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Douglas A. Winegardner

Favorite Book: Wrath by my son Ryan Winegardner

Douglas Winegardner brings in-depth knowledge and integrity when serving clients in aviation litigation, admiralty and maritime law, and insurance coverage and insurance litigation.

A former U.S. Navy JAG Corps Officer and Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Doug has experience litigating complex cases in courts throughout the country. Whether you’re in the aviation or maritime industries or in a general liability insurance industry, Doug is ready to support your success at every step.

Doug brings leadership to our Sands Anderson team, serving as chair of the Aviation and Admiralty team, as well as a member of our Litigation Group. Prior to joining our firm in 2001, Doug served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He was assigned first as a defense attorney and later served as prosecutor in Central- and Southern Florida. He also worked at JAG’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. concentrating on Admiralty and Maritime law. Doug also served in the Navy Reserve from 2001 to 2004, handling general litigation for the Navy Department.

Additionally, Doug worked for two years as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Aviation and Admiralty Litigation Section in Washington, D.C. While there, he represented various agencies in aviation and maritime lawsuits including:

  • Department of Transportation
  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • National Weather Service
  • Military Departments

These experiences have provided him with the thorough legal support and in-depth perspectives to help each client come out ahead.

When not in the office, Doug enjoys staying active, riding motorcycles, and spending time with his wife, two sons and their German Shepard, Sauerkraut.

Education & Admissions

Education

Ohio University
B.S.J., E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, 1990

Capital University Law School
J.D., Order of the Curia, 1994

Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Services

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

U.S. Supreme Court

Virginia

Ohio (inactive)

Honors & Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America® in Admiralty and Maritime Law & Litigation - Insurance, 2016 - 2024

"Legal Elite", Virginia Business magazine, Alternative Dispute Resolution 2011-2023

Aviation Insurance Association Eagle Society

Experience

  • Defended accidental bombing litigation in Vieques, Puerto Rico
  • Defended the United States in the civil litigation stemming from the Marine Corps jet’s collision with a ski gondola in Cavalese, Italy
  • Represented airlines and ground support companies in airport accidents
  • Represented airports in ground collision of airliner with truck
  • Represented insurance companies in coverage opinions and insurance policy litigation
  • Represented utility company in 5 -fatal helicopter crash
  • Represented utility company and insurer in 3-fatal hot air balloon crash
  • Tried or otherwise handled in a wide variety of other cases including major aviation disasters, major ship collisions and shipboard accidents, and a variety of aviation and maritime accident suits

Affiliations

Community

Ashland Little League, Baseball Coach/Manager, 2004 - present

Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society, Virginia Aviation Museum, Board of Directors 2014-2016, President 2016 – 2017

Professional

Aviation Insurance Association, Inducted into Eagle Society in 2014

DRI Aviation Committee, Former Membership Chairman

Federal Bar Association

International Aviation and Transportation Safety Bar Association, (Formerly: National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association)

Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association

Maritime Law Association

Organization of Flying Adjusters

Southeast Admiralty Law Institute

U.S. Navy JAG Corps, 1994-2000

U.S. Navy Reserve, Lieutenant Commander 2001-2004

Virginia Association of Defense Lawyers

News & Insights

Insights

"The Anti-False Testimony Principle And The Fundamentals Of Ethical Preparation Of Deposition Witnesses", Catholic University Law Review, V59:1, 2009, with Stephen M. Goldman, Ph.D., Esq.

"Behind Closed Doors: Preventing False Deposition Testimony", Journal of the Section of Litigation, Summer 2010, V 34, N 4, with Stephen M. Goldman, Ph.D., Esq. (link requires ABA membership)

News

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