Daniel A. Griffith

Named one of Delaware’s 13 “Most Influential People in Law” by Delaware News Journal, Mr. Griffith is the Managing Partner of Whiteford's Delaware office and co-chairs the firm's Tort and Insurance Litigation Section. He handles professional liability matters, class action and multi-district litigation, business disputes, complex insurance issues, civil rights matters and a wide range of other litigation. In addition to representing professionals (attorneys, insurance professionals, private and public employers and police officers) in litigated matters, he represents commercial and personal insurance carriers, multi-national corporations, municipal entities and state governments. Mr. Griffith focuses his practice on civil rights litigation, complex insurance coverage matters and litigation arising from business disputes.

He has significant trial experience in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mr. Griffith has tried cases in a wide variety of areas, including copyright infringement, insurance coverage/bad faith, employment discrimination, municipal liability, civil rights and professional negligence. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court as well as numerous inferior courts and is a frequent writer and lecturer on issues relating to civil trial practice, including ethics, federal pre-trial practice, expert issues and building civil trial skills.

Recognitions

• Fellow: Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
• Benchmark Litigation, Delaware (2010–Present)
• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Insurance Law (2024-2026); Litigation-Insurance (2024-2027), Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2024-2026), Litigation-Real Estate (2026), Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions- Defendants (2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year, Wilmington, Delaware for Litigation – Insurance (2027)
• Delaware News Journal, Most Influential People in Law (2023)
• Chambers USA, Business Litigation, Delaware (2009)
• Delaware Super Lawyers (2025-2026)

Memberships & Activities

• Member: American Bar Association
• Member:  Delaware State Bar Association
• Member:  New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member:  Defense Research Institute: Professionalism and Ethics Committee

Business Litigation

• Counsel to bank and accounts receivable management companies in defense of federal claims brought under Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
• Represented Independent Sales Organization (ISO) in federal litigation against bank involving credit and debit card processing of merchant accounts. 
• Represented seller of credit-card accounts receivable in federal litigation arising out of alleged breach of Purchase-and-Sale Agreement.   

Civil Rights Litigation

• Represented medical provider to Delaware's inmate population in federal claim by 19 inmates that nurse's use of contaminated needle exposed inmates' to blood-borne illnesses, including HIV and Hepatitis.
• Represented municipality in claim by mayoral candidate that the city violated his First Amendment rights in connection with campaign advertising.
• Represents numerous Delaware municipalities and counties in defense of constitutional claims arising out of alleged wrongful arrests, excessive use of force, unwarranted taser incidents, denial of land use applications and employment discrimination.

Professional Liability Defense

• Represents patient advocacy service in claim alleging breach of fiduciary duty arising out of court-appointed guardianship
• Represents law firm in complex legal malpractice claim arising out of a series of real estate and financial transactions involving multiple developers, financial institutions and attorneys.
• Represented attorneys and law firm in legal malpractice claim alleging negligence and fraudulent misrepresentations in connection with underlying toxic tort claim.

Intellectual Property Litigation

• Represented internet provider of membership discount programs in defense of copyright infringement claim.
• Counsel for multi-national electronics company in patent infringement litigation involving digital television system.
• Delaware counsel for national transportation company in patent infringement claim involving electronic fleet management systems.

Insurance Coverage Litigation

• Represented insurance carrier in complex federal coverage litigation involving underlying environmental exposure and remediation.
• Counsel for multi-national personal and commercial lines insurance carrier in federal coverage action arising out of underlying wrongful death action.
• Counsel for primary insurance carrier in multi-million dollar insurance coverage action arising out of underlying product liability claim.

Land Use/Real Estate Litigation

• Represented Sussex County in federal civil rights action/claim for injunctive relief arising out of denial of Conditional Use Permit for developer's construction of commercial office buildings.
• Represented municipality in developer's claims for money damages and injunctive relief following denial of application or use variance.
• Represented Kent County in appeal from/challenge to County's denial of developer's application for Conditional Use Permit for expansion of commercial asphalt/recycling plant.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• One of only 9 attorneys in the State of Delaware named to the Roster of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). The AAA is the nation's leading provider of alternative dispute resolution, and its national Roster of Neutrals consists of accomplished and respected experts from the legal and business communities. Candidates are appointed based upon exceptional qualifications, accomplishments and professional stature.

Labor & Employment Litigation

• Represents municipal employer in federal suit by city's former IT director alleging employer's violation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Represents employees in claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in claims alleging gender discrimination and retaliatory discharge
• Represents police department in employment claim by former officer alleging discrimination on the basis of religion

Healthcare and Medical Malpractice Litigation

• Represents doctors and nurses in numerous claims alleging medical malpractice in state and federal courts
• Represents medical professionals in disciplinary actions before Delaware's Division of Professional Regulation

Municipal

• Represents numerous Delaware police departments and other branches of county and state government in claims ranging from wrongful arrest and excessive force (i.e., use of taser or canine, etc.) to property damage from sewer back-ups and personal injuries from alleged negligence by governmental employees.

Speaker: THE CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: REEXAMINING ACQUITTAL (National Business Institute National Webinar, March 31 , 2025)

Speaker: SECTION 1983 CLAIMS AND GOVERNMENT LIABILITY: LITIGATION, ENFORCEMENT, AND GUIDANCE UPDATE  (National Business Institute National Webinar, July 11, 2023)

Moderator: HOT TOPICS AND TRENDS IN POLICE LIABILITY (National Business Institute National Webinar, June 2, 2023)

Speaker: WHAT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? (Delaware State Bar Association Seminar, May 11, 2023)

Interviewed: TWITTER TAKES ELON MUSK TO COURT, ACCUSING HIM OF BAD FAITH AND HYPOCRISY (NPR, July 12, 2022)

Speaker: DEFENDING EXCESSIVE FORCE CLAIMS (Delaware Police Chiefs’ Council Staff Development Seminar, October 20, 2021)

Speaker: NOVEL CLAIMS FROM A NOVEL VIRUS: CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE CLAIMS ARISING FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, Spring Conference, April 27, 2021)

Speaker: WHAT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST (Delaware State Bar Association, Fundamentals of Lawyer-Client Relations Webinar, March 10, 2021)

Speaker: ETHICAL ISSUES IN INMATE LAWSUITS: SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST COMMON ETHICAL CHALLENGES (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, December 10, 2020, Webinar)

Speaker: EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE BY POLICE: HOT BUTTON ISSUES AND CASE LAW (National Business Institute, July 23, 2020, Live Teleconference)

Author and Speaker: APPLICATION OF NCCHC STANDARDS TO INMATE LAWSUITS: CURRENT TRENDS AND USEFUL TIPS (National Commission on Correctional Health Care Annual Spring Conference, May 4, 2020, Atlanta, GA)

Author and Speaker: DEPOSITIONS 101: HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS FOR YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYER (National Commission on Correctional Health Care Annual Fall Conference, November 7, 2017, Chicago, Il)

Author and Speaker: SUPERVISORY LIABILITY IN INMATE LAWSUITS: A CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE LEADER’S ROLE IN LITIGATION (National Commission on Correctional Health Care Annual Leadership Conference, July 15, 2016, Boston, MA)

Author and Speaker: ETHICAL ISSUES IN INMATE LITIGATION – SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST COMMON CHALLENGES (National Commission on Correctional Health Care Annual Fall Conference, October 21, 2014, Las Vegas, NV)

Author and Speaker: ANATOMY OF A CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE LAWSUIT – FROM INITIAL GRIEVANCE THROUGH TRIAL CHALLENGES (National Commission on Correctional Health Care Annual Fall Conference, October 21, 2014, Las Vegas, NV)

Author and Speaker: DEPOSITIONS PROCEDURE AND EXPERT TIPS (National Business Institute - September, 2011)

Author and Speaker: WHAT THE CIVIL COURT JUDGES WANT YOU TO KNOW (National Business Institute, September, 2007)

Moderator: A VIEW FROM THEIR BENCH: EVIDENCE & EXPERT TESTIMONY BEST PRACTICES, (National Business Institute Trial Practice l Judicial Forum - Wilmington, Delaware - November 21, 2008)

Author and Speaker: EFFECTIVE FEDERAL PRE-TRIAL PRACTICE (National Business Institute, February, 2007)

Author and Speaker: BUILDING YOUR CIVIL TRIAL SKILLS (National Business Institute, December, 2006)

Author and Speaker: GETTING YOUR EVIDENCE AND EXPERT TESTIMONY ADMITTED INTO COURT IN DELAWARE (National Business Institute, February, 2006)

Author and Speaker: MANAGING ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE IN DELAWARE (National Business Institute, December, 2005)

Author and Speaker: LEGAL ETHICS IN DELAWARE: SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST COMMON ETHICAL CHALLENGES (National Business Institute, December, 2004)

Speaker: HOW TO AVOID BEING THE TARGET OF A LEGAL MALPRACTICE CLAIM IN DELAWARE (National Business Institute, 2004)