Daniel E. "Dan" Danford

As part of the Business Litigation Service Group and Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group, Dan has over 25 years of experience in defending corporate and individual clients against an array of complex business and tort claims in state and federal courts. Dan has defended complex business claims in a variety of litigation contexts, including multi-plaintiff and class action lawsuits. This includes the defense of a number of corporate entities, including major health care clients, against claims for breach of contract, financial services disputes, credentialing and termination of physicians, etc. Likewise, Dan’s defense of tort claims has involved a number of individual and class action cases in the product liability arena, including the defense of claims against consumer products and pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and defense of mass tort litigation arising from chemical releases, gas explosions, etc.

In the administrative law context, Dan acts as counsel to the Hearing Committee of the United States Equestrian Federation. In that role, Dan has presided over hundreds of administrative hearings involving drug and medication violations, licensing disputes, abuse allegations, and other violations of Federation rules.

Dan has briefed and argued numerous cases before various appellate courts including the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and in 1999 argued and won a landmark case before the Kentucky Supreme Court extending the standard for expert admissibility to all expert witnesses.

Recent Assignments

• Engaged by a major health care client to reverse damaging rulings by the trial court in a negligent hiring and credentialing case. Strategic appellate moves resulted in the disqualification of the judge by the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court and protection of the client’s peer review privilege.
• Defended and favorably resolved multi-party claims for personal injury and property damage against a national environmental services entity arising from a natural gas explosion.
• Granted summary judgment in declaratory judgment action by a physician challenging the loss of Hospital privileges.
• Favorable settlement of federal court action involving contract, warranty, fraud, consumer protection, and punitive claims against supplier of medical billing software.
• Successfully resolved payment dispute for national consulting services vendor over provision of data analysis and recommendations for public safety departments to a city in Kentucky.
• Achieved dismissal for major chemical corporation in wrongful death action involving chemical exposure.
• Defended class action claims and an Attorney General action in Kentucky involving OxyContin.
• Defense of product liability suits involving Depo-Medrol, Paxil, vaginal mesh products, EpiPen, knee implants, recreational vehicle, and respirators.

Recent News, Articles & Speaking Engagement

• Down the Rabbit Hole: Assessing the Reach of Amended Rule 7.1, with Emily Larish Startsman, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, January 20, 2023

• Will COVID-19 Toll the Statute of Limitations in Product Liability Actions?, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, December 22, 2020

Community Involvement

• Lexington Rotary Club, Member
• First Alliance Church, Member and former Board of Directors
• Six Treasures, Board of Directors and Volunteer
• God's Pantry Food Bank, Volunteer and former Board of Directors

More Than Stites & Harbison

Dan is a member of the Lexington Rotary Club, serves in various teaching and leadership roles at First Alliance Church, and volunteers and serves on the board of Six Treasures, a ministry focused on woodworking events to engage in the lives of homeless men. Dan recently concluded his term on the board at God’s Pantry Food Bank. He remains actively involved with God’s Pantry and organizes the firm team for the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade, which packs thousands of Thanksgiving meals for distribution throughout its region.

An active husband and father, Dan is getting used to the idea of cheering for The Ohio State University now that his eldest daughter is attending graduate school there. He still looks forward to the day when his daughters can accompany him on a second trek along the Appalachian Trail