Practice areas: White Collar Crimes, Criminal Defense, Securities Litigation; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 1982
Education: South Texas College of Law Houston
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2003 - 2023 Details
Dan Cogdell is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. His Chambers rating is “Band 1” in White Collar Crime and Government Investigations. Cogdell has been trial counsel in more than 300 jury trials in over sixteen different States. His experience includes verdicts of “Not Guilty” in the Branch Davidian matter, the only acquittal in any Enron related matter, and the successful representation of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton-both as a member of Paxton’s impeachment trial team and he was the lead counsel in the successful dismissal of Paxton’s state securities fraud cases. Cogdell also obtained an acquittal in the trial of the alternative cancer treatment physician, Stanislaw Burzinzki.
Cogdell was portrayed by actor Giovanni Ribisi in the Five-part Paramount series “Waco, The Aftermath” which initially aired in early 2024. Dan’s work has been featured in countless documentaries and “true crime” television shows.
Mr. Cogdell’s success in a multitude of Courtrooms across the Country has been well documented. His peers have recognized him as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” since 1996. He has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” for over a decade. The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association voted him as “Lawyer of the Year.”
Dan is consistently rated as one of the top White Collar Criminal Defense lawyers in the Country.
Practice areas
Criminal Defense: White Collar, Criminal Defense, Securities LitigationFocus areas
Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, Criminal Law - Federal, Tax Evasion, White Collar Crime
- 50% Criminal Defense: White Collar
- 30% Criminal Defense
- 20% Securities Litigation
First Admitted: 1982, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.cogdell-law.com/dan-cogdell
Bar / Professional Activity
- Houston Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- State Bar of Texas
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
Representative Clients
- Michael Keough. Keough was head of logistics for Arkema Chemical company when the Arkema plant in Crosby Texas blew up during Hurricane Harvey. Keough was charged with the reckless assault of a Peace Officer. Cogdell secured a dismissal of all charges against Keough after a six-month trial in Houston, Texas.
- Enron. Mr. Cogdell obtained the only acquittal in any of the Enron related trials. He successfully represented Sheila Kahanek in the Enron-Merrill Lynch Trial and obtained the sole acquittal in that (or any other) Enron trial.
- Carey Birmingham: Birmingham’s wife, Patricia, recorded Birmingham with her I-Phone while Birmingham pointed a double-barreled shotgun at her and ultimately shooting her in the face during the recording. Facing “some of the worst evidence ever confronted in a Texas courtroom,” Cogdell was able to convince the jury at sentencing that the murder was the result of a sudden passion arising from an adequate cause and was sentenced to a mere ten-year sentence. It was a stunning defeat for the prosecution who had asked for a life sentence.
- Judge William Ralph “Layne” Walker. Charged in Jefferson County District Court with Abuse of Official Capacity, Cogdell secured a dismissal of all charges against Judge Walker.
- Planned Parenthood. Defendant Susan Merritt was charged with falsifying government documents in Harris County District Court. Cogdell obtained a dismissal of all charges.
- DPS Narcotics Enforcement Chief Trial. Sgt. Robert Nesterhoff was a career law enforcement agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety. At the time of his arrest, he was the head of the DPS Narcotics Section. Following his testimony (as a defense witness) at a Grand Jury and a subsequent trial in Florida, Nesterhoff was charged with Conspiracy, Perjury and Obstruction of Justice. Cogdell prevailed at trial and Neterhoff was acquitted of all charges.
- New Orleans Water Treatment Corruption Trial. Sal Anzelmo was a former New Orleans City Attorney who was charged with Bribery, Corruption and False Statement to a Law Enforcement Agent in connection with the attempted construction of a Water Treatment Facility outside of New Orleans. Anzelmo was found “Not Guilty” of all charges.
- Patti LaBelle Bodyguard Trial. Cogdell successfully obtained a “Not Guilty” for Efrem Holmes, a bodyguard for musical legend Patti LaBelle. Holmes was charged following an altercation (caught on videotape) with a West Point Cadet at Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Holmes was acquitted of all charges following his trial.
- Branch Davidian Trial. After a botched raid by the ATF outside of Waco, Texas at the compound of the followers of David Koresh, a 51-day standoff ensued between the FBI and the Branch Davidians. On the 51st day (following the insertion of CS gas by government agents and the intrusion of tanks into the home), a massive fire erupted. Approximately 90 people lost their lives in the fire. Cogdell represented Clive Doyle. Like the others, Doyle was charged with Conspiracy, Murder and Attempted Murder of Federal Law Enforcement Officers. He was found “Not Guilty” after a month-long trial.
- Alternative Cancer Physician Stanislaw Burzynski. Charged with 41 Counts of Contempt as well as Fraud, Cogdell (along with Mike Ramsey and John Ackermann) secured his client’s acquittal after nearly a month in trial. Burzynski had engaged in a decade long fight with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in his belief that his treatment protocol was both necessary and lifesaving.
- Ronald Johnson. Charged with the murder of a Rice University basketball player and the aggravated assault of his twin brother in College Station, Texas. Johnson, a Marine veteran and Purple Heart decorated soldier hired Cogdell to defend him in this College Station Trial. Following a two-week trial, Johnson was acquitted of all charges.
- Dr. James Ghadiali. Accused of Insurance Fraud, Medicare Fraud, Wire Fraud and Conspiracy, Cogdell’s client was fully exonerated after a three-week trial. During the cross examination of the Government’s primary witness, Cogdell was able to prove that the testimony of this witness was not only factually suspect but legally inaccurate.
- Texas Slave Ranch Case. Early in his career, Cogdell was co-counsel (along with his mentor Richard “Racehorse” Haynes) for Walter Wesley Ellebracht, Junior. Cogdell’s client was charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity (including Murder, Kidnapping, Torture and Rape). In that trial, Cogdell (literally) shocked himself with a Cattle Prod in front of the jury during the cross examination of the State’s Medical Examiner. That same witness had earlier testified that shocking a person with the cattle prod would cause a heart attack. The jury ultimately granted Cogdell’s client probation. Cogdell’s role in this trial is likewise the subject of a documentary film-which is scheduled to air sometime in the second quarter of 2023.
- Operation Lightning Strike (NASA Sting). Mr. Cogdell’s client in this matter was Dan Stinger. Mr. Stinger’s case was dismissed mid-trial by the Federal Judge who ruled that there was insufficient evidence against him following nearly three weeks of testimony by a myriad of Government witness. Mr. Stinger had been charged with Government Fraud, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud and Conspiracy.
- Houston City Hall Scandal Case. Cogdell successfully obtained an acquittal for retired state District Judge and Houston City Council member John H. Peavy. Cogdell’s client was charged with Conspiracy, Obstruction Of Justice, Bribery and Money Laundering. Peavy was ultimately acquitted of all charges.
- Oxford Funding Trial. Mr. Cogdell was the lead lawyer in that matter and successfully represented Larry Ramming in the United States of America v. Ramming, et al, After a month in trial, all charges were dismissed after the United States District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled that the prosecution had engaged in prosecutorial misconduct and dismissed all the charges against all the defendants. The prosecutor in that case was held in contempt for her misconduct.
- Continental Savings Trial. Mr. Cogdell successfully represented Carroll Kelly, the founder and CFO of Continental Savings. Mr. Kelly was charged with Bank Fraud, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud and Conspiracy. He was acquitted of all charges.
Pro bono / Community Service
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
Educational Background
- University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A., 1979
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Harvard Law School
- AT&T Legal Conference, Dallas, Texas
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, The State Bar of Texas
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Houston Bar Association
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Dallas County Bar Association
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, South Texas College of Law
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, University of Houston Law Center
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, Texas Tech School of Law
- Frequent lecturer and speaker, University of Texas School of Law
Other Outstanding Achievements
- NBC Nightly News
- Dateline NBC
- 48 Hours
- Good Morning America
- The Today Show
- ABC Nightly News
- CBS Nightly News
- BBC Nightly News
Honors
- Named by his peers to “Best Lawyers in America” each year since 1996
- Named “Super Lawyer” by his peers each year since 2003
- Impact Alumni of The Year, South Texas College of Law, 2014
- Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, Lawyer of The Year
- Band I Chambers rating in White Collar Crime and Government Investigations
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Selections
21 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2003 - 2023
