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Practice
Engaged in general practice with an emphasis on transportation
products liability, including automotive and aviation products/ mishap
trespass/automobile fire loss/arson/property loss premises liability subrogation
actions.
Professional Background
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania in 1983. Also admitted to
practice before the United States District Court for the Western
District of Pennsylvania; the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Commissioned Officer, United States Marine Corps Reserve since 1976.
Professional/Civic Activities
Member: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations;
Defense Research Institute;
Pennsylvania Defense Institute;
Pennsylvania Association of Arson Investigators.
Education
Dickinson College (B.A., 1975)
Duquesne University School of Law (J.D., 1983)
Up Close And Personal
A former Marine, Dan Lawson is the kind of gutsy defense
attorney every client loves to have. Once when a company was accused of negligence because
of an unsafe working condition on a roof involving electricity, Dan climbed to the top of
the building, replicated the situation, turned on the electrical juice, and walked away
safely. The lawsuit was quickly dropped. No wonder he has become one of Meyer Darragh's
most sought-after attorneys in personal injury and product liability cases.
Dan was born near the Allegheny Forest, up in God's country in north central Pennsylvania.
That may explain his love of the outdoors, his skill with firearms, and his active
interest in defending manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers of outdoor recreational
equipment. His last two years in high school were spent at the Kiski School in Saltsburg
from which he entered Dickinson College where he majored in English.
After graduation, Dan joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was commissioned an officer. His
four years of active duty led to nine years of reserves from which he retired as a major
in 1988. In the meantime, Dan attended Duquesne University School of Law, joining Meyer
Darragh upon graduation in 1983. He became a partner in 1988 and has served on several
management committees of the firm. Dan is a member of the Defense Research Institute and
the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, and he is the author of a recent article on lawsuits
against gun manufacturers published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Dan's quiet demeanor conceals a no-nonsense style which makes him the perfect lawyer for
companies with serious liability claims or potentially high profile cases. He has
represented entertainment facilities which feature rock stars, suppliers of scaffolding,
gun manufacturers, lumber companies, and owners of riverboat vessels. And he is the
coordinating counsel for Cendant Mobility, a major executive relocation company. At Meyer
Darragh, Dan heads up the outdoor pursuits practice group and is a founding member of the
Fire Brigade, a team of firm lawyers trained in fire defense work, including arson
investigation. |
