Daniel Roberts Pilkington

Dan Pilkington is a member at the firm of Watson, Roach, Batson and Lauderback in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mr. Pilkington practices civil litigation in federal and state courts, with an emphasis on public officials and law enforcement. His experience includes defending municipal clients in civil rights actions, including police misconduct ligation.

An East Tennessee native, Dan Pilkington attended East Tennessee State University where he obtained his Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law. Mr. Pilkington was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 2005. In addition, he is also admitted before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Mr. Pilkington has represented municipalities and police officers in all levels of courts within the State of Tennessee including the Tennessee Supreme Court. He has successfully represented the same class of clients in Federal Courts within Tennessee and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mr. Pilkington has successfully defended municipalities and officers in cases with accusation of negligence, assault, false arrest, and false imprisonment under state law. He has successfully defended officers facing accusation of illegal search and seizure, illegal arrest and excessive force based upon the United States Constitution. He has successfully represented officers in use of force cases across all ranges of the force continuum up to and including use of deadly force. Mr. Pilkington has represented Chiefs of Police and municipalities in cases involving alleged failures on the part of command staff to train and supervise and cases involving alleged unconstitutional customs, policies and procedures.

Mr. Pilkington has worked with and against law enforcement experts across the county in cases arising out of use of force, use of deadly force and general police liability. He has advised police departments, command staff and officers in the areas of legal liability, discipline, policy drafting, use of force, laws of arrest and search and seizure.