Jason R. Waters

General Liability
Jason has extensive experience defending a wide variety of catastrophic and excess-exposure injury claims. Clients frequently ask Jason to step into catastrophic injury claims just before trial.

Professional Liability
Jason has defended a wide variety of professional liability claims. He frequently defends other lawyers in complex legal malpractice cases alleging attorney negligence in litigation, trusts and estates, bankruptcies and real estate transactions. Jason also has handled several complex professional liability claims against architects and engineers, including claims arising from the collapse of a large commercial building and alleged errors and omissions with respect to a multi-unit residential project. Jason serves as counsel to a major mechanical contractor with respect to claims arising from alleged system and equipment failures in commercial construction projects.

Employment, Education & Civil Rights
Jason has extensive experience representing educational, civic and religious institutions in a wide variety of employment and civil rights matters. Jason defends higher education institutions in significant matters involving Title IX, sexual abuse and harassment, employment discrimination, tenure disputes, loss of program accreditation and educational malpractice. Jason successfully defended a university in a highly publicized student-suicide case in which he won a partial motion to dismiss, a motion to exclude psychiatric expert testimony and a motion for partial summary judgment. Jason represented a private elementary school and its affiliated religious congregation against allegations of sexual abuse by a teacher and religious leader. He has successfully defended numerous cases involving allegations of misconduct and abuse by campus police. Jason has counseled civic nonprofit organizations regarding employment discrimination claims, hostile workplace allegations and Whistleblower allegations.

Product Liability
Jason has handled a broad range of complex product liability litigation. He has specific experience representing automotive and marine manufacturers and has defended a wide variety of consumer products, including computers, cell phones, microwaves, bicycles, lawn and garden equipment, yachts and recreational watercraft. He also has handled numerous cases involving industrial products, such as injection molding machines, labeling equipment, ventilation systems and boilers as well as specialty products, such as plumbing components, rollercoasters, automatic train control systems and prefabricated metal buildings.

Toxic Tort
Jason has significant nationwide experience in toxic tort litigation, and he serves as cochair of the firm’s national Toxic Tort, Environmental & Energy Practice. He has handled numerous cases alleging exposure to asbestos, benzene, carbon monoxide, industrial pollutants, lead paint and other compounds. Jason has represented a major insurer in hundreds of claims arising from exposures to food flavorings and manages the defense portfolio of a mechanical contractor sued in thousands of asbestos cases. He also has defended complex matters alleging adverse reactions to nutritional supplements.

Transportation
Jason has considerable experience handling complex transportation matters. Jason is a member of the firm’s emergency response team that responds immediately to catastrophic accidents. He served as one of the lead attorneys defending a large metropolitan transit authority in numerous personal injury cases and an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board arising from the collision of two trains. He leads the Virginia defense team for a global corporation that delivers consumer products purchased online.

Maritime & Admiralty
A lifelong recreational boater, Jason has defended numerous cases involving catastrophic accidents on the water. He has represented several recreational vessel liveries in cases involving serious boating accidents. He defended a vessel manufacturer in a complex subrogation claim involving the sinking of a luxury cruiser on the Chesapeake Bay, and he defended a product liability claim relating to a serious injuries arising from the use of a towable device. Jason has also defended wrongful death and injury claims involving Jet Ski accidents.