Joseph Cammarata

Joseph Cammarata is a dual board-certified civil trial attorney, nationally known for his tenacity and perseverance in zealously representing clients in all stages of litigation.  He had handled, many high-profile cases, and won a unanimous decision from the United States Supreme Court guaranteeing all individuals the right to equal access to justice, even against formidable, powerful opponents such as the President of the United States. He is the former President of the Trial Lawyers’ Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC.

Mr. Cammarata is the incoming Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group. He is a founder of the Brain Injury Association of DC, Inc. He drafted legislation which became the law known as the “Athletic Concussion Protection Act of 2011” enacted to protect youth athletes from the known risks of a concussion.

Washingtonian magazine has consistently named him one of the metropolitan Washington, DC area’s top attorneys in every survey year since 1997.  Mr. Cammarata was named a “Super Lawyer” of the Washington, DC area every year since 2007, and named one of the top 100 Super Lawyers during the same period.

NY (1984), DC (1985), MD (1992), VA (1993)

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (B.S.F.S., 1980)

St. John’s University School of Law (J.D., 1983)

Pace University Lubin Graduate School of Business (Cert. of Adv. Grad. Stdy. in Acctg., 1984)

Georgetown University Law Center (Masters of Law in Tax, 1987)

Named “Super Lawyer” of the Washington, DC area every year since 2007

Named one of the top 100 Super Lawyers in Washington, D.C. in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021

Named one of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area’s top attorneys by Washingtonian Magazine in every survey year since 1997

Marquis Who’s Who: Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, 2021

Named one of U.S. News-Best Lawyers® every year since 2019

Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Ratings: AV “Preeminent,” 1999-present

U.S. Department of Justice, Outstanding Attorney Award, 1989

Past President, Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Incoming Chair, Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association for Justice

New York State, Maryland State, District of Columbia and Virginia Bar Associations

The American Association for Justice

Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Maryland Trial Lawyers Association

President, Virginia Chapter of National Medical Malpractice Advocacy Association

1. Jones v. Clinton. Lead counsel for Paula Jones in her claim against President Bill Clinton. Won a unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court guaranteeing all individuals the right to equal access to justice, even against formidable, powerful opponents such as the President of the United States.

2. Green, et al. v. Bill Cosby. Filed lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts against Bill Cosby for defamation on behalf of seven women who claim they were sexually abused and/or assaulted by Mr. Cosby. The case settled to the satisfaction of each woman.

3. Jane Doe v. The Georgetown Synagogue – Kesher Israel Congregation, et al. Successfully represented women, in a class action lawsuit, who were secretly videotaped while participating in a spiritual bathing ritual. The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia against the synagogue which employed the rabbi who did the videotaping, the mikvah where the ritual was performed, and the Rabbinical Counsel which oversaw the conversion process. The Court approved the settlement of the case and the distribution of the settlement proceeds to the class members.

4. Jane Roe 1, et al. v. Latin American Montessory Bilingual Public Charter School, et al. Filed lawsuit in the D.C. Superior Court on behalf of six children and their parents against a District of Columbia charter school and its former teacher for alleged sexual assault and/or abuse of the children. The Court approved the settlement of each case to the satisfaction of each family.

5. Group Home Litigation. Successfully represented developmentally disabled citizens of the District of Columbia in litigation against the District and its contractors for negligence and violation of their civil rights. The litigation led to reform in the group home system to improve care for developmentally disabled individuals.

6. Athletic Concussion Protection Act of 2011 of Washington, D.C. Drafted the most comprehensive legislation ever enacted in the nation designed to protect youth athletes from the known risks of a concussion.

7. Frank Harris, Jr. Offset Justice Amendment Act of 2007. Successfully lobbied for enactment of the Frank Harris, Jr. Offset Justice Amendment Act of 2007, to prevent the District of Columbia from offsetting the cost of support of a person whenever the District has been found negligent in the care for that person. The law was named after a client of the law firm.

“Access to Justice.” Essay published in Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Larry King, ed., Phoenix Books, 2006. Advocated for full, prompt access to justice for all Americans as a fundamental right.

• Commissioner, Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, and Use of Force Subcommittee Member, Fairfax County, Virginia, 2015
  • Engaged the community in a process to recommend changes to help Fairfax County achieve its goals of maintaining a safe community, ensuring a culture of public trust and making sure County policies provided for the fair and timely resolution of police-involved incidents.

• Member, Council for Court Excellence, Jury Project: Jury Service in the 21^st Century, 2014
• Member, Board of Directors, Fairfax Water Authority, 2012 – present
  • Fairfax Water is Virginia’s largest water utility serving one out of every five Virginians who obtain water from public utilities, which is approximately 2 million people. The water quality is excellent and consistently surpasses all federal and state standards.

• President, Co-Founder, Brain Injury Association of D.C., 2007 – present
  • The Brain Injury Association of D.C. is a non-profit organization devoted to assist persons suffering from a brain injury through prevention, research, education and advocacy.

• Member, Area Plans Review, Mt. Vernon, Virginia Task Force, 2010
• Member, Mt. Vernon, Virginia Visioning Task Force, 2010 – 2011
• Chairman, Public Safety Committee of Visioning Task Force, 2010 – 2011
• Member, Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1994-1997; (Chairman, 1995-1997)
  • The Board reviews and coordinates all phases of planning for the Criminal Justice System.

• Chairman, Community Initiative to Reduce Youth Violence, Fairfax, Virginia, 1996-1997
  • Developed a comprehensive plan to combine public and private sector resources to coordinate efforts to reduce youth violence. To implement the plan, the Fairfax Partnership for Youth was created.

• Director, Fairfax Partnership for Youth, Inc., 1997-1998
  • An independent non-profit organization founded in May 1997, formed through a partnership of the public and private sectors, to reduce youth violence and promote positive youth development.

• Past Chairman of the Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival
  • Formerly the largest outdoor fundraising event of the American Red Cross.