Daniel Woofter
Daniel Woofter helps his clients solve their problems through litigation and negotiation, devising out-of-the-box solutions tailored to their needs. His accomplishments have earned him recognition as one of the nation’s Top 40 Young Lawyers by the American Bar Association (2023) and 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 by the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association (2022). Daniel has served as lead counsel at every federal and state court level—helping clients ranging from the world’s largest corporations like Google and Qualcomm to pro bono capital defendants—and presented oral arguments before several federal courts of appeals, as well as the Michigan Supreme Court and numerous state and federal trial courts.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court granted his petition for a writ of certiorari on behalf of a Texas death row inmate. He also argued before the Ninth Circuit on behalf of Atif Rafay in his habeas case, which was the subject of the inaugural episodes of Netflix’s documentary series “The Confession Tapes,” as well as an episode of Dr. Phil. And Daniel was part of the core team that achieved a historic consent decree to reform the Minneapolis Police Department in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.
Aside from practicing law, Daniel is an instructor in the Harvard Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. He also chairs the American Bar Association’s Death Penalty Due Process Review Committee. Daniel previously taught at Georgetown University Law Center, instructing J.D. students in connection with the school’s Supreme Court Institute, which moots at least one of the advocates in every case the Court hears each Term.
Publications
Co-authored with Mike Hoa Nguyen et al., Racial Stereotypes About Asian Americans And The Challenge To Race-Conscious Admissions In SFFA v. Harvard, 48 J.C. & U.L. 369 (2024)
Co-authored with Yvette K. W. Bourcicot, Prudent Policy: Accommodating Prisoners With Gender Dysphoria, 12 Stan. J. C.R. & C.L. 283 (2016)
The “Attorney-Law Firm” Privilege: Protecting Intra-Firm Communications Regarding a Current Client’s Potential Malpractice Claim, 27 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 987 (2014)
Education
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 2014
B.M., The Boston Conservatory, 2009
Clerkships
Judge Pamela A. Harris, 4th Circuit
Judge Judith E. Levy, E.D. Mich.
Admissions
State Bars
District of Columbia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New York
Courts
United States Supreme Court
U.S.C.A., 2nd Circuit
U.S.C.A., 3rd Circuit
U.S.C.A., 4th Circuit
U.S.C.A., 5th Circuit
U.S.C.A., 7th Circuit
U.S.C.A., 9th Circuit
U.S.C.A., 11th Circuit
U.S.C.A., D.C. Circuit
U.S.C.A., Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
U.S. District Court, District of Maryland