Insight

Trial Law Leadership

Daniel J.T. Sciano, twice-named Best Lawyers® San Antonio “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs (2010, 2012), discusses how his record of success impacts clients and Texas’ legal community

Daniel Sciano Best Lawyers 2020
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Justin Smulison

June 15, 2020 08:00 AM

When Daniel J.T. Sciano accepts a case, he always prepares for the long haul. That helps explain why the CEO of Tinsman & Sciano has continually secured seven- and eight-figure results throughout his 39 years in practice. His office is in San Antonio, but he handles matters both statewide and nationally.

“I argue most of my own cases but am supported by a team of dedicated professionals,” says Sciano who was named San Antonio Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation–Plaintiffs in 2010 and 2012. “I believe in my clients, am passionate in my advocacy, and work tirelessly to ensure [that] my clients obtain full justice.”

Sciano exemplified this philosophy even further in 2018 and 2019, when, as head of a firm whose history spans more than 50 years, he secured dozens of favorable settlements and a record-setting verdict on behalf of injured victims and their families. The firm obtained millions of dollars for clients by litigating in several of its hallmark practice areas: company-vehicle wrecks (18-wheelers, buses, and other commercial motor vehicles); unreasonably dangerous premises conditions (carbon-monoxide poisoning, as well as slips and falls); and oil-and-gas litigation (royalty and mineral-rights disputes). Sciano made particular strides in trucking litigation, ultimately resolving dozens of company-vehicle wrecks that resulted in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

"Our clients need courtroom fighters, and we are proud to have that reputation."

Even defendants have been inspired. Following a favorable resolution, the company his firm litigated against invited Sciano to lead its on-site training in an effort to curb injuries.

“We truly believe that improved safety standards can save lives and reduce harm,” he says. “When a company demonstrates a willingness to change because of our involvement, then we have made a special difference outside the courtroom.”

Leading the Legal Community

Sciano is board-certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in two areas: personal-injury trial law and civil trial law. A past president of the San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association, Sciano frequently speaks on federal motor-carrier safety regulations. He writes and speaks at the State Bar of Texas’s advanced personal-injury and trucking course, as well as to various local bar associations as a recognized leader in providing continuing legal education.

In 2019, he passed a national board-certification exam, adding “Board Certified Truck Accident Advocate—National Board of Trial Advocacy” to his Civil Trial Advocate and Civil Practice Advocate certifications with the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

“I believe that strengthening the legal and safety community betters our clients’ position when representing them,” he says. “They expect us to be more knowledgeable and prepared than our courtroom adversaries, and my trial team proudly strives to meet that expectation.”

Headline Image: Annie Ray

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