Dan Cogdell, partner at Squire Patton Boggs in Houston.

Houston trial lawyer Dan Cogdell, known for defending high-profile defendants from criminal charges, joined Squire Patton Boggs on Monday as a partner in the firm's litigation, government investigations and white-collar practices.

Over a nearly 40-year career, Cogdell has served as lead counsel in nearly 300 jury trials.

Cogdell, who practiced at his own firm for 32 years, said he's been toying with the idea of moving to a larger platform for a few years because he wanted to grow his white-collar defense and investigations practice and provide broader resources to clients.

"I interviewed with a bunch of national firms, but primarily I made the decision because more and more of my clients needed assistance with more than criminal matters," he said, noting that he interviewed with a half dozen firms over the last year or so.

As an example of that need, Cogdell said, he represented a client in a bribery and kickback matter who also had legal issues related to partnership and business concerns.

Cogdell has worked on many high-profile cases in Houston and elsewhere. His major victories include acquittals for Sheila Kahanek in an Enron-related prosecution in 2004 and for Clive Doyle in the 1994 Branch Davidian trial.

His current clients include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who faces federal securities fraud charges.

The defense attorney said about 85% of his docket involves clients facing criminal charges, and about 70% of that is white-collar work. For the other 15%, he said he is hired to try complex divorces or commercial litigation.

"It's surprising to me, but there seems to be fewer and fewer trial lawyers left in the world," Cogdell said.

Greg Wehrer, the managing partner of Squire Patton's 20-lawyer Houston office, said Cogdell is a "fierce trial lawyer."

"We have other trial lawyers in Texas, but Dan is a really special talent," he said.

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