D. Leon Ashford

Personal Experience

Leon Ashford has been a trial lawyer for more than 47 years and has been the managing member at Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton for over 24 years. Throughout his career, Leon has a proven record of consistently obtaining multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements for his clients, their families and their small businesses. With great success in representing clients in complex litigation involving catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death, he has also been called to represent family-owned and closely held businesses in litigation where generations of success were on the line. When the stakes are high, he feels strongly that experienced trial lawyers and a team approach bring success in these cases for his clients.

Leon and his wife, Barbara, have been married for over 45 years. They have three children – David, Ben, and Laura – and five grandchildren – all boys! He is Alabama’s biggest fan, he loves to cook, and is an active member of Canterbury United Methodist Church. Leon has a big heart for others and proudly serves on the Advisory Board of Nick’s Kids Foundation, which is a foundation started by Nick and Terry Saban to promote and support children, family, teacher and student causes in the spirit of faith, giving and community (www.nickskidsfoundation.org).

Education

Born in 1948 and raised in Athens, Alabama, Leon was the first in his family to receive 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.

• University of Alabama, B.S. (1970)
• University of Alabama School of Law, J.D. (1973)

Notable Work

Leon 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 Leon 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.

Admitted

• Alabama (1973)
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
• United States Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

Affiliations

• Alabama Association for Justice
• Alabama Bar Association
• Alabama Law Foundation
• American Association for Justice
• American Bar Association
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• American College of Trial Lawyers
• Birmingham Bar Association
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers

Awards

• Alabama Super Lawyers (since its inception)
• Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015)
• 2017 CEO Awards Finalist by The Birmingham Business Journal
• Mid-South Super Lawyers® (2018, 2020)
• Top Attorneys by Super Lawyers Magazine (2008-2019)
• “Tier 1” Trial Lawyer by Chambers USA
• Litigation Star by Benchmark Plaintiff
• 2019 Benchmark State Litigation Stars
• B-Metro Top Flight Attorney Hall of Fame (2019)
• “Best Lawyer” by Best Lawyers in America (1990-2020)
• “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” by The National Trial Lawyers
• “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” by Lawdragon
• AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell