The national law firm Baker Donelson has welcomed David D. Ayliffe, a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer, as of counsel in its Knoxville office, adding to the Firm's Logistics, Energy and Manufacturing Litigation Group.
Mr. Ayliffe focuses his practice on energy and environmental litigation, including matters involving the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Administrative Procedure Act (APA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and related state regulations. His practice spans a broad array of industries and legal matters which include commercial litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, construction, condemnation, labor and employment, and admiralty law. He has also been involved in Federal Power Act and Natural Gas Act proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
"David brings with him a rare combination of litigation acumen and industry insight," Bradley E. Chambers, chair of Baker Donelson's Logistics, Energy and Manufacturing Litigation Group, said. "His extensive trial and appellate background, paired with his years of leadership in-house, make him an exceptional addition to our team. David's understanding of the electrical generation challenges, changes, and conversions provide substantial enhancements to servicing our energy clients."
Mr. Ayliffe has handled appeals before the Fourth, Sixth, Eleventh, D.C., Federal Circuits, and before the United States Supreme Court. He also has served as lead trial counsel in multiple jury and bench trials, as well as in arbitration proceedings. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Ayliffe served for two decades as in-house litigation counsel for a large utility company, where he led high-stakes federal trial and appellate matters. In that role, he directed litigation strategy across multiple jurisdictions, achieving favorable outcomes that avoided more than $1 billion in potential liability and secured more than $20 million in recoveries.
Mr. Ayliffe is a member of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Federalist Society's Knoxville Lawyers Chapter. He previously served on the board of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and is a graduate of the Leadership Knoxville Flagship Program.