Dan Hartzog

Dan Hartzog is a seasoned trial attorney with more than 40 years of litigation experience in North Carolina.  He has tried over a hundred jury trials to conclusion with an exceptionally high number of defense verdicts.  In recent years, Dan has handled several highly publicized cases in both federal and state courts. He served as the firm’s Managing Partner from 1992 to 2015.

Through the years, Dan has honed his litigation skills by handling a broad range of civil litigation cases, including premises security and liability, liquor law liability, products liability, intentional torts, police liability and commercial litigation.

In 2013, Dan was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers.  Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or Canadian province.

Over the years, Dan has been routinely honored and recognized by his peers as one of the top lawyers in the area of personal injury litigation. Dan holds the rank of “Advocate” in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), which is only bestowed upon lawyers who have tried at least fifty jury trials to conclusion as lead counsel.  He also maintains an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, a prestigious peer review rating that recognizes attorneys who have reached high levels of skill and integrity.

A North Carolina native, Dan attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his undergraduate studies and law school.  He and his wife Tricia are residents of Raleigh.

Representative Matters

Cases or matters referenced do not represent the lawyer’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.

• Obtained a defense verdict in a federal court trial for four police officers in a case involving claims of excessive force and violations of constitutional rights.
• As lead counsel in a highly publicized case, Dan obtained a favorable jury verdict in a case against a housing authority involving multiple plaintiffs, arising out of exposure to carbon monoxide against a nationally prominent plaintiff’s counsel.
• Obtained a favorable defense verdict as lead counsel in a case involving the alleged brain injury to a child in a major retail store in which a display fell on the child. The jury verdict, which came after the longest civil trial in the history of Durham County, resulted in an award of only 2.5% of the amount demanded by the plaintiff.
• As lead counsel, successfully defended a housing authority in a case involving the death of a resident of a high rise facility for the elderly, which was alleged to have resulted from a criminal assault and inadequate security.