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
