In the 17th episode of Houston Law Nerd Podcast, I sit down with Ryan Zehl, a top Houston-based personal injury lawyer, with a long record of success in the courtroom. His profile on his firm website is found here: https://www.zehllaw.com/texas-trial-lawyers/ryan-zehl-houston-personal-injury-lawyer/

Listen in and learn while we discuss a number of topics including his first success in a courtroom when successfully defended himself at 16 years old, which led to his decision to go to law school to become a lawyer, his first job as a lawyer working for Justice Scott Brister at the Texas Supreme Court, the importance of legal research and writing skills, his first private practice role working in the appellate section of a large law firm, how he took what he learned as an appellate attorney and then had to teach himself how to become a successful personal injury trial lawyer, his techniques and tips for picking a winning jury in state court, what he has learned from talking to jurors after his trials, his recent $37.5 million verdict in Dallas County, including his careful approach to presenting evidence that would survive a potential appeal and what one juror told him about the damage model, and some of his favorite courtroom movies and TV shows, among many other topics.

Email me with questions, comments, and suggestions for guests at HoustonLawNerd@gmail.com. Thanks again to Elias Haslanger and his group, Church on Monday, for the podcast's theme music. Elias's website is found here: https://www.elijazz.com/

In the 16th episode of Houston Law Nerd Podcast, I sit down with the Fort Bend County Attorney, Bridgette Smith-Lawson, who was first elected in 2020 and is running for re-election as an unopposed candidate for the November 2024 election. Her profile on the Fort Bend County website is found here: hhttps://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/county-attorney

Listen in and learn while we discuss a number of topics including her decision while at the University of Houston to head to law school to become a lawyer, her early career in private practice in the Houston area handling criminal law, bankruptcy, civil litigation, probate, and guardianship matters, the start of her legal career as a "government lawyer," as she puts it, as a Regional Attorney with the Texas Department of Family Protective assigned to Adult Protective Services and later to Child Protective Services, her promotion to Managing Attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - Office of General Counsel, her decision to run for office as the Fort Bend County Attorney where she oversees a large staff of attorneys and investigators covering an extensive array issues, including representing Fort Bend County and its many offices and personnel on matters such as child welfare law, government liability, civil litigation, probate, policy interpretation, immigration law, and regulatory issues, and her expertise with the Robert's Rules of Order when real-time advising the Commissioner's Court, among many other topics.

Email me with questions, comments, and suggestions for guests at HoustonLawNerd@gmail.com. Thanks again to Elias Haslanger and his group, Church on Monday, for the podcast's theme music. Elias's website is found here: https://www.elijazz.com/

In the fifteenth episode of Houston Law Nerd Podcast, I sit down with Attorney Robert M. "Randy" Roach Jr., the Founding Partner of Roach Newton, LLP and one of the top appellate attorneys in Texas, and the country. His firm website and profile is found here: https://www.roachnewton.com/randy-roach/.

Listen in and learn while we discuss a number of topics including the start of his road to law school beginning with undergraduate debate tournaments, his already-made decision to go to law school, his work with the U.S. Senate and U.S. Supreme Court, his early career as a litigation attorney focused on becoming the in-firm go-to appellate specialist before law firms had appellate sections, the development of his expertise as an appellate attorney focusing on both pre-trial practice issues such as jury charges and traditional appellate work in appellate courts, his theory and strategies for effective briefing writing, his unique method for oral argument preparation that is focused on question-oriented preparation, and the overall importance of oral argument in appellate cases for persuading the court, educating the judges or justices, and giving clients their "day in court," including on appeal, among many other topics.

Email me with questions, comments, and suggestions for guests at HoustonLawNerd@gmail.com.