Douglas E. Fierberg, Esq.

Doug Fierberg specializes in wrongful death, serious personal injury, sexual assault, business and other complex civil disputes and litigation. Across the country, Doug has served as lead counsel for numerous young victims of hazing, sexual assault or other deadly, dangerous or violent misconduct in school or institutional (camp, juvenile mental health and other) settings. In his business practice, Doug has represented national and local businesses as outside General Counsel, and in the prosecution and defense of numerous types of claims, including breach of contract, employment or other business agreements, and commercial torts.

Doug was President (2003-2004) of the National Advisory Board of the National Crime Victim Bar Association (“NCVBA”) and has continued serving as a member of the Board. NCVBA is comprised of lawyers and other professionals across the country who advocate for the rights of victims of crime, particularly with respect to victims’ rights to utilize the civil justice system to seek compensation and protect their interests.

Doug is a Founder and Chairperson of the national litigation group,Schools: Violence, Misconduct, and Safety, which operates within and under the authority of the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Doug is also a member of AAJ, the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., and the Bars of the District of Columbia and Maryland. Doug has been admitted to practice in federal, district and circuit courts serving Maryland and the District of Columbia, and he has been admittedpro hac vicein order to serve as lead counsel for wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases brought in numerous other state courts, including, among others, California, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Colorado, Virginia, Michigan, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Mississippi, Nevada, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Ohio. Doug was lead counsel for more than twenty families whose loved ones died or suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of the April, 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech University, which resulted in an historic settlement with the Commonwealth of Virginia. He continues to serve as counsel for the Charitable Purposes Fund established by the settlement.

Doug has appeared as an expert in a number of forums, such as national television (CNN, MSNBC and Fox Television) and radio programs in the United States and Canada. Cases in which Doug is serving as counsel have been featured on ABC 20/20 (multiple times) and Dateline, among others. Doug has been quoted in numerous articles on the subjects of injuries to students and related litigation (New York Times, Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, and others). Doug appeared as a legal expert on hazing on John McGlaughlin’s television production, “One-On-One,” and Kweisi Mfume’s television show, “The Bottom Line” (WBAL-CH11). Doug has lectured about the legal issues relating to campus safety and student injury at various universities and high schools, including Middlebury College and Wake Forest University.

Doug’s more recent publications include:Holding Universities, Campus Institutions, and Students Accountable for Mass Violence, Campus Crimes and Other Wrongdoing: Civil Justice for Victims at Virginia Tech and Other Schools, (AAJ 2009);School Safety: Threat Assessments, Rapid Response and Lockdowns, (ATLA, 2008 National Conference);Student Victims: Strategies and Issues for Successful Civil Litigation, (ATLA, 2007 National Conference, Education Program);Student Victims of Sexual Assault: An Overview of Administrative and Legal Remedies, (ATLA, 2006 National Conference, Education Program);Student Victims: An Overview of the Problem, Civil Litigation, and Related Proceedings, (National Student Legal Services Association, 2005 Conference);The Greek Industry: Strategies for Litigating Claims Involving Serious Injury, Death, Hazing, and Alcohol Misuse, (ATLA, 2005 National Conference, Education Program);Fraternity Litigation: A Basic Primer on the Status of Violence, Injury, Death, Alcohol Misuse, and Litigation Involving the Fraternity Industry, (ATLA, 2004 National Conference, Litigation at Sunrise);Victim Advocate, Representing Victims of Hazing and Other Group Violence on Campus, (Vol. 3, No. 2, Fall, 2001);Synthesis: Law and Policy in Higher Education, (Vol. 10, No. 3, Winter, 1999); and,The School Administrator: Hazing Prevention Deserves Attention, Too, (Vol. 57, No. 9, October 2000).

Doug graduated from the University of Michigan (BA, Psychology) with Class Honors in 1980, and received his law degree with Honors from the George Washington University National Law Center in 1988. Doug was a member of the George Washington Journal of International Law and Economics and Moot Court Board.

Education:

• J.D. with Honors, George Washington University National Law Center, 1988
• B.A., University of Michigan, with Class Honors in 1980

Publications:

• Holding Universities, Campus Institutions, and Students Accountable for Mass Violence, Campus Crimes and Other Wrongdoing: Civil Justice for Victims at Virginia Tech and Other Schools, (AAJ 2009).
• School Safety: Threat Assessments, Rapid Response and Lockdowns, (ATLA, 2008 National Conference).
• Student Victims: Strategies and Issues for Successful Civil Litigation, (ATLA, 2007 National Conference, Education Program).

Practicing: Civil Litigation, Wrongful Death - Hazing