Elliott M. Buckner

Elliott M. Buckner

Partner  |  Cantor, Grana, Buckner, Bucci, P.C. (The Virginia Trial Firm)  |  Richmond, Virginia

Reviewed by Elliott M. Buckner, Partner. Last reviewed: June 15, 2026.

Elliott M. Buckner is a partner at Cantor, Grana, Buckner, Bucci, P.C. (CGBB), The Virginia Trial Firm in Richmond, Virginia. Elliott represents clients in every kind of personal injury claim, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, tractor-trailer crashes, car collisions, and product liability cases. He also handles wrongful death claims on behalf of families who have experienced loss due to negligence. He is passionately committed to his clients and their cases, and he recognizes the responsibility and role he has in helping them rebuild their lives after a tragedy.

Practice Areas: Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injuries, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death, Car Accidents, Premises Liability

Direct Office Line: (804) 343-4386
Email Address: [email protected]
Virginia Bar No.: 45227

No matter the situation, Elliott works tirelessly to help ensure his clients receive the support and compensation they deserve. He has secured more than 80 verdicts and settlements larger than $1 million, changing the lives of his clients and their family members. His reputation as a dedicated advocate for his clients in and out of the courtroom reflects his thorough preparation in every case.

Representative results include:

• $16 million recovery in a motorcycle collision

• $2.98 million recovery in an automobile collision that caused a traumatic brain injury

• $2.35 million recovery in an automobile collision

• $1.95 million verdict in a wrongful death case

Part of what makes Elliott such an effective attorney for individuals and families is his experience as an insurance defense attorney. When Elliott first started practicing law, he stood on the other side of the court from injury victims, building cases to protect insurance companies from liability. It did not take long for him to realize that he would much rather help individuals and families get justice than protect the pockets of insurance companies. That experience, though, gave Elliott invaluable knowledge and insight into how insurance companies and their lawyers defend cases. As a result, Elliott brings strategic power to every case he is involved in.

Elliott is widely recognized by his peers for his relentless and effective approach to litigation. He has consistently been named to The Best Lawyers in America®, including as Richmond Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs' Lawyer of the Year for 2021 and 2023 and for Products Liability in 2023. He has been selected to the Virginia Super Lawyers® list every year since 2007, as a Rising Star from 2007 to 2011 and to the main Super Lawyers® list since 2012, with Top 100 Virginia and Top 50 Richmond selections, and in 2026 he was named to the Top 5: Personal Injury Plaintiff Virginia Super Lawyers® list, one of the narrowest peer-recognition lists in the state. Elliott is AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® and is included in the Legal Elite list by Virginia Business magazine. Other lawyers regularly entrust their complex, catastrophic injury cases to Elliott, and he considers their confidence the highest professional compliment he can receive.

In addition to his trial work, Elliott frequently contributes to the legal community through lectures, articles, and presentations to other lawyers about all aspects of handling complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. He lectures regularly at Virginia CLE and Virginia Trial Lawyers Association programs on sovereign immunity, trial preparation, and complex personal injury practice. In 2020 to 2021, Elliott served as President of the more than 2,000 member Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, leading the organization through the early months of the COVID-19 court disruptions, and he continues to serve on its Executive Council.

While Elliott is passionate about the work he does every day for his clients, he is also passionate about his community. He serves as President of the Board of Directors of Community Brain Injury Services, and he has helped raise more than $150,000 for the organization as the pit master at its annual charity barbecue. He is a member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

Education and Bar Admissions

Elliott earned his J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law in 2000, where he was a national champion in moot court and appellate advocacy and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers for excellence in courtroom advocacy. He earned a B.S. and a B.B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1993.

He is admitted to practice in Virginia (2000, Bar No. 45227) and New York (2003), and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Western District of Virginia.

Honors and Awards

• 2026 Top 5: Personal Injury Plaintiff Virginia Super Lawyers®

• Best Lawyers in America® Richmond Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs' Lawyer of the Year (2021, 2023)

• Best Lawyers in America® Richmond Products Liability Litigation Plaintiffs' Lawyer of the Year (2023)

• Best Lawyers in America®, Personal Injury Litigation (2011 to present)

• Virginia Super Lawyers® (2012 to present)

• Top 100 Virginia Super Lawyers® (2012, 2014 to present)

• Top 50 Richmond Area Super Lawyers® (2012, 2014 to present)

• Virginia Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list (2007 to 2011)

• Go-To Lawyer for Negligence Law, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (2024, 2025)

• Leaders in the Law, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (2019)

• AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards

• American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell® Top Rated Lawyer (2012)

• Legal Elite, Civil Litigation, Virginia Business magazine (2013, 2015, 2023)

• American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Winner (2000)

Listings and awards reflect peer assessments of professional reputation, experience, and ethical standing for the year indicated. They are not certifications of specialization, are not approved by the Supreme Court of Virginia or the Virginia State Bar, and do not guarantee a particular result.

Professional Associations

• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association: President (2020 to 2021); Executive Council; Board of Governors (2006 to present); President-Elect (2019); Vice President (2015 to 2018); Treasurer (2014); Legislative Chair (2012, 2013, 2015)

• Virginia Trial Lawyers PAC, Trustee

• President, Board of Directors of Community Brain Injury Services (2023 to present)

• Brain Injury Association of America, National Legal Conference Co-Chair

• American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America)

• Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Inn of Court

• City of Richmond Bar Association

• Henrico County Bar Association

• Virginia Bar Association

• Kansas City Barbeque Society

Client Testimonial

“If you find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney, I highly recommend Elliott Buckner. Elliott Buckner and his team were beyond supportive from start to finish. They answered any questions whenever they arose. While they were attentive, they respected healing time. They asked for what they needed and once they had what they needed, they handled 100% of everything, which was exactly what I was looking for and needed due to the nature of my injury. Elliott achieved the desired result in terms of compensation. While I hope to not need his services in the future, I would certainly not hesitate to contact him if needed.”

— Sandra Souder, Richmond, VA

This testimonial reflects one client's experience. It is not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome of any other case.

Publications and Presentations

• VTLA 2019 Tort Law Seminar, Navigating Sovereign Immunity, May 15, 2019

• Handling Personal Injury Cases, Virginia State Bar First Day in Practice annual seminar (2012 to 2019)

• After the Winning Verdict, Virginia CLE (2015 and 2019)

• Legislative Update, VTLA Annual Convention (2015, 2017)

• What Keeps Plaintiffs Lawyers Awake at Night, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys Annual Conference (2015)

• Medpay, VTLA Sources of Coverage (2014)

• Tort Law Update, VTLA Annual Paralegal Seminar (2013)

• Pointers and Pitfalls of the Settlement Agreement and Release, VTLA Annual Convention (2011)

• How to Use and Disclose Medical Literature, VTLA Advanced Auto Retreat (2010)

• Small Firm David Socks Insurer Goliath in PI Cases, 4th Annual Solo & Small Firm Institute, Virginia CLE (2009)

• Preparing the Client for Depositions, American Association for Justice Annual Conference (2009)

• Initial Case Management and Intake, National Business Institute Paralegal Seminar (2008)

• Defeating Colossus, 2nd Annual Solo & Small Firm Institute, Virginia CLE (2007)

• Assisting with Settlement Negotiations, National Business Institute Paralegal Seminar (2007)

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of cases does Elliott Buckner handle?

Elliott Buckner handles catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases in Virginia. His practice focuses on traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, tractor-trailer and car crashes, defective products, and premises liability. He represents people who have suffered life-altering injuries and families who have lost a loved one because of someone else's negligence.

Where is Elliott Buckner licensed to practice?

Elliott Buckner is admitted to practice in Virginia (Bar No. 45227) and New York, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia. He practices primarily from the firm's Richmond, Virginia office.

What is Elliott Buckner known for?

Elliott Buckner is known as a trial lawyer for serious injury cases and as a past President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He began his career in insurance defense, which gives him insight into how the other side evaluates and defends claims. Other lawyers frequently refer their most complex catastrophic-injury cases to him.

Has Elliott Buckner been recognized by his peers?

Yes. Elliott Buckner was named to the 2026 Top 5: Personal Injury Plaintiff Virginia Super Lawyers list and has been selected to Virginia Super Lawyers every year since 2007. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2011, named a Lawyer of the Year in Richmond, and is AV Preeminent peer-review rated. These recognitions reflect peer assessment and do not guarantee a particular result.

This profile is attorney advertising and is provided for general information. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case results depend on the unique facts of each matter, and prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Listings and awards reflect peer assessments for the year indicated and are not approved by the Supreme Court of Virginia or the Virginia State Bar.