David Lail’s practice focuses on helping people that have experienced a life-changing event or crisis and found themselves with a real fight on their hands – a fight that many times involves powerful and connected interests on the other side. Regardless of the opposition, his approach remains the same – build the strongest case possible for trial and let the results speak for themselves.
Since he began practicing law in 2011, Lail has helped achieve over $184 million on behalf of injured clients – including over $54 million in jury verdicts and more than $60 million for victims of drunk driving.
Lail devotes much of his practice representing drunk driving victims in Dram Shop Litigation and has written extensively on this niche practice area. Lail is a principal author of the book, “South Carolina Dram Shop Litigation: A Practice Guide” and is a contributing co-author of, “South Carolina Damages, Second Edition, Dram Shop Liability”, both published by the South Carolina Bar. In addition, Lail is co-author of, “Dram Shop Discovery”, published the American Association for Justice’s (AAJ) Trial Magazine.
Lail also speaks regularly on representing victims and has conducted numerous trainings, presentations, and CLEs on Dram Shop Litigation for law enforcement agencies, the South Carolina Bar, The Charleston School of Law, the South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ), The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), and Strafford Publications. Lail was also interviewed as part of the South Carolina Business Review’s report, “Dram Shop Risk on the Rise in SC”. A recording of the interview can be heard here. Lail has also presented courses on Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Injury Cases, Insurance Bad Faith, Jury Trial Techniques, Depositions Tactics, and Mediation Practices.
As a lawyer advocate for victims, Lail is a Board Member of MADD South Carolina, a member of The National Crime Victim Bar Association, The National Organization for Victim Assistance (VOCA), The National Alliance of Victims’ Rights Attorneys & Advocates (NAVRA) and he has undergone victim advocacy training through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC).
Lail is a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 and South Carolina Super Lawyers. Lail is also a Board Member of the South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ), a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), and he is also licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia.
David has learned that individuals who have been injured or harmed often feel powerless and faced with problems that seem insurmountable. In response, he works to solve those problems and provide the counsel needed to help his clients get their lives back on track with the remedy they deserve. David has recovered significant compensation for clients in a variety of cases including: dram shop actions, motor vehicle collisions, road defects, bad faith insurance practices, product defects, child abuse at school, nursing home negligence and abuse, medical malpractice, dog bites, and negligence by retail stores, hotels, homeowners, and school districts for premises injuries, among others.
David received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Kentucky, an M.B.A. from The Citadel, highest honors, and a J.D., cum laude, from the Charleston School of Law where he was an Associate Articles Editor of the Charleston Law Review, a member of the Charleston School of Law Moot Court Board, and a Teaching Fellow in the Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing Department. During his legal study, David received CALI Awards for the highest law school grade in: Torts, Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing I & II, and Pleadings & Practice.
David lives in Charleston with his wife, Lauren, and their two children, Evie and Hugh.
Charleston School of Law, JD, Cum Laude
The Citadel, MBA, Highest Honors
University of Kentucky, BBA, Finance
South Carolina Super Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100
MADD South Carolina, Board Member
The National Crime Victim Bar Association
The National Organization for Victim Assistance
The National Alliance of Victims' Rights Attorneys & Advocates
South Carolina Association for Justice, Board Member
American Association for Justice
South Carolina Bar
District of Columbia Bar
Five of our seven attorneys have been named as 2020 Super Lawyers Honorees or Rising Star Honorees, and our founding partner, David Yarborough, has been selected to the Top 10 in Charleston and Top 25 in South Carolina.
Membership in this exclusive organization is by invitation only and is limited to the top attorneys in each state who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers.
Yarborough Applegate is once again honored to be represented in the South Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Attorneys David B. Yarborough, Jr. and William E. Applegate, IV have both been named to the Top 10 in Charleston and Top 25 in South Carolina lists. Attorneys Douglas E. Jennings, David Lail and Christopher Bryant […]
In honor of Alcohol Awareness Month, we wanted to tell our readers a bit about our partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD. We often represent victims of drunk driving and know first-hand the devastating effects these tragedies have on the victims and their loved ones. We fight for these victims and against the […]
Late last month, the South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ) elected attorney David Lail to its Board of Governors as a representative of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. This honor comes on the heels of another recent award for Lail, being selected to the 2017 South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, which is a status […]
Three of Yarborough Applegate’s attorneys were named 2017 South Carolina Super Lawyers. We congratulate David Yarborough, William Applegate, and David Lail for receiving a recognition that fewer than five percent of lawyers receive. We are also proud to announce that David Lail, a part of our team since 2011, was named a Super Lawyers Rising […]
Every year, South Carolina Lawyers Weekly compiles a list of the top million-dollar settlements in the state reported in its newspaper. Since 2011, Yarborough Applegate has appeared on this list every year, always securing at least 3 spots. In 2016, Yarborough Applegate earned 8 of the 18 spots on the list totaling $18.15 million in […]
Every year, The National Trial Lawyers releases their Top 40 Under 40 list. The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 is a professional organization comprised of America’s top young trial attorneys. Membership into the Top 40 Under 40 is by invitation only and is extended exclusively to those plaintiffs’ lawyers who meet stringent qualifications. Yarborough Applegate […]
Plaintiffs’ lawyer David Lail has been selected to the 2016 South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5% of South Carolina lawyers are selected to receive this distinguished honor. Lail’s work representing plaintiffs, primarily in personal injury litigation, was the basis for his selection to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars […]
