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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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- 6 days ago51 min
GTP CLASSIC: Sagi Shaked | Tyler v. Gibbs & Register, Inc. | $12.24 Million
In this classic episode of the Great Trials Podcast, hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey are joined by renowned Miami lawyer Sagi Shaked. They delve into a significant wrongful death case Shaked successfully tried in 2017, resulting in a $12,240,000 verdict. Remember to rate and review GTP on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite platform. --- Case Details: "After a 4-day trial, we obtained a $12,240,000.00 verdict on behalf of a family that lost their mother as a result of a tragic head-on automobile collision. The trial team consisted of Sagi Shaked, Joel Roth, Manny Lorenzana and Iury Carvalho. Unfortunately, Roitiki Tyler only got to see her star athlete son play one college game. Tyler was accompanied by her 11-year-old, who flew from Florida to Iowa to watch Devontre Tyler play middle linebacker in a Saturday game in November 2014. The following night, Tyler was driving home when a Ford F-150 truck hit them head-on at 65 mph. The mother of two died. Her young son survived his mother without physical injuries, but whose subsequent emotional traumatization led a jury to award them with $12.24 million." (Source) (More Coverage on Case Details) --- Guest Bio: Sagi Shaked As an experienced Miami personal injury lawyer, Sagi Shaked actively litigates cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death on behalf of victims and their families. These cases include car accidents, product liability, medical negligence and malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, trucking accidents, industrial manufacturers, insurance disputes, premises liability, drowning accidents, airline accidents, burn-related accidents, and others. Sagi Shaked has been practicing law since 2000 and went on to found the successful Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers in 2007, where he became one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States as named by the American Trial Lawyers Association. This highly coveted honor was bestowed upon Mr. Shaked for his exemplary legal expertise, compassion for his clients, and consistently recovering multi-millions of dollars in damages for those he represents. Read Full Bio --- LINKS FROM THE EPISODE: Shaked Law Firm on Facebook Sagi Shaked on LinkedIn Shaked Law Firm on Instagram Shaked Law Firm on YOUTUBE --- Check out previous episodes and meet the GTP Team: Great Trials Podcast --- Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Production Team: Dee Daniels Media Podcast Production
- 2 weeks ago58 min
GTP CLASSIC: Philip Sieff and Tara Sutton | McDougall v. CRC Industries | $7.75 Million
In this episode of The Great Trials Podcast, hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey welcome guests Tara Sutton and Philip Seiff from Robbins Kaplan LLP. The discussion centers on the significant legal case, McDougal vs. CRC Industries, which resulted in a $7.75 million verdict (later over $10.5 million after post-judgment adjustments). Remember to rate and review GTP on Apple Podcasts: Click Here to Rate and Review Case Details: The Robins Kaplan trial team secured a groundbreaking $7.75 million verdict against CRC Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of aerosol dust remover products. This is believed to be the first known case against a dust remover manufacturer that has been tried to a plaintiff verdict. The litigation stemmed from a tragic vehicle crash in 2019 where the client’s wife was killed after her car was struck by a driver who was impaired from huffing CRC Duster. Inhaling this product can cause dramatic impairment effects from the chemical used as a propellant. The case focused on the well-known abuse of aerosol dust remover products, such as CRC Duster, and CRC Industries’ responsibility for the foreseeable consequences of their products' misuse. (Source) Guest Bio: Tara Sutton Tara Sutton, chair of Robins Kaplan’s National Mass Tort Group, has built a distinguished career in mass tort litigation and is renowned for her dedicated, unyielding commitment to justice. Her career has been marked by steadfast advocacy, and an unrelenting pursuit for accountability over corporate misconduct. Tara stands out as the embodiment of legal excellence representing individuals, governments, and Tribal Nations harmed by defective products or corporate negligence. Her legal acumen and tenacity is evident as she navigates the complex landscape of mass torts — including cases involving defective products, dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, and faulty medical devices. Read Full Bio Philip Sieff Trial lawyer Phil Sieff battles for justice when wrongdoers cause serious injury or death. Intense and relentless, he helps clients find the courage they need to face those who have hurt them. He has significant experience representing families coping with the wrongful death of a loved one, particularly a child, having handled hundreds of wrongful death cases. He has particular experience in complex and high-profile cases, including: the I-35W Bridge Collapse (lead co-counsel of I-35W Consortium, a group of 17 law firms that provided legal services to over 100 collapse victims); the Red Lake High School Shooting; and the Holidazzle Parade Disaster. Read Full Bio Links: Robins Kaplan on Facebook Tara Sutton on LinkedIn Philip Sieff on LinkedIn Robins Kaplan on X 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
- Aug 18, 20261h 23m
GTP CLASSIC: Joe Fried | Bradfield v. Amazon Logistics, et al | $16.2 Million Verdict
This week, on a classic episode of the Great Trials Podcast, Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey spoke with renowned trial lawyer Joe Fried from Fried Goldberg LLC about his landmark case, Bradfield vs. Amazon Logistics, which resulted in a $16.2 million verdict. The case involved an 8-year-old boy, Gabe Bradfield, who suffered severe injuries after being struck and dragged by an Amazon delivery van. (More details on the case here) Joe Fried Joe Fried is one of the original truck accident lawyers in the country and is widely recognized as a top attorney in the field. His passion for what he does shines through, and his reputation and record-setting results speak for themselves. Joe has litigated cases in more than 43 states, which gives him an unmatched perspective, and his leadership in the field of truck accident law and trucking safety is second to none. Joe is known as one of the principal founders of truck accident law as a unique field. He has changed the way truck crash cases are handled, helping Fried Goldberg LLC earn a national reputation. Joe is credited with developing many of the best practices used by lawyers nationally in truck accident investigation and truck accident litigation. (Read full bio) CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Fried Goldberg LLC Fried Goldberg on LinkedIn Joe Fried on LinkedIn Fried Goldberg on Facebook Fried Goldberg on Instagram 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
- Aug 4, 20261h 11m
Ed Dudensing | Hernandez v. Colony Capital Inc. & Formation Capital LLC | $110.2 Million Verdict
On the Great Trials Podcast, hosts Steve Lowery and Yvonne Godfrey welcome California trial lawyer Ed Dudensing of the Dudensing Law Firm to discuss a Sacramento County verdict (March 2026) in an elder abuse/wrongful death case for 100-year-old Mildred Hernandez, brought by her daughter Teresa Ludlow and three sisters CASE DETAILS: Mildred, a dementia patient at Greenhaven Estates Assisted Living Facility, allegedly suffered worsening wandering that was not documented or reported, and an alarm system was not working; she exited near her room, fell downstairs, and died of hypothermia after temperatures dropped to 38 degrees. The jury awarded $10.2M compensatory damages (including pre-death pain and suffering) and $100M punitive damages, allocated $92M to Colony Capital and $8M to Formation Capital. Dudensing explains long-term care corporatization, REIT/RIDEA structures, discovery strategies to trace control through layered LLCs, and proving notice, understaffing, and neglect. (READ MORE) GUEST BIO: As the founder and lead counsel at Dudensing Law, Edward P. Dudensing specializes in representing plaintiffs in elder abuse cases, with a particular focus on neglect and abuse that takes place in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, acute hospitals, home health agencies, and hospice agencies. He is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most successful and knowledgeable elder abuse attorneys. Based in California, Mr. Dudensing serves clients across the state, including Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Central California, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego. His ability to navigate the intricacies of elder law and his relentless pursuit of justice have solidified his standing as a leader in the field. During his 23+ year career dedicated to compassionately representing victims of elder abuse and their families, Mr. Dudensing has successfully brought cases against some of California’s largest assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and healthcare conglomerates, securing well over $250+ million in recoveries on behalf of his clients. (READ MORE) CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS: Ed Dudensing on LINKEDIN Ed Dudensing on FACEBOOK 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 Podcast Open 00:14 Small World Plane Story 02:26 Meet Trial Lawyer Ed 05:31 Case Overview and Verdict 06:54 How Mildred Died 10:13 Big Finance in Elder Care 14:34 Unmasking the Corporate Web 22:24 REIT RIDEA Defense Explained 25:31 Understaffing and Notice Evidence 28:04 Multiple Theories for the Jury 31:30 Missing Documentation Exposed 35:10 Finding Former Employees 35:57 Hunting Witness Statements 36:56 Damages For Centenarian 41:06 Humanizing The Plaintiff 45:24 Trial Strategy And Humility 50:30 Punitive Damages Breakdown 55:58 Jury Debrief And Verdict Form 57:43 Focus Groups And Alternatives 58:44 Corporate Veil Theater 01:03:31 Closing Lessons And Wrap Up
- Jul 21, 20261h 2m
Powell and Harrison | DHD Jessamine LLC v. Florence County | $12.219M Settlement
Hosts Steve Lowery and Yvonne Godfrey interview trial lawyers Taylor Powell and Whitney Harrison about DHD Jessamine LLC v. Florence County, a Fair Housing Act case over a proposed 60-unit LIHTC affordable housing community in an unzoned “donut hole” parcel in Florence County. CASE SUMMARY: After county officials initially supported the development, neighborhood opposition and a country club meeting preceded withdrawal of support, shifting objections (traffic, drainage, sidewalks), a special meeting to fast-track a development moratorium that was enforced before becoming law, and later rezoning to R-1 to bar multifamily housing. Plaintiffs pursued disparate treatment and disparate impact claims; the court granted summary judgment on the prima facie disparate impact prong. A jury trial featured streamlined exhibits, visual timelines, and expert testimony on disparate impact. On Nov. 5, 2025, the jury awarded $8.219M compensatory and $4M punitive damages; the case later settled for $10M. GUEST BIOS Taylor Powell: Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Taylor Powell brings more than a decade of legal experience to the Lesemann & Associates team. After graduating from The Citadel in 2006 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a Minor in U.S. History, Taylor attended Charleston School of Law and graduated in 2011. After law school, Taylor spent two years serving as the law clerk to South Carolina Circuit Judge Larry B. Hyman, Jr. in Conway, S.C. During his eight years at Lesemann & Associates, Taylor has helped his clients achieve successful results in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases involving tractor trailer accidents, motor vehicle accidents, accidental shootings, drunk driving accidents, dram shop litigation against bars and restaurants, products liability cases against vehicle manufacturers and car dealerships, and cases involving negligent private security. Taylor has also secured significant settlements and verdicts for clients who suffered injuries resulting from improperly paved roads, dangerous homemade zip lines, dog bites, fireworks accidents, and more. Taylor has been directly responsible for securing and collecting more than $20 million in settlements on behalf of his clients. (READ MORE) Whitney Harrison: Whitney delights in nuance, complexity, and unsettled law. Having clerked in both of South Carolina’s appellate courts, Whitney’s seasoned instincts inform her appellate strategy from the start of every case. As a key member of our trial teams, she anticipates and addresses legal issues at each stage of litigation while preserving the record for an appeal. By treating every case as one that will involve a trial and an appeal, Whitney provides comprehensive courtroom advocacy. Whitney has tried multiple cases to verdict, as well as handled landmark cases involving civil, criminal, family, utility, and administrative law. Firms across the state associate her to assist with complex motions, trials, and appeals. Whitney has handled over fifty appeals—with issues ranging from constitutional challenges to corporate governance to novel law—before the Supreme Court of South Carolina and the South Carolina Court of Appeals. In January 2020, Whitney became the first woman to receive the South Carolina Bar’s Trial and Appellate Advocacy Award. The award—not given annually—“recognizes a member of the Bar who has demonstrated substantial dedication to the furtherance of the art and techniques of trial and appellate advocacy in South Carolina, outstanding and exemplary skill and conduct in the practice of advocacy, and has devoted substantial time and effort to the education and training of lawyers.” (READ MORE) FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Podcast Cold Open 00:29 Meet The Hosts 01:13 Introducing The Guests 01:54 Taylor Powell Bio 03:04 UCLA Office And Softball 04:41 Whitney Harrison Bio 06:11 Prizewinning Pound Cake 07:11 Case Setup And Timeline 09:41 Fair Housing Case Overview 14:10 Verdict And Damages 15:08 Crafting The Opening 18:08 Explaining FHA Theories 21:06 Sponsor Break 21:51 Donut Hole Moratorium 26:56 Ordinance Readings And Enforcement 27:48 Trial Team And Appellate Strateg
- Jul 7, 20261h 5m
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
- Jun 23, 20261h 16m
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 J
- Jun 9, 20261h 19m
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
About The Great Trials Podcast
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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