Joel O. Wooten
Top rated Personal Injury attorney in Columbus, Georgia
Peak Wooten McDaniel & Colwell LLP
Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Appellate, Business Litigation; view more
Licensed in Georgia since: 1975
Education: University of Georgia School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2025 Peak Wooten McDaniel & Colwell LLP
945 BroadwaySuite 200
Columbus, GA 31901 Phone: 706-460-4800 Email: Joel O. Wooten Visit website
Details
Attorney Joel O. Wooten is a partner with Peak Wooten McDaniel & Colwell LLP Trial Attorney law firm in Columbus, Georgia. Regarded as among the leading trial lawyers in the country, Mr. Wooten has more than 48 years of total legal experience, and he provides unmatched counsel and support to clients across his region and throughout the United States who have complex legal needs involving any of the following:
- Personal injury and wrongful death
- Truck and other motor vehicle accidents
- Defective and dangerous products
- Environmental and natural resources issues
- Medical and pharmaceutical malpractice
- General civil litigation
A 1972 graduate of the University of Georgia, Athens, with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Mr. Wooten obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1975. He has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts, and he has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in total compensation for his clients.
Honored for his remarkable professionalism, Mr. Wooten has earned designation from Georgia Trend Magazine as among the 100 Most Influential Georgians, and he received the State Bar of Georgia Tradition of Excellence Award in 2000. He has also received the Amicus Curiae Award from the Georgia Supreme Court as well as the National Constabar Leader of the Year award. He also is listed in Who's Who in American Law.
Mr. Wooten has also received the 2012 UGA Law School Distinguished Service Scroll, and he is a Fellow with the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia and the American Bar Foundation He has also received countless testimonials and referrals from his satisfied clients, and he finds great satisfaction in being able to help so many during their times of dire need.
Very active in his legal community, Mr. Wooten is Chair of the State Bar of Georgia's Business Court Committee, and a member of the UGA Law School Board of Visitors among his many other professional affiliations. He is a past board member and former Chair of the State of Georgia Board of Regents and is a former Chair and a current member of the Board of the Georgia Ports Authority.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Appellate, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Environmental Litigation, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFirst Admitted: 1975, Georgia
Professional Webpage: https://www.peakwooten.com/attorneys/joel-o-wooten/
- Inaugural Member, Georgia Business Court Rules Commission
- Georgia Ports Authority, Chair, 2021-23, Vice-chair, 2020-21 (Board of Directors, 2013 – Present)
- Jasper Ocean Terminal Board, 2016 – 2023
- Jasper Ocean Terminal Board Chair, 2018
- Supreme Court of Georgia, 1975
- Bar Center Committee, State Bar of Georgia, 1995 - 2019
- Member, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
- President, Columbus Lawyers Club, 1988 - 1989
- American Bar Association, General Practice Section
- Chair, Business Court Committee, State Bar of Georgia 2014-present
- President, Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1984 - 1985
- Board of Managers, University of Georgia Alumni Society, 1989 - 1991
- Chair, University System Georgia Board of Regents, 2004 - 2005
- Executive Council, State Bar of Georgia, Younger Lawyers Section, 1990 - 1991
- Vice President, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, 1994 - 1997
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 1976
- Member, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee, State Bar of Georgia, 1993 - 2007
- Member, American Association for Justice
- Georgia Court of Appeals, 1975
- Vice Chair, State Bar Federal Courts Liaison Committee, State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - 2007
- Member, Roscoe Pound Foundation
- Member, University System Georgia Board of Regents, 1999 - 2006
- Chair, ABA Conference of State and Local Bar Leaders, 1991 - 1992
- University of Georgia Law School Board of Visitors 2011-present
- President, Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1984 - 1985
- Board of Managers, University of Georgia Alumni Society, 1981 - 1983
- President of the Columbus Bar Association - 1988, Executive Committee - 1984-93
- Executive Council, State Bar of Georgia, Younger Lawyers Section, 1983 - 1997
- Board of Directors, Founding Member, Georgia Center for Law in the Public Interest, 1992 - 1993, now GreenLaw
- Georgia, 1975
- Executive Council, State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Section, 1983 - 1998
- Member, State Bar of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
- Chair, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee, State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - 2007
- Member, American Judicature Society
- Vice Chair, University System Georgia Board of Regents, 2003 - 2004
- Advisory Committee on Legislation, State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - 2010
- Member, Columbus Trial Lawyers Association
- Executive Committee, Columbus Lawyers Club, 1984 - 1993
- Vice-President, University of Georgia Young Alumni Council, 1981 - 1983
- Executive Council, Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1980 - 1983
- University of Georgia Law School Association Council, 1997 - 1999
- State Bar Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee, Chair 1999-2007
- Chair, State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Section, 1990 - 1991
- Member, American Bar Association
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1990
- Co-Chair, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee, State Bar of Georgia, 1997 - 1999
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- $280 million verdict against trucking company - wrongful death of $150 MM, $30 MM pre-impact fright & pain & suffering, $100 MM in punitive damages, 2019
- Member of the Board of Directors of the University of Georgia Athletic Association, 2012-2021, Emeritus Member 2021-present
- Board of Visitors - University of Georgia School of Law, 2011 - present
- 1999, Member of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Chair 2004-05, Vice Chair 2003-04
- Member of Georgia Ports Authority Board 2013-present, Chair 2021-21, Vice-chair 2020-21, Secretary-Treasurer 2019-20
- 2016, Member of the Board of the Jasper Ocean Terminal Joint Venture 2016-present, Chair 2018, Vice-chair 2019
- Georgia Legal History Foundation, The Nestor Award, 2017
- Doremus Award for Excellence in Environmental Law, Georgia Center for Law in the Public Interest, 2007
- Georgia Trend - 100 Most Influential Georgians, Georgia Trend, 2022
- Guardian of Justice Award, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Recipient, University of Georgia Law School Distinguished Service Scroll, 2012
- State Bar of Georgia General Practice & Trial Section Tradition of Excellence Award, 2000
- Executive Committee, Moot Court Board, University of Georgia School of Law
- Recipient, Tradition of Excellence Award, State Bar of Georgia, 2000
- Who's Who in America
- Supreme Court of Georgia Amicus Curiae Award, 2018
- Georgia Trend - 100 Most Influential Georgians, 2005, 2005
- Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia
- Who's Who in American Law
- Chairman, Russell Moot Court Competition, University of Georgia School of Law
- James Magazine - Most Influential Georgians, 2005
- National Constabar Leader of the Year Award, American Bar Association, 1993
- University of Georgia Law School Distinguished Service Scroll, 2012
- University of Georgia, Athens, GA, B.B.A. in Banking and Finance (Magna Cum Laude), 1972
Office location for Joel O. Wooten
945 Broadway
Suite 200
Columbus, GA 31901
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2025