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Lawyer Profile

Image of William P. Lightfoot

William P. Lightfoot

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May Lightfoot PLLC
  • Recognized Since:
    2006
  • Recognized in:
    Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Law School:
    Washington University in St. Louis
  • Lawyer Page:
    https://www.maylightfootlaw.co...
  • Website:
    https://www.maylightfootlaw.co...
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (202) 919.6463
  • E-mail:
    blightfoot@maylightfootlaw.com
  • Location:
    3200 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, Third Floor
    Washington, DC 20032
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For 39 years, William P. Lightfoot has served as a lead attorney litigating multi-million dollar cases in the courts of the Metropolitan Washington Area. He negotiates settlement agreements, represents clients in arbitrations, mediations, and at trial, as well as manages cases from initial client intake through final disposition. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients.

He represents people with serious injuries, such as death, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. Mr. Lightfoot has extensive experience representing clients with physical injuries. His law practice is a combination of medicine and law. 

Washingtonian Magazine wrote the following about his legal skills, “…few personal injury lawyers are more effective at winning big judgments for their clients.”

Cases he has litigated have changed dangerous practices of plumbers, manufacturers and health practitioners. Safe Kids, a child safety advocacy organization, recognized him for litigation that improved child safety related to burns from hot water. Appellate cases he has litigated have changed the law in the areas of closing arguments and statute of limitations.

The D.C. Trial Lawyers named him Trial Lawyer of the Year. Martindale Hubbell, Super-lawyers, Best-Lawyers, and AVVO have recognized his outstanding legal accomplishments. The American Association for Justice has awarded him its highest award for legal education. Each year he teaches law to lawyers from around the nation. 

He is a member of numerous professional associations including the American Association of Justice, American Bar Association, Washington Bar Association, D.C. Trial Lawyers Association, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Law Institute, Leadership Washington, and Sigma Pi Phi Epsilon Boule.

He served two terms as a District of Columbia Councilmember At-Large, and he remains active in politics, having chaired four Mayoral campaigns. He continues to serve on the D.C. Judicial Tenure and Disabilities Commission that reappoints and disciplines judges. 

He is an avid golfer, often enjoying comradery with members of the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Pro-Duffers. 

Mr. Lightfoot is a graduate of Howard University and Washington University School of Law. 

You may read about some of his current cases in the news section of our website.

Mr. Lightfoot married Cynthiana Lightfoot in 1977. They have 2 children and live NorthWest Washington D.C.

Mr. Lightfoot believes he is most effective when working with a skilled team of lawyers and legal assistants. As such, he serves as the senior trial attorney for the firm.

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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Q&A
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details

Lawyer Bio

For 39 years, William P. Lightfoot has served as a lead attorney litigating multi-million dollar cases in the courts of the Metropolitan Washington Area. He negotiates settlement agreements, represents clients in arbitrations, mediations, and at trial, as well as manages cases from initial client intake through final disposition. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients.

He represents people with serious injuries, such as death, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. Mr. Lightfoot has extensive experience representing clients with physical injuries. His law practice is a combination of medicine and law. 

Washingtonian Magazine wrote the following about his legal skills, “…few personal injury lawyers are more effective at winning big judgments for their clients.”

Cases he has litigated have changed dangerous practices of plumbers, manufacturers and health practitioners. Safe Kids, a child safety advocacy organization, recognized him for litigation that improved child safety related to burns from hot water. Appellate cases he has litigated have changed the law in the areas of closing arguments and statute of limitations.

The D.C. Trial Lawyers named him Trial Lawyer of the Year. Martindale Hubbell, Super-lawyers, Best-Lawyers, and AVVO have recognized his outstanding legal accomplishments. The American Association for Justice has awarded him its highest award for legal education. Each year he teaches law to lawyers from around the nation. 

He is a member of numerous professional associations including the American Association of Justice, American Bar Association, Washington Bar Association, D.C. Trial Lawyers Association, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Law Institute, Leadership Washington, and Sigma Pi Phi Epsilon Boule.

He served two terms as a District of Columbia Councilmember At-Large, and he remains active in politics, having chaired four Mayoral campaigns. He continues to serve on the D.C. Judicial Tenure and Disabilities Commission that reappoints and disciplines judges. 

He is an avid golfer, often enjoying comradery with members of the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Pro-Duffers. 

Mr. Lightfoot is a graduate of Howard University and Washington University School of Law. 

You may read about some of his current cases in the news section of our website.

Mr. Lightfoot married Cynthiana Lightfoot in 1977. They have 2 children and live NorthWest Washington D.C.

Mr. Lightfoot believes he is most effective when working with a skilled team of lawyers and legal assistants. As such, he serves as the senior trial attorney for the firm.

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Affiliations
  • Award List

Education:

  • Washington University in St. Louis , JD, graduated 1977
  • Howard University, Bachelor, graduated 1972

Affiliations:

  • American Association of Justice - Diplomat of Trail Advocacy
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American College of Trial Lawyers - Member
  • American Law Institute - Member
  • D.C. Bar - Member
  • D.C. Trial Lawyers Association - Trial Lawyer of The Year
  • Leadership Washington - Emeritus Member
  • Sigma Pi Phi Epsilon Boule - Archon
  • Super Lawyers - Member
  • The National Black Lawyers - Top 100 - Member
  • Washington Bar Association - Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
 

Q&A

Tell us a little bit about your practice and what makes it unique.

  • I limit my practice to representing people who are physically injured. I prepare every case to go to trial, therefore most cases settle before the jury delivers a verdict. I consider myself a trauma lawyer because all of my clients suffer the consequences of a catastrophic injury.

    For more than 30 years I have taught trial advocacy and personal injury law to lawyers across the nation. National experience teaching lawyer uniquely qualifies me to represent people who are catastrophically injured.

    I have a unique knowledge of D.C. Law and a special perspective of D.C. courts. For 8 years I served as a D.C. Councilmember, serving as chairperson of the Judiciary Committee . For 20 years I served as a member of the D.C. Judicial Tenure and Disabilities Commission
 

What common questions are you asked by clients, and what are your answers?

  • Clients often ask how long will it take to resolve their case. I tell them that we can not resolve their case until their injury heals.

    I believe it is unfair to the client to resolve their claim before they reach maximum medical improvement. The dollar value of every case is determine by the nature and extent of the injury. Only with this information can we obtain a fair recovery for the injured person.
 

Describe one of your most interesting or memorable cases in the past year.

  • I am currently representing the estate of a 12 year girl who had committed suicide in a D.C. public charter school. The school did not train its staff in suicide prevention as required by D.C. law furthermore the school did not notify the parent that the child had expressed suicidal thoughts. This case is pending in D.C. Superior Court where trial in expected in 2021.

    I currently represent the family of a man how died when a fire truck ran a red light. Also I represent a firefighter who was struck by a fire truck when it ran a stop sign. These case are pending in the D.C. Court system. My assertions are that for many year the D.C. Fire Department failed to train drivers in the national standard of safe driving . You may go the the news section of my website for TV News about these cases.
 

What is most challenging about your area(s) of expertise?

  • Sometimes doctors cause harm to their patients. Medical malpractice cases are challenging because I must know medicine almost as well as the doctor. The lawyer representing the doctors are specialist and well financed. Determining a meritorious case from a bad result requires much time reading medical literature as well as consultations with numerous health care professionals.
 

Were there any particular inspirations (people or events) that spurred your interest in your practice area(s)?

  • While a political science graduate student at Howard University, I became inspired to use the law as a tool for positive change. At that time I went to Mississippi where I observed numerous violations of the Voting Rights Law . Also in graduate school I petitioned the US government to deny a license to a South African gold mining corporation. The US Government in both cases told me that I did not know the law and that nothing will be done. That is when I decided to go to law school.
 

What other interests do you have?

  • I love playing golf with my friends in the "Pro-Duffers".
 

Anything else you’d like to share?

  • Regular exercise, good nutrition and happy a wife make a happy life.
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

May Lightfoot PLLC
https://www.maylightfootlaw.co...
 
1 Office Location
in 1 Country

United States

United States

District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

3200 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, Third Floor

Washington, DC 20032

United States

(202) 919.6463

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