Practice areas: Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Virginia since: 2000
Education: Howard University School of Law
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2020, 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2007 - 2008, 2010 - 2011 Call today:
757-606-9569
Free Consultation Rutter Mills, LLP
160 West Brambleton AvenueNorfolk, VA 23510 Visit website
Adam H. Lotkin is a personal injury and maritime attorney representing injured individuals and families in car and truck accidents, maritime and admiralty incidents, traumatic injury claims, and wrongful death cases throughout Norfolk, Virginia.
For over two decades, Mr. Lotkin has represented injured individuals and grieving families in catastrophic injury, maritime, and wrongful death cases, helping clients recover compensation after serious accidents caused by negligence and unsafe conditions. He has taken on large corporations and insurance companies in high-stakes litigation involving catastrophic injuries, maritime incidents, and fatal accidents.
Mr. Lotkin earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from Howard University Law School, and is a Partner at Rutter Mills, LLP in Norfolk, VA. Mr. Lotkin has been recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury and maritime litigation. He has been recognized by VA Lawyer’s Weekly as a “Leader in the Law,” and named their “Go-To” Maritime Lawyer. Mr. Lotkin is a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and previously served on its Board of Governors. He has served as lead counsel in more than 120 jury trials in Virginia state and federal courts, and has also taught continuing legal education courses focused on trial advocacy and injury litigation.
Mr. Lotkin has helped secure significant verdicts and settlements for injured clients and families, including a $5 million truck accident settlement, a $4 million wrongful death verdict, a $2.5 million settlement for a fatal car accident, $850,000 after a maritime injury, and $425,000 for an injured Uber passenger. His results reflect a commitment to pursuing meaningful compensation in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Virginia.
Based in Norfolk, Virginia, Mr. Lotkin represents clients across Hampton Roads, and is known for his thorough preparation, aggressive advocacy, and commitment to his clients in the face of large corporate defendants. Mr. Lotkin believes that every case deserves the representation and resources provided by an experienced attorney at an established law firm.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 100% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1996, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.ruttermills.com/attorney/adam-harris-lotkin/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Board of Governors
- California Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Virginia Beach Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association
- Organizing Committee, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Virginia Beach Events
- Board of Directors, Virginia Beach Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
- American Inns of Court – William B. Enright Chapter, San Diego
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Adam Lotkin and Georgina Montgomery secured a $2 Million verdict for a local maritime worker! Our client was seriously injured after a 14-foot fall aboard a tugboat. The defense refused to admit fault or fully value his case. Our attorneys rejected mediocrity for our client and took the case all the way to trial. After four days of seeking justice in front of a jury, our trial team secured a settlement eight-fold over the pre-trial offer.Type of action: Personal injury – maritime Injuries alleged: Head trauma, shattered right heel and broken left fibula Tried before: Jury Date resolved: 4/14/2023 Special damages: Approximately $150,000 in past medical bills; $39,000-$44-000 per year in future lost earning capacity for the duration of his work life Offer: $250,000 Verdict or settlement: Settlement Amount: $2,000,000 Attorney for plaintiff: Georgina D. Montgomery and Adam H. Lotkin, Norfolk Description of case: The plaintiff was a deckhand aboard a local tugboat at the time of the incident in 2020. He slipped at the top of internal stairs from the wheelhouse. The stairs were not equipped with a railing, however they did have hand-holds built into one side of a portion of the stairway. There being nothing to grab onto as he fell, the plaintiff landed approximately 14 feet at the foot of the stairs. The plaintiff argued that the standard in the industry required the stairs to be equipped with a handrail. The defense denied that a handrail was necessary under the standard of care and asserted comparative negligence. The plaintiff sustained serious injuries in the fall including head trauma, a shattered right heel and broken left fibula. He was initially admitted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for three days. He was treated conservatively for the broken bones for approximately one year but required multiple surgeries to the right ankle/foot thereafter. A third surgery was performed in February 2023, approximately two months before trial. The plaintiff attempted to go back to work following his initial conservative treatment but was unable to carry out the required duties of his position. After four days of trial and the completion of the plaintiff’s case in chief as well as the defense’s liability expert, the parties settled on the morning of the fifth day of trial., 2024
Videos
- Partner and Litigation Manager at Rutter Mills, Adam H. Lotkin talks about why he got into the practice of law. He shares his passions for standing up to big insurance companies and his commitment to client service. Mr. Lotkin takes on some of our most complex cases involving motor vehicle accidents, maritime cases, and wrongful death. , Meet Adam Lotkin, 2025
Educational Background
- B.A. - Lafayette College, 1989-1993
- Juris Doctorate - Howard University Law School, cum laude, 1994-1996
White Papers
- The maritime injury lawyers at Rutter Mills have been setting legal precedents for over 60 years and our attorneys are often recognized as thought leaders by the media, our clients, and their peers. Legal magazine, Lawyers Monthly reached out to one of our firm’s partners, Adam Lotkin, for his perspective on difficulties in maritime cases.When accidents happen on the water, the laws are different and cases become exponentially complex. Adam explains the challenges in winning injury claims for accidents occurring at sea, from dealing with foreign companies, time lag in reporting and treatment, to maneuvering in international investigations. Not just any injury lawyer can successfully represent a maritime worker., What Are the Obstacles to Prosecuting Wrongful Death at Sea?, Legal, Maritime, 2023
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Named "Go-to Maritime Lawyer" by VA Lawyers Weekly Magazine, 2025
- Top 50 Jury Verdicts - Wrongful Death, 2021
Honors
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly is a publication focused on the evolving legal landscape in the Commonwealth. Each year they compile a list of attorneys who exemplify what it means to be a “leader in the Law.” In 2024, Rutter Mills' Partner and Litigation Manager, Adam H. Lotkin was added to that esteemed list. All of us at Rutter Mills congratulate him on this noteworthy accomplishment. Since the start of his career, Adam Lotkin has been a champion for the underdog. In California, he successfully advocated for victims of police brutality. Here in Virginia, Mr. Lotkin protects victims of negligence and recklessness. He adamantly defends the rights of those who might otherwise be dismissed by the insurance companies, successfully securing millions of dollars for his clients and their families., Leader in the Law, VA Lawyers Weekly, 2024
- 2026 Super Lawyers Rated
- Rising Star Award- Virginia Super Lawyers
- American Association of Attorney Advocates Personal Injury Top 10 Award
- 2026 Best Lawyers
- America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- 2021 Top 50 Jury Verdicts – Wrongful Death
- VA Lawyers Weekly “Go-To” Maritime Lawyer
- Named to Best Lawyers List
- National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- 2025 Lawyers of Distinction
- 2024 & 2025 Maritime Injury Lawyer of the Year – Lawyer’s Monthly Magazine
- Coastal Virginia’s Top Lawyers List
- Adam H. Lotkin named to the Top 10 List of Personal Injury Lawyers in 2023 & 2024, Top 10 Personal Injury Lawyers, Attorney and Practice Magazine, 2024
Industry Groups
- Maritime
Office location for Adam Harris Lotkin
160 West Brambleton Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 757-606-9569
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2020, 2026
- Rising Stars: 2007 - 2008, 2010 - 2011
