An exciting, exclusive, in-depth and inside look at one of America's and Southern California's Premier Law Firms featuring some of the best trial lawyers . . .
Randy McMurray and Brian Dunn of the Cochran Firm. 

Randy McMurray has published articles and has been an invited speaker for Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorney Association of Los Angeles, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles and Mealey Publications. He is also a member of the Langston and National Bar Associations, California Association of Black Lawyers, American Trial Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorney of California, Consumer Attorney Association of Los Angeles and Multi-Ethnic Bar Association. He is on the Board of Governors of CAALA, the Board of Directors of the Diversity in Law Foundation, served as an Associate Editor of The Advocate, the journal of the Consumer Attorneys' Association of Los Angeles and the Education Committee of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.

Brian Dunn has handled many high profile police misconduct cases, including those of Reginald Denny and Geronimo Pratt. Mr. Dunn was also instrumental in prosecuting the litigation surrounding the tragic shootings of Tyisha Miller and Mario Paz, cases which not only brought multimillion dollar settlement awards to the plaintiffs, but additionally resulted in unprecedented changes in the departmental policies of the Riverside and El Monte Police Departments. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the State Bar of Nevada, and has practiced in the United States District Courts for the Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, and was recently admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Brian is a Member of the Consumer Attorneys' Association of Los Angeles and the American Trial Lawyers Association.

You can contact Mr. McMurray at 323-931-6200,
or email rmcmurray@cochranfirm.com.

You can contact Mr. Dunn reach at  323-931-6200,
or email bdunn@cochranfirm.com

Murphy Rosen & Cohen LLP



An exciting, exclusive, in-depth and inside look at one of America's and Southern California's Premier Law Firms featuring some of the best trial lawyers . . .
Philip K. Cohen of Murphy Rosen & Cohen LLP.

Murphy Rosen & Cohen LLP covers a broad range of practice areas including business and commercial litigation, financial and major crimes, corporation and partnership disputes, entertainment and sports litigation, labor and employment law, and professional liability litigation. The firm is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to its clients tempered by a cost-effective and goal-oriented approach to the litigation and trial process.

Phil Cohen's practice focuses on the defense of individuals and corporations accused of criminal conduct. He has successfully represented clients charged with a wide and varied array of crimes, ranging from "white collar" offenses such as bank fraud, money laundering and securities violations, through major narcotics trafficking, robbery and homicide. In his practice, Mr. Cohen has represented criminal defendants in over 30 federal and state jurisdictions across the country, and has extensive trial and motion practice experience in all court forums. In addition to criminal trial work, Mr. Cohen also devotes a substantial portion of his practice to the obtainment of post-conviction relief and has represented numerous clients in both appellate and habeas corpus proceedings throughout the country.

You can contact Mr. Cohen at 310-899-3300,
or email pcohen@mrcllp.com

An exciting, exclusive, in-depth and inside look at one of America's and Southern California's Premier Law Firms featuring some of the best trial lawyers . . .
Dennis Codon of Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi LLP.

Dennis's practice focuses on complex business transactions and corporate governance.   He also enjoyed three decades in the Law Department of Unocal Corporation, a major independent natural gas and crude oil exploration and production company with principal operations in North America and Asia, serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Developed corporate compliance program and directed corporate governance matters for the company. He spearheaded major expansion efforts for the company’s Law Department by placing lawyers in places as distant as Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Singapore and increased the Law Department presence in Indonesia and Thailand.

Dennis further acts as a board member for the Alliance for Children's Rights (www.kids-alliance.org). The Alliance for Children's Rights is protecting the rights and futures of abused and impoverished children throughout Los Angeles County, in hopes of creating a world in which all children are able to have a safe and permanent family, access to quality health care, a quality education, and all of the support and services they so rightfully deserve. He is also the incoming Chair of Southwestern's Board of Trustees. "My Southwestern experience has meant everything to me," Codon said. "I studied under some extraordinary professors, and I will always be grateful for the tremendous opportunities my legal education has made possible." Dennis holds an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and a law degree from the Southwestern University School of Law.

You can reach Dennis at 310-522-0130, or email dprcodon@rkmc.com.

"THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN AMERICA TODAY" - "Kerry Max Cook" Story

The “Houston’s Premier Lawyers” Series is honored to present Paul Nugent, Partner, Foreman, DeGeurin, Nugent, and Scott Howe, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Chapman University School of Law, and former Deputy Director of the Texas
Death Penalty Resource Center, and also Dr Sheila Balkan, famed Criminologist, in a powerful and riveting special show entitled: “THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN AMERICA TODAY"  

The show spotlights the story of  Kerry Max Cook, who authored "Chasing Justice",  the brilliant and riveting chronicle of how a small-town murder became one of the worst cases of prosecutorial misconduct in American history—and sent the author,
an innocent man, to hell for twenty-two harrowing years. Kerry Max Cook is one of the longest-tenured death-row prisoners to be freed: This is his unbelievable story and the only firsthand account of its kind.  

Through the combined and dedicated efforts of Paul Nugent, who is featured regularly on ABC’s Nightline, ABC Evening News, Court TV, the CBS National News, A&E’s American Justice, and MSNBC; and Scott Howe,  and after a series of retrials was forced, at last, in November 1996, Texas's highest appeals court threw out Cook's conviction, citing overwhelming evidence of police and prosecutorial misconduct.

And finally in the spring of 1999 long-overlooked DNA evidence was tested and it linked another man to the rape and murder for which Cook had been convicted. Today, Cook is a free man and the proud father of a young son.

A shocking look inside death row, a legal thriller, and an inspirational story of one man's ultimately triumphant fight against extreme adversity, “Chasing Justice” is a landmark work, written with the powerful authenticity of Cook's own hand. It will forever unsettle our view of the American justice system. You can purchase your own copy of Kerry’s amazing book @ http://chasingjustice.com 

Dr Sheila Balkan , renowned Criminlogist and Consultant to LA County Probation Department, the LA Department of Mental Health Social Services, and the "gang unit" for Los Angeles County, and Producer for a number of biographical and documentary news programs, including Catherine Crier Live, Court TV, 2004; E! True Hollywood Story: Ginger Lynn, 2002, shares her thoughts on “THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN AMERICA TODAY" 

An exclusive, in depth and inside look at one of America’s and Houston’s Premier Law Firms & Trial Lawyers featuring Fred Hagans, founder of Hagans Burdine Montgomery Rustay Winchester.  Fred discusses some of his and the firm’s outstanding cases and their dedicated philosophy of providing exceptional, aggressive legal representation to individuals and businesses that have been injured in some way, whether by physical harm or through damage to property, commercial, or economic interests. Since the founding of his firm, Fred and his partners have been providing superior legal representation to individuals and businesses that have been seriously injured due to the negligent or wrongful acts of others.  They have obtained more than $1.5 Billion in recoveries on behalf of their clients.  They work hard to live up to their reputation as one of the Preeminent law firms in the United States.  In so doing they have built a reputation for aggressiveness, honesty, and trustworthiness that is rare in any profession.

Fred has been trying cases, for both plaintiffs and defendants, since 1972. He began his career with the Houston-based firm, Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P. after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. Fred is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and in Civil Trial Law and is a member of several organizations of trial attorneys, notably, the American Board of Trial Advocates and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has served on several committees for the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association. They include the District 4-B Grievance Committee, the Supreme Court on Professionalism Committee, the Texas Lawyers Creed Committee, and the Texas Supreme Court Task Force Committee for the revision of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. He has served as a Special Assistant in the State Bar of Texas Disciplinary Counsel program. He has given many speeches and written many publications pertaining to various issues in trial law. Fred has been appointed to the Judiciary Relations Committee of the State Bar of Texas for the term of 2004-2007. In addition to serving in these Bar-related activities, Fred has served as the Past President of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Hagans Burdine Montgomery Rustay & Winchester handles civil litigation for both commercial claims and personal injury.  In the commercial litigation area, they have successfully handled cases involving intellectual property, contract disputes, insurance coverage and bad faith, shareholder disputes, and employment related disputes. In the personal injury area, they have successfully handled cases involving personal injury and wrongful death where the claims involve product liability, product failures and defects, workplace injuries, vehicle collisions, railroad crossings, and medical malpractice. They have also successfully handled cases involving legal malpractice and defamation.

Some of the firm’s major verdicts and settlements/achievements are: 

Kimble vs. Tenneco; District Court of Wharton County, Texas; Floyd Kimble sued Tenneco over an oil and gas contractual dispute. The jury returned a $642,000,000 verdict. The case subsequently settled for a confidential amount.

Valores Corporativos, S.A. de C.V. vs. McLane Company Inc. and WalMart Stores, Inc.; District Court of Bexar County, Texas; Wal-Mart was in breach of a verbal partnership/joint venture agreement between Valores Corporativos and McLane Company, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart. This case also involved issues of Wal-Mart's tortious interference. The jury returned a $624,000,000 verdict of actual damages. The case settled prior to beginning the punitive damage phase for a confidential amount.

PIPSA vs. Johnson Controls, Bexar County District Court; PIPSA SA de CV, a supplier of raw materials for batteries in Monterrey, Mexico, retained the firm to pursue its claims against Johnson Controls because of Johnson Controls’ failure to honor its agreement with PIPSA. The jury returned a $21.8 million dollar verdict. The case was settled during the appeal for a confidential amount.

Cooper Manufacturing vs. Babcock & Wilcox and U.S. Steel; District Court, Harris County, Texas; They represented the Trustee for Cooper Manufacturing in this breach of warranty case involving defective steel tubing.
The case resulted in a settlement in excess of $18,000,000.

Waite vs. Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc.; District Court, Harris County, Texas; Mr. Waite, a stockbroker, sued his former employer, Dean Witter Reynolds, for defamation. The jury returned a verdict for $23,000,000. A Judgment was entered; the case was settled for a confidential amount.

Montgomery vs. John M. O’Quinn, P.C. et al; District Court, Harris County, Texas; They represented Mr. Montgomery against the firm that employed him for breach of their oral employment contract. The case settled for a confidential amount during trial.

Ballard vs. Fire Insurance Exchange, a Member of the Farmers Insurance Group; District Court, Travis County, Texas; The Ballard family sued Farmers Insurance for coverage and bad faith. The case was tried on June 1, 2001 to a verdict in excess of $33 million, the second largest verdict in Travis County. The case settled while on appeal.

Mary Jo Arredondo, et al vs. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; The Kelly-Springfield Tire Co.; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Successor-In-Interest to the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company; Tire Dealer’s Warehouse, Inc. d/b/a Hoops Direct and Tire Factory Outlet; et al; District Court, Refugio County. They represented the widow and minor children of a young man who was killed in a head on collision after that vehicle had an unexpected tread separation. The tire was manufactured by Defendants Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The case was settled for a confidential amount.

Cantu and others vs. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. and Ford Motor Company; District Court, Various Counties in Texas; Their firm represented persons who were injured as a result of defective Firestone tires and defective Ford Explorers. The cases resulted in confidential settlements.

Francis vs. Double Eagle Corporation and others; District Court, Wharton County, Texas; In this personal injury case, They represented Mr. Francis who was badly injured when a blow-out preventer failed and hit him in the face. The case was settled during trial for a confidential amount.

Guerra and others vs. Phillips Petroleum Co. and Phillips 66; District Court, Harris County, Texas; They represented more than 200 injured employees and their families in this case that arose out of an explosion at the Phillips Petroleum plant in Pasadena, Texas. Each case was settled during the first trial for confidential amounts.

Hiles vs. Aeriform Corporation, Austin Industrial, Equistar Chemical Company and Greenwade Services; District Court, Harris County, Texas; Our firm represented a minor child for the wrongful death of his father who was killed while working at Equistar Chemical plant. The decedent, Bryan Turner, was sandblasting in a boiler at the Equistar plant while wearing an oxygen mask. The oxygen tank supplied to Mr. Turner contained only 2% oxygen, instead of the 19-23% oxygen that should have been in it. The lack of oxygen caused M. Turner’s death by asphyxiation. The case was settled for a confidential amount shortly before jury selection began.

Kathy Martin, et al vs. Asuncion Perez Gutierrez, R. Hassell and Company, Inc.; District Court Harris County, Texas; Kathy Martin was catastrophically injured when the convertible Ford Mustang she was driving collided with an R. Hassell and Company Construction vehicle. They represented Kathy and her family in a lawsuit which resulted in a confidential settlement on the one year anniversary of the accident.

Prince vs. Yemen Hunt Oil Co.; District Court, Harris County, Texas; They represented Mr. Prince who suffered a heart attack while working in Yemen. The case resulted in a confidential settlement.

Drexel Stewart vs. Crown Central Petroleum, et al; They represented Mr. Stewart for his claims against Crown Central Petroleum. Mr. Stewart was a tanker truck driver. While delivering gasoline, there was a spill at a loading terminal that resulted in Stewart being burned over 67 percent of his body. The case was settled for $30.9 million.

Cynthia Martin vs. Larry Martin et al; Family Court, Harris County, Texas; Their firm defended Mr. Martin in this bill of review proceeding brought by his former wife alleging fraud in connection with a division of marital assets. Mrs. Martin sought $55,000,000 in damages; the firm obtained a summary judgment in favor of Mr. Martin.

Reagan vs. Vaughn; District Court, Harris County, Texas; This is a precedent-setting case that arose out of a simple personal injury action. They represented Mr. Reagan who was badly injured by the bouncer of a bar. They also represented his daughter, Julia, who was a minor. They tried the case and obtained a verdict of $2,100,000. At that time, the law did not allow a child to recover for damages resulting from personal injuries to his or her parents. They appealed the case to the Supreme Court of Texas which affirmed the award for Julia and made new law. The case is published in 804 S.W.2d 463 (Tex. 1990).

Sims vs. Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. and Bair & Welscher, P.C., District Court of Harris County, Texas; Their firm represented the Sims in an engineering malpractice case against Rimkus, who was retained as an expert witness in their underlying personal injury action. The case was settled for a confidential amount.

State of Texas vs. Yolanda Saldivar. Criminal District Court, Harris County, Texas. Yolanda Saldivar was charged with the murder of popular Tejano singer Selena. This high profile murder case was transferred from Corpus Christi, Texas to be tried in Houston, Texas. The case made international headlines. Fred Hagans was pro bono co--counsel for Saldivar.

If you would like to learn more about Hagans Burdine Montgomery Rustay & Winchester’s successful history of verdicts and settlements, Please contact Fred Hagans @ 713 222 2700  http://www.hagans-law.com 

America has the ability to lead the world to preserve and protect our environment as well as to use technologies available today to begin reducing pollution and prevent catastrophic impacts to our environment and economy.  Even more, solutions to important issues like, global warming will bring benefits like energy independence, cleaner air, better environmental health, and more jobs.

America can and must move away from our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels and toward a New Energy Future. We can do this by tapping into our abundant supplies of clean, renewable, home-grown energy sources and by deploying our technological know-how to use energy more efficiently. Our guests on this show are the leaders who are now marshalling the political, economic and scientific resources necessary to meet those goals

H. David Nahai
President , Nahai Law
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb4/html/doc_board_members/dnahai_bio.pdf

Ed Reyes
Los Angeles City Councilmen
www.lacity.org/council/cd1/cd1bo1.htm

Lillian Kawasaki    
LADWP Assistant General Manager of Environmental Affairs
and Economic Development Organization
www.ladwp.com

David Allgood
Southern California Director California League of Conservation Voters
www.ecovote.org

LA’s City Attorney, speaks about his signature program, “The neighborhood Prosecutor Program” and “Anti Gang Plan”, Reducing gang activity in LA.

In this special series, Rocky Delgadillo, a native of the Eastside of Los Angeles, who became the highest-ranking Latino to win citywide office in more than 100 years when he was elected Los Angeles City Attorney on June 5, 2001, and re-elected in March 2005 to a second four-year term, discusses the many effective programs he and his office have created, sponsored and implemented for Los Angeles which have made our city have Safer Neighborhoods and Saved Taxpayer Dollars.  Some of the other many successful programs he and his office have created are:

1. Rocky's signature program: The “Neighborhood Prosecutor Program”. For the first time in the city's history, prosecutors work in the neighborhoods, get to know residents on a first-name basis, and attack quality-of-life crimes where they occur. Neighborhood Prosecutors work with residents, elected officials and city agencies to drastically cut illegal dumping, graffiti and illegal street racing, to name a few of the problems. The program won a city Productivity Award in 2002 for its first-year achievements.  
2.  America’s Most Effective Anti-Gang Legislation
3.  New Crackdown on LAX Crime
4.  Homeless Dumping Legislation

In his first term, Rocky more than tripled the number of gang injunctions in the city to 22, contributing to a steep decline in crime in the affected areas. At the same time, effective legal work by his team helped bring to a close the Rampart scandal at a substantial savings. When the case broke in 2000, it was projected that some 120 cases could cost Los Angeles as much as $125 million in liability payments. Four years later, Rocky's team had negotiated settlements totaling $70 million in more than 200 cases, a projected $55 million savings over the next several years. He urged the city to apply to the hiring and training of new police officers.

Liability savings under Rocky extended beyond the Rampart scandal. General liability payouts in Rocky's first term fell by 60 percent, to $33 million.

Rocky's efforts went well beyond fiscal responsibility. Education and after-school activities help deter teens from joining gangs. That's why Rocky created Operation Bright Future, a tough anti-truancy program that targets sixth-graders with excessive absences. Operation Bright Future teaches parents about the importance of education and ultimately holds parents legally responsible for making sure their kids go to school.