Atty. L. Dante' diTrapano
Dante' diTrapano began his career in the legal industry in 1990 as an investigator for his late father's law firm, DiTrapano & Jackson. His father, Rudolph L.
Profile Summary
About L. Dante' diTrapano at a glance
L. Dante' diTrapano is a Partner based in Charleston, West Virginia, practicing at Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC. They have 32+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1994. Their practice focuses on sexual harassment, medical malpractice, personal injury, employment, and estate litigation. Admitted to practice in Georgia (1994) and West Virginia U.S. District Court, Northern District of West Virginia U.S. District Court, Southern (1995). Educated at John Marshall Law School (J.D. Summa, 1994) and Manatee Community College (A.A. Trial, 1984). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of West Virginia Association for Justice. Serands clients in Charleston, WV and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Dante' diTrapano began his career in the legal industry in 1990 as an investigator for his late father's law firm, DiTrapano & Jackson
- His father, Rudolph L. DiTrapano (1928-2017), was a highly respected and successful lawyer in West Virginia who inspired Dante' to go to law school through a number of high-profile trials, including a case the elder DiTrapano successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court
- Dante' attended John Marshall Law School, where he graduated summa cum laude and was the 1994 Valedictorian
- Dante' successfully represented the law school in trial advocacy competitions across the country
- Dante' is AV Preeminent Peer Rated, an honor bestowed by Martindale-Hubbell for achieving the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge and experience, analytical capability, judgment, communications, and ethical standards
- Dante’ was appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the West Virginia Association for Justice for the 2025-2026 term
- Previously, Dante' was appointed to serve on the Board of Governors of the West Virginia Association for Justice for the 2023-2024 term
- WVAJ is a volunteer bar association for West Virginia attorneys and paralegals to protect access to state and federal courts, the civil justice system, and the 7th Amendment of the U.S
- Constitution, which is the right to a jury trial
- In 2026, Dante’ was selected to the West Virginia Super Lawyers list for Personal Injury General: Plaintiff
- Super Lawyers is a peer-nominated distinction held by no more than 5% of a state’s lawyers
- Super Lawyers, which is part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement
- Dante' has extensive courtroom and trial experience and enjoys the reputation of being a tenacious litigator in the representation of his clients
- Dante's negotiation skills have also served his clients well over the years, yielding results in the hundreds of millions of dollars
- In 2000, Dante' negotiated a $75 million contract for former client and NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss
- At the time, it was the largest salary negotiated for a wide receiver in NFL history
- More recently, as lead negotiator, Dante' impressively resolved three separate class action/mass tort cases with financial recovery totaling, in the aggregate, more than $375 million
- As lead counsel, Dante’ took an inmate injury case to trial for the estate of a man who died while incarcerated at Huttonsville Correctional Center in Huttonsville, West Virginia
- The trial took place in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, in November 2022
- The jury returned a verdict, in favor of the estate, in the amount of $711,000 against the WV Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
- The jury determined that corrections officials were “deliberately indifferent” to the inmate’s medical needs, ultimately causing his death
- In November 2024, Dante’ was lead trial counsel in a medical malpractice, wrongful death case in the 8th Judicial Circuit in and for Alachua County, Florida
- The Gainesville jury returned a verdict, in favor of Dante’s client, for $1.5 million, finding there was a failure to diagnose an internal hernia and small bowel ischemia on an abdominal CT Scan
- In 2025, Dante's clients were honored by the West Virginia Association for Justice for their perseverance in a five-year civil rights case on behalf of the family of a detainee who died in state custody
- During trial, a former jail guard exposed that the detainee had died of positional asphyxia after allegations that the guards had abused and smothered him for several minutes, leading to significant public attention and recognition of the need for systemic reform
- The case resulted in a maximum recovery from the State’s insurance fund, marking an important milestone in West Virginia civil rights accountability.Dante' also currently serves as Class Counsel on behalf of a nationwide class of former detainees in Spurlock, et al. v
- Wexford Health Sources, Inc., pending in the U.S
- District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Huntington Division (Civil Action No. 3:23-0476), involving claims that incarcerated individuals were denied medically necessary treatment in violation of their civil rights
- Dante' also currently serves as Class Counsel on behalf of a nationwide class of former detainees in Spurlock, et al. v
- Wexford Health Sources, Inc., pending in the U.S
- District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Huntington Division (Civil Action No. 3:23-0476), involving claims that incarcerated individuals were denied medically necessary treatment in violation of their civil rights
- Dante' has tried cases to verdict for serious injuries and wrongful deaths in the following areas of practice: prison abuse, civil rights violations, commercial trucking accidents, parcel service trucking accidents (UPS), waste disposal trucking accidents (BFI), medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, property flooding, breach of fiduciary duty, dog bites, and auto accidents
- In addition to West Virginia, he has litigated cases across the country in numerous states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas
- Dante' is a native of Charleston and resides there with his wife, Teri
- They have four children and six grandchildren
- Dante’ enjoys vacationing with his family and extended family
- Because he previously conquered his own difficulties with substance abuse and has become an inspiration to others, Dante' spends a considerable amount of his free time helping members of the community who struggle with substance abuse
- He has spoken to numerous recovery groups, jail populations, patients at treatment facilities, and professional assistance programs
- In February 2025, Dante' was asked to speak during the West Virginia Association for Justice's Mid-Winter Convention & Seminar
- His presentation, 'Resilience in Recovery: A Story of Addiction, Redemption, and Rebuilding a Legal Career,' was met with extraordinarily positive feedback
- Dante’ was also the keynote speaker at the inaugural West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program (WVJLAP) retreat in April 2019
- The WVJLAP also recognized Dante’ in 2022 with the Chief Justice Award for his Peer Volunteer Service
- He has also visited Mount Olive Correctional Complex as part of a Prison Ministry and brought his message of faith, hope, and perseverance to the inmates
- Dante' regularly supports Maranatha Fellowship, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Kanawha Valley Fellowship Home, youth sports, and various local 12-step recovery groups
- He also competes in local tennis events and has a standing game every Saturday morning
Practice Areas Explained
L. Dante' diTrapano's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases L. Dante' diTrapano handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
L. Dante' diTrapano is one of 6,021 sexual harassment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse sexual harassment attorneys in West Virginia →
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
L. Dante' diTrapano is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in West Virginia →
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.
L. Dante' diTrapano is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in West Virginia →
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
L. Dante' diTrapano is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in West Virginia →
L. Dante' diTrapano is one of 20,023 estate litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse estate litigation attorneys in West Virginia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in West Virginia
Practicing law in West Virginia. Legal matters in West Virginia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Charleston are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate West Virginia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in West Virginia 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 West Virginia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional West Virginia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Charleston or all attorneys in West Virginia.
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