J. David Butler

In Memoriam

It is with great sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our friend, colleague and law partner, J. David Butler on September 30, 2023, after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. He was a friend to all and was, quite simply, the nicest guy one could have the pleasure of knowing.

Dave devoted his 30-year legal career to representing individuals across the country who suffered harm from corporate wrongdoing. Dave was a fierce advocate for asbestos and mesothelioma victims and was known for his compassion, integrity and dedication to his clients and their loved ones. Over the last three years, Dave selflessly and bravely continued helping other families seek justice as he underwent cancer treatments himself.

Above all, Dave was a kind and generous family man who put his loved ones and friends before himself. He had no love greater than that for his wife, Kim, and three daughters – Elizabeth, Hannah and Rebecca. He was a passionate Florida State fan and was most at home when grilling for his family on game day.

Working with and knowing someone like Dave is a rare gift, and he will be missed tremendously at RPWB. We send our love and condolences to his family and many friends.

Education

University of South Carolina, J.D., 1993
Florida State University, B.S., 1989

Admissions

1993, South Carolina
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina

Professional Memberships

South Carolina Association for Justice
South Carolina Bar
American Association for Justice
Best Lawyers in America, 2018 (Product Liability Litigation)

Representative Cases

Freeman vs. Hendrick Honda of Easley

A car dealership in South Carolina was charging consumers closing fees that purchasers alleged were not for the purpose of reimbursing the dealership’s actual closing costs. In 2013, Butler and fellow RPWB attorney Brady Thomas won a $4 million judgment in a jury trial against a dealership in Pickens County. After the judgment, numerous other dealerships settled similar claims brought by RPWB clients.

Asbestos & Mesothelioma Litigation

Butler has more than 20 years of experience representing workers who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases. Since the early 1990s, he has represented thousands of people who suffer from asbestos-related disease throughout the United States in both individual and consolidated cases.

Graniteville Train Crash

On January 6, 2005, two Norfolk Southern trains collided in Graniteville, South Carolina, setting off a chain of events that led to the deaths of nine people and injuries to at least 250 others. Butler and RPWB founding member Terry Richardson represented Avondale Mills, the company located at the collision site, in its pursuit of compensation from Norfolk Southern for damages to buildings, equipment and its ongoing business activities. The two parties entered into a confidential settlement in 2008 in what media outlets have described as being the largest single tort settlement in South Carolina history.