On February 6, 2026, Williams & Connolly partner Dane Butswinkas delivered the Chester Bedell Memorial Address on “The Independence of the American Lawyer” at the annual Florida Trial Lawyers Association certification conference. Williams & Connolly partner Brendan Sullivan presented the lecture in 1990, and former partner Michael Tigar presented the lecture in 2001.

Dane Butswinkas has a versatile practice that spans civil and criminal defense and crosses party lines. Since he began at W&C in 1989, Dane has tried more than 60 cases to verdict in the federal and state courts across the country. Law360 named him one of the top fifty “Trial Aces” in the nation. Chambers USA described Dane as “[a]n extraordinary trial lawyer” known for his “fantastic courtroom presence.” The Legal 500 reported that clients single Dane out as a “once in a generation trial lawyer.” In 2025, the American Lawyer named Dane one of the nation’s top litigators for his lead role in the Perkins Coie matter. Benchmark has named Dane one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the nation annually for more than a decade. Dane is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Click here to learn more about the Chester Bedell Memorial Foundation.