans catastrophic injury, wrongful death, trucking litigation, class actions, and complex cases where the stakes are highest. Raised in Van Buren, Arkansas, Bill’s path into law was shaped early. “Growing up poor, it became clear that the system wasn’t fair for folks like me—and I wanted to change that,” he says. That perspective still drives his work today. (READ MORE)   D’Arcy L.R. Rapp: D’Arcy L.R. Rapp is an attorney at Shrader & Associates, LLP. She focuses her practice on mesothelioma, neurodegenerative disease, and toxic exposure. She has more than a decade of experience in fighting for people who have been injured by the negligence of corporations. She is an experienced trial lawyer with an extensive history in mesothelioma cases and has been involved at every stage of litigation, trying cases in more than eleven states. With well over fifty-million-dollars recovered on the behalf of her clients, she is dedicated to fighting for justice While a majority of D’Arcy’s litigation experience is related to mesothelioma, she has handled cases across a variety of practice areas. Her expert opinion has been sought after by multiple publications. She was published in the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law on her work, as well as in Gender Race & Just on the subject of non-biological, non-adoptive parents in Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, and Utah. (READ MORE)   CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS: MEET BILL HORTON Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  MEET D'ARCY L.R. RAPP Facebook Instagram LinkedIn   LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES & MEET THE TEAM: Great Trials Podcast Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services  Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:41 Case Overview and Verdict 03:34 Meet Bill and D'Arcy 05:39 JT Davis Story and Diagnosis 08:26 Building the CTE Case 13:19 Simplifying for the Jury 17:51 Trial Team Dynamics 21:38 NCAA Knowledge Timeline 28:25 Who Controls the NCAA 33:45 Statute of Limitations Fight 39:55 BU CTE Brain Donation 41:51 Defense Alternate Causes 42:22 APOE4 Eggshell Strategy 45:54 Recommendations Versus Rules 46:40 Cross Exam Admissions 50:59 In Court Out Of Court 53:26 Unpaid CTE Expert 56:25 Medical Historian Timeline 58:32 Sticker Timeline Method 01:01:15 Damages Storytelling 01:05:56 Punitive Damages Pitch 01:08:54 Jury Feedback Credibility 01:11:11 Simplify Complex Trials 01:12:54 Closing Thanks Credits

  3. Jun 9

    GTP CLASSIC: Maxey Scherr | Ruben Ivan Mendoza v. Titan Transportation | $16.8 Million

    GTP host Steve Lowery is leading the conservation today with special guest Maxey Scherr, the founder of Scherr Law Firm in El Paso, Texas. They explore the complexities of an extraordinary case, Mendoza vs. Titan Transportation, where Maxey secured a verdict of over $16 million for her client, Ruben Ivan Mendoza.   Remember to rate and review GTP on Apple Podcasts: Click Here to Rate and Review   Case Details: The case revolved around a severe truck crash in Dallas County, Texas, where Ruben Mendoza, the driver of a pickup truck leased by Titan Transportation, was rear-ended by a truck owned by DSX Transportation. Despite the defense's attempts to frame Mendoza as an independent contractor, Maxey successfully proved that he was an employee in the course and scope of his employment, showcasing Titan's negligence in his lack of training and safety protocols. Scherr Law Firm secures an $11,005,000 settlement with three of four defendants named in a lawsuit and obtains a $16,857,276 verdict against the fourth remaining defendant in  their second trial. (Source)   Guest Bio: Maxey Scherr Maxey Scherr founded Scherr Law Firm in 2022. She has litigated over 40 jury trials resulting in multi-figure verdicts across the board. Her areas of expertise include trucking accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, and catastrophic injuries. Ms. Scherr is a member of various boards and organizations and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Women's Caucus and Board of Regents member with the ATAA, is on the Texas State Bar Committee on the Administration of the Rules of Evidence, is a member of the American Association for Justice and sits on the Women's Rights Commission for the City of El Paso. Through the years, Ms. Scherr's efforts have garnered many accolades. Most notably, Ms. Scherr is a "Super Lawyer," a "Top Ten Attorney," receives numerous "Litigator Awards" and has various National Law Journal Top 100 Verdicts. Ms. Scherr is licensed in Texas, New Mexico and Illinois and graduated from Texas Tech School of Law. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Boston with magna cum laude honors and undertook postgraduate work in Neuroscience at Harvard University. Read Full Bio   Links: Scherr Law Firm on Facebook: Scherr Law Firm Scherr Law Firm on LinkedIn: Scherr Law Firm Contact Scherr Law Firm: Scherr Law Firm Check out previous episodes and meet the GTP Team: Great Trials Podcast   Show Sponsors: Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

  4. May 27

    GTP CLASSIC: Mel Orchard | Donald Clark v. State of Iowa | $12 Million

    GTP hosts Steve Lowery and Yvonne Godfrey delve into the riveting case of Donald Clark vs. the State of Iowa with guest Mel Orchard from the Spence Law Firm. They explore the wrongful conviction of Donald Clark, a school counselor accused of sexual assault in 2009, and the subsequent legal malpractice case against his public defender for inadequate representation. The discussion highlights the significant emotional and physical toll on Clark during his six and a half years in prison, the courtroom strategies employed, and the eventual $12 million verdict for emotional distress.   Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here to Rate and Review   Case Details: The case revolves around a legal malpractice action against a state public defender, who represented a client convicted of sexual abuse. The client, Donald Lyle Clark, was convicted and sentenced to prison. The conviction was affirmed on appeal. However, in postconviction proceedings, the court determined that Clark's defense counsel had provided ineffective assistance and ordered a new trial. The state declined to prosecute, and Clark filed a civil action for legal malpractice against the state as the lawyer’s employer. The district court granted partial summary judgment, holding that the finding of ineffective assistance in the postconviction proceedings established counsel’s negligence as a matter of law. The jury found the lawyer negligent and awarded Clark $12 million in emotional distress damages. The Supreme Court of Iowa reversed the judgment for emotional distress damages. The court clarified that to recover emotional distress damages for legal malpractice, the plaintiff must prove more than negligence. The court held that the plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of clear, convincing, and satisfactory evidence that the criminal defense attorney acted with willful and wanton disregard for the client’s rights or safety. The court concluded that the district court erred by instructing the jury that negligence was sufficient. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. (Source)   Guest Bio: Mel Orchard Mel Orchard is a trial lawyer, trying cases in the courtrooms across America, for the past 27 years. Mel has litigated and/or tried hundreds of cases in his career and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlement and verdicts for his clients. During his trial career, Mel has been a part of record-breaking civil jury verdicts in various jurisdictions (Wyoming, Arizona, and Iowa). He has also devoted significant time to pro bono work through Lawyers and Advocates for Wyoming, and many local and national charities. In addition to preparing for trial or being in trial, Mel was a senior faculty member and board member at the Trial Lawyer's College in Wyoming and was recently selected to join the Board. Mel also lectures and presents to various legal organizations throughout the country including Bar Associations, Leadership Organizations and has taught Judicial Ethics to various groups of judges. He was Chairman for the Wyoming Commission for Judicial Conduct and Ethics where he served as a member for six years after appointment. Read Full Bio   LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES & MEET THE TEAM: Great Trials Podcast Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services  Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production   Show Sponsors: Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

    GTP CLASSIC: Mel Orchard | Donald Clark v. State of Iowa | $12 Million

  5. May 12

    GTP CLASSIC: Michael Levine│Barrett v. Smith│$5.75 Million Verdict

    This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Michael Levine of Rappaport, Glass, Levine & Zullo LLP (https://www.rglzlaw.com/)   Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review   Episode Details: Michael Levine -- a partner at Rappaport, Glass, Levine & Zullo LLP known as "Motorcycle Mike" -- explains how he secured justice for 33-year-old air traffic controller Kevin Barrett, who endured a painful through-the-knee amputation after a pick-up truck collided with his motorcycle and crushed his right leg. The driver of the truck abruptly cut off Kevin, who was going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, while making a left turn. Kevin uses a prosthetic limb as a result of this catastrophic injury. A Suffolk County, New York jury returned a $5,750,000 verdict, assigning 63% of the negligence to the defendant.   Click Here to Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents   Guest Bio: Michael Levine   Michael Levine is, without a doubt, the prime example of a “Go-Getter”. In over 35 years Michael has never stopped chasing after perfection, and his reputation and record are a shining reflection of this. If you’re looking for a personal injury attorney who is a rare combination of experience, hard-charging, tactical, spirited, and unfailingly caring, you’ve found him.   At RGLZ we sometimes wonder how Michael finds the time and energy to do everything he does. He lectures often on his areas of expertise before the bar associations of Suffolk and New York State, serves on the Grievance and Judicial Screening committees for those bar associations, is on the board of directors of the Suffolk County Bar Association, writes articles for legal journals, has served as the President of the more than 4000 member strong New York State Trial Lawyers’ Association, is Mayor of his home town of Old Field, NY,  and still finds time to be an active part of the Long Island motorcycle community as Motorcycle Mike Esq.   This is all on top of a thriving practice here at RGLZ, where Michael handles litigation in numerous types of personal injury cases including motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, truck accidents, premises liability accidents, construction accidents, and railroad and subway accidents. He is also a friend of labor unions, taking cases for the Transit Workers Union and other large unions in New York.   Despite this nearly insane workload, Michael Levine is also regarded as a true friend to his clients. He prides himself on providing round-the-clock access for his clients, regularly taking their calls personally at all hours of the day. This is backed up by the fact that, in his entire career, Michael Levine has never had a grievance filed against him, and many of his clients remain friends to this day. There simply aren’t many attorneys out there who can make a claim like that. Despite Michael’s dedication to improving both himself and his profession as a whole, his clients always come first, and his priorities are always simple.   “In my time as a personal injury attorney, I’ve seen almost all there is to see. A large part of my life is coming into other people’s lives in what is likely their worst moments; and it’s tough. It hurts to see people in these situations. But at the same time, it’s what drives me. I know that I can make a difference for these people. And if, at the end of my time with them, I can see them smile, and feel just that little bit better… That’s what I do all of this for.”   Read Full Bio LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES & MEET THE TEAM: Great Trials Podcast Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services  Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1  Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

    GTP CLASSIC: Michael Levine│Barrett v. Smith│$5.75 Million Verdict

  6. Apr 28

    GTP CLASSIC: Frank Mangiaracina | Coryell v. Morris, et. al. | $2.1 million verdict

    This week your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Frank Mangiaracina of Kline & Specter PC (https://www.klinespecter.com/).    Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review   Episode Details: Philadelphia-based personal injury attorney Frank Mangiaracina with Kline & Specter PC discusses how he secured justice for David Coryell, a motorcycle driver involved in an automobile wreck with a delivery driver employed by a Domino’s franchise. On July 27, 2016, defendant Steven Morris was driving a delivery vehicle to deliver Domino’s food when he made a sudden left turn into oncoming traffic, crashing his vehicle into David and his motorcycle. David suffered severe physical and emotional injuries from this incident. After numerous operations, he was left with the decision to either amputate his left leg or experience permanent and progressive pain. Despite the defense’s attempts to claim that Domino’s did not have control over a franchisee’s operations and therefore could not be held accountable for the actions of a franchisee’s employee, Mangiaracina established that Domino’s and the franchisee have a “master-servant relationship,” arguing that Domino’s did, in fact, have control over the franchisee and therefore should be held responsible. The jury agreed, and on August 13, 2021, a Philadelphia County jury returned a $2,009,553 verdict in favor of plaintiff David Coryell.     Click Here to Read/Download Trial Documents   Guest Bio: Frank Mangiaracina Frank Mangiaracina focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury. He is a staunch advocate and proven trial lawyer who helped compile more than $60 million in recoveries in the five years before coming to Kline & Specter.  Most recently, in a COVID-era trial during the summer of 2021, Mangiaracina won a $2.1 million verdict against Domino’s Pizza for a client who suffered severe and permanent injuries to his leg when his motorcycle was struck by a delivery driver. As co-lead counsel at trial, Mangiaracina gave a closing argument that helped convince the jury that Domino’s was responsible for the actions of a franchisee.  He was also co-counsel in litigation that achieved a $44 million pre-trial settlement in a product liability case for an oil rig worker who was left a quadriplegic after he was struck by a falling light fixture.  In medical malpractice cases, among others, Mangiaracina helped win settlements of $5.5 million, $5 million and $3.5 million for, respectively, failures to timely diagnose stroke, diagnose and treat sepsis and to treat an aortic aneurysm.  These recoveries were made with Mangiaracina’s prior firm, Sheridan & Murray LLC in Fort Washington, Pa. He also worked as an attorney at Berger & Montague in Philadelphia and as a law clerk with the Philadelphia firm of Saltz, Mongeluzzi & Bendesky.  Because of his litigation success, Mangiaracina has been named a Pennsylvania Rising Star by Super Lawyers for four consecutive years (2019-2022). The independent lawyers survey group recognizes the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state who are 40 or younger.  Mangiaracina earned his law degree at the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude, in the top five percent of his class and was a member of the Order of the Coif honor society. He was, simultaneously, staff editor for the Temple Law Review and a member of Temple’s renowned National Trial Team, which placed in the semifinals of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy’s “Tournament of Champions,” an invitation-only competition.  At Temple, Mangiaracina won several awards and scholarships, including the Integrated Trial Advocacy Graduation Award, the Benjamin and Natalie Levin Memorial Scholarship, the Class of 1978 Scholarship and the Faculty Law Scholarship. Read Full Bio   LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES & MEET THE TEAM: Great Trials Podcast Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services  Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

    GTP CLASSIC: Frank Mangiaracina | Coryell v. Morris, et. al. | $2.1 million verdict

  7. Apr 14

    GTP CLASSIC: Randall Sorrels and Alexandra Farias-Sorrels | Cruz v. Allied Aviation Fueling Company of Houston, Inc., and Reginald Willis | $352.77 Million

    This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Randall Sorrels and Alexandra Farias-Sorrels of Sorrels Law (https://sorrelllawfirm.com/)   Remember to rate and review GTP on iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review   Case Details: Husband-and-wife trial team Randall Sorrels and Alexandra Farias-Sorrels of Sorrels Law share how they secured justice for an airline wing walker who was struck by a fueling truck and catastrophically injured. On September 7, 2019, Ulysses Cruz donned his yellow vest and held bright orange wands to guide a United Airlines plane when Allied Aviation Fueling Company truck driver Reginald Willis struck Ulysses with the vehicle. Ulysses was paralyzed on impact, underwent spine stabilization surgery and suffered an accident-related stroke that affected the right side of his body and the left side of his brain. In the courtroom, award-winning trial lawyers Randall and Alexandra Sorrels sparred against the defense attorney, who attempted to place blame on United Airlines and to label Ulysses as a wing walker with a lack of "situational awareness." The Sorrels Law duo countered with proof that Reginald Willis violated Allied Aviation Fueling Company's policies by continuing to drive while blinded by the sun. On October 25, 2021, a Harris County, Texas jury found Allied Aviation Fueling Company 70% responsible and driver Reginald Willis 30% responsible for the accident and awarded Ulysses Cruz and his family a $352.77 million verdict, which is believed to be the largest actual damages verdict in U.S. history for an injured worker.    Click Here to Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents Guest Bios: Randy Sorrel Randy Sorrels holds the unique distinction of being the only Texas board-certified plaintiffs’ lawyer ever to have been elected to serve as President of the State Bar of Texas and selected as one of the Top 100 lawyers in the state by Texas Super Lawyers magazine. His passionate representation of clients and lawyers has garnered statewide recognition and numerous prestigious awards. Randy and his partner/wife obtained what is believed to be the largest actual damages verdict in United States’ history for an injured worker — $352.7 million – in a fully contested jury trial. In short, whether it is in the courtroom or in the boardroom, Randy has an unparalleled track record of success for his clients and the organizations he leads. As a leader, Randy was voted by Texas lawyers to become the 2019-2020 State Bar President by the widest margin of victory in State Bar history. During his presidential service, he traveled Texas solidifying his reputation for helping not only those who hire him, but also helping fellow lawyers. His network of friends and relationships throughout the state is vast, and he is often hired by lawyers who are in need of representation. As a zealot advocate for his clients, Randy holds four board certifications including in Personal Injury Trial Law, Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. And in a peer selection process, for the last 14 years he has been named one of the Top 100 lawyers in the state. He is sought after by the nationwide and local media for legal analysis, commentary and perspective. Randy’s success in the courtroom is also well-known throughout Texas and the nation. He has taken dozens of cases to trial, securing multi-million-dollar verdicts in personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases, plant explosion cases and business lawsuits. During the time of Covid, Randy and the Sorrels Law team secured two of the largest personal injury jury verdicts in the country in high-profile cases that received media attention worldwide. In one of the cases, the jury returned an actual damages verdict of $352.7 million for an injured worker who suffered catastrophic injuries, while in the other the jury awarded two minor league baseball players $3.24 million. For 2022, Randy has been named the Best Lawyers® Personal Injury – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Houston, and has been named the Best Lawyers’ Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Houston on three separate occasions. He has received some of the highest legal honors in the state, including being awarded the State Bar of Texas President’s Award (recognizing the one Texas Lawyer who provided the most outstanding contributions through distinguished service to the lawyers of Texas), the Judge Sam Williams Award (recognizing the Texas lawyer who provides the greatest contribution to both local bars and the State Bar of Texas), and the Houston Bar Association President’s Award (recognizing significant contributions to an HBA program). Early in his career, Randy was honored with the Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award (recognizing the one young Houston lawyer who exemplified significant professional traits both inside and outside the practice of law). He started his career as a lawyer at the internationally acclaimed Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright). Read Full Bio   Alex Farias-Sorrels Alex Farias-Sorrels is a passionate litigator, who left “Big-Law” to pursue her desire to help people who have been wrongly injured. She treats her clients like family and handles every aspect of her cases as if she were handling them for her own mother, father, sister, or brother. A Latina, native Houstonian, and bilingual lawyer, Alex is proud to bring a woman’s touch to personal injury law. Alex attended both undergrad (2007) and law school (2010) at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, graduating with honors.  While graduating in the top 10% of her law school class, Alex also interned for the appellate division of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston and for Legal Services of Greater Miami. After law school, as part of a fellowship program, Alex served as a full-time law clerk for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Jeff Bohm for a year.  At the same time, and on a part-time basis, she received her first exposure to plaintiffs’ work at a respected personal injury law firm in Houston where she handled personal injury cases and business disputes.  In her second year of practice, she worked as a briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, clerking for Justice David Medina. There, she assisted the Court in assessing complex state law issues and also helped draft the Court’s opinions. After her term at the Court, Alex joined the international law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, a Philadelphia-based firm with over 2,200 lawyers worldwide.  Alex practiced in the firm’s Houston litigation section and focused mostly on complex commercial cases and insurance recovery cases.  She also handled products liability and personal injury cases, including aircraft crashes.  She served as first-chair counsel in more than ten trials, and was often called on to assist on thorny appellate issues.  Alex’s largest victory came in an arbitration award, as she was instrumental in securing an almost $300 million arbitration award on behalf of a major Fortune 500 company on a fraudulent transfer claim.   Alex and her husband Randy Sorrels have a young son, Houston Alexander, who is bilingual, and keeps them busy when they are not working.  They also have two rescue dogs – Gio and Luna.  Alex is active in the bar, currently serving as a board member on both the Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation. Read Full Bio   Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LegalTechService.com Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

    GTP CLASSIC: Randall Sorrels and Alexandra Farias-Sorrels | Cruz v. Allied Aviation Fueling Company of Houston, Inc., and Reginald Willis | $352.77 Million

  8. Mar 31

    GTP CLASSIC: Natalie Woodward & Dax López  | Carusillo v. Metro Atlanta Recovery Residences, Inc. | $77.5 million verdict

    This week Steve and Yvonne interview Natalie Woodward of Warshauer Woodward Atkins (https://warlawgroup.com/) and Dax López of DelCampo Grayson Lopez Attorneys at Law (https://dglattorneys.com/).   Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here to Rate and Review   View/Download Trial Documents   Guest Bios: Natalie Woodward Anyone who meets Natalie Woodward feels like they have known her their entire life. It is this ability to put people at ease that makes her such an effective trial lawyer. Natalie secured a $77.7 million psychiatric malpractice verdict in September 2022 for the Carusillo family who’s son was forced out of a mental health facility without his medication in 2017. Watch the News Nation interview about the case. In 2010, she tried her first jury trial as lead counsel in a wrongful arrest case and secured a $1 million verdict which is the largest verdict of its kind in Georgia history. In 2021, she was interviewed about this trial. https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-e8jnd-101dc94 Her cases have made international and national news including her fight to protect the rights of children on social media. https://youtu.be/cfGYpv8iKIE In 2014, she argued before the Georgia Court of Appeals to obtain increased protection for children targeted on social media. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ga-court-of-appeals/1680364.html Natalie has also led the fight to secure justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Natalie is a proud native of Powder Springs, Georgia and is a venerable “Double Dawg.” She received undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Political Science from UGA and then graduated from UGA Law in 2002. While in law school, she was a member of the 2001 Champion Intrastate Moot Court Team, President of her Second Year Class and Chair of the Moot Court Board. Natalie serves on the Executive Committee for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and the Bench and Bar Committee of the State Bar of Georgia. She has been recognized by her peers as one of the best lawyers in the State for the past six years and was selected as one of the Best Young Lawyers in Georgia by Atlanta Magazine. Read Full Bio Here Dax López For nearly 11 years, Dax served as a judge on the State Court of DeKalb County where he presided over complex criminal and civil matters.  As only the second Hispanic judge on a court of record in the history of Georgia, Dax was known to be an efficient, fair, and just jurist who earned the respect of lawyers and litigants alike. A native of Ponce Puerto Rico, Dax attended Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Law School where he was an editor on the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law and the president of the Vanderbilt Bar Association.  After law school, Dax served as the law clerk for federal judge Hector M. Laffitte in the Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Dax was a trial lawyer at three prestigious law firms in Atlanta specializing in complex civil matters, business litigation, product liability, and employment law. Throughout his legal career, Dax has received numerous recognitions.  Dax has been named as one of the Top Fifty Industry Leaders by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, as among Georgia’s Legal Elite by Georgia Trend magazine, and as a Rising Star in 2009 and 2010 by the SuperLawyer Magazine.  In 2010, Mundo Hispanico named Dax to be the Funcionario Destacado del Aňo.  In 2011, Dax was named by Georgia Trend Magazine to be among the best and brightest 40 Under 40 and by The Fulton Daily Report to be among those in the legal profession who were “On the Rise.”  He is also the recipient of the Justice Benham Community Service Award. Dax served on the Board of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials for 15 years, and as President of the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association from 2006-2008.  He is also a past president of the Cooper Inn of Court.  Currently, he is a Trustee on the Board of Leadership Georgia, a member of the Board of Councilors for the American Jewish Committee, and a member of the Anti-Defamation League’s regional board.   He is also a member of the State Bar of Georgia’s Board of Governors and a member of the Standing Committee of Interpreters. In 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Dax to a vacant seat on the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  Unfortunately, Dax did not receive a hearing in the U.S. Senate and his nomination expired at the end of President Obama’s term. Read Full Bio   Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LegalTechService.com Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

    GTP CLASSIC: Natalie Woodward & Dax López  | Carusillo v. Metro Atlanta Recovery Residences, Inc. | $77.5 million verdict
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The Great Trials Podcast offers a series of laid-back, casual conversations with leading trial lawyers, taking listeners "behind the scenes" of America’s greatest trials. Hosted by acclaimed trial lawyers Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey, each podcast episode focuses on one important trial and includes in-depth, insightful interviews with the attorneys who successfully argued the case in front of a judge and jury.

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  • Creator
    The Great Trials Podcast
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    239
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2018 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Great Trials Podcast

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