Atty. D. Leon Ashford
Leon Ashford has been a trial lawyer for 42 years. Throughout the course of his career, Mr.
Profile Summary
About D. Leon Ashford at a glance
D. Leon Ashford is a medical malpractice, personal injury, business, product liability, and litigation attorney based in Birmingham, Alabama, practicing at Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton LLP. Educated at The University of Alabama (J.D., 1973). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in Birmingham, AL and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Leon Ashford has been a trial lawyer for 42 years
- Throughout the course of his career, Mr. Ashford has a proven record of consistently obtaining multimillion dollar jury verdicts and settlements for his clients, their families and their small businesses
- Though he has always focused his practice on complex litigation involving catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death, he has recently been called upon to represent family-owned and closely held businesses in litigation which threatened generations of success
- When the stakes are high, he feels strongly that an experienced trial lawyer is an integral part of the team approach to litigation of complex business disputes
- In addition to his busy law practice, he has been Hare Wynn’s managing partner since 1996
- Born in 1948 and raised in Athens, Alabama, Mr. Ashford was the first in his family to get a college education
- He attended the University of Alabama on an Athletic Scholarship as a student trainer and earned his undergraduate degree in 1970
- That same year, he was lettered by Coach Paul W. Bryant and became a member of the University of Alabama “A” Club
- Encouraged by Coach Bryant to attend law school, he then earned his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1973
- Mr. Ashford has remained close to Alabama’s Athletic Department, representing two former head football coaches and the former women’s gymnastics coach
- In 1994, the University Administration and Office of General Counsel asked Mr. Ashford and the firm to represent the Faculty Athletics Representative before the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee
- In the first successful appeal in NCAA history, the good name of the Faculty Athletics Representative was cleared and many of the sanctions against the Athletic Department were overturned
- He has also represented the current head-coach and members of his staff
- Honored by his peers as a trial lawyer, Mr. Ashford is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the Alabama Law Foundation
- He has been included in the Best Lawyers in America® for the past 24 years and in Alabama Super Lawyers since its inception
- In 2010, Best Lawyers® named him Birmingham “Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year” and, in 2012, Birmingham “Lawyer of the Year for Bet-the-Company Litigation.” According to Best Lawyers®, these “Lawyer of the Year” honors reflect the high level of respect Mr. Ashford has earned among his peers for ability, professionalism, and integrity
- Since 2008, Mr. Ashford has been named one of the top ten attorneys in the State of Alabama by Super Lawyers magazine and was featured on its cover in 2009
- For many years, Mr. Ashford has been profiled by Chambers USA as a “Tier 1″ trial lawyer for personal injury and business litigation
- Benchmark Plaintiff includes Mr. Ashford as a “Litigation Star” in its national ranking of personal injury lawyers
- Mr. Ashford and his wife, Barbara, have been married for forty years
- They have three children – David, Ben, and Laura – and four grandchildren – all boys!
- He is an active member of Canterbury United Methodist Church
- He also proudly serves on the Advisory Board of Nick's Kids Foundation
Practice Areas Explained
D. Leon Ashford's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases D. Leon Ashford handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
D. Leon Ashford is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Alabama →
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
D. Leon Ashford is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Alabama →
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
D. Leon Ashford is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Alabama →
D. Leon Ashford is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in Alabama →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
D. Leon Ashford is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Alabama →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Alabama
Practicing law in Alabama. Legal matters in Alabama are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Birmingham are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Alabama state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Alabama brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Alabama courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Alabama attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Birmingham or all attorneys in Alabama.
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