About Donald
With over thirty years of experience in trial and appellate litigation, Donald has handled more than 400 appeals in state and federal courts, including over 20 cases in the Tennessee Supreme Court. Now focusing his practice primarily on appellate work and trial consulting, Mr. Capparella uses experience gained from serving as trial counsel in over 150 trials, many of them before a jury, to advise lawyers on the challenges they face at trial and to achieve the best possible outcomes at the appellate level.Donald Capparella has established a reputation as one of Tennessee’s most respected litigators, with his experience handling a wide variety of matters, from seminal tort law cases to over 50 divorce appeals to his work on many of Tennessee’s landmark cases.Frequently in demand as a speaker, Mr. Capparella regularly leads continuing legal education seminars for organizations such as the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations. His popular “Much Ado About Ethics” seminar combines Shakespeare’s timeless works with modern legal dilemmas, with proceeds benefitting the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. A passionate supporter of the arts, Mr. Capparella founded the Nashville Shakespeare Festival in 1988 and has remained actively involved as a director, actor, fundraiser and board chairman. The Festival provides professional theatre to more than 10,000 Tennesseans annually through its critically-acclaimed Summer Shakespeare Festival at OneCity and other productions and tours during the year.
With over thirty years of experience in trial and appellate litigation, Donald has handled more than 400 appeals in state and federal courts, including over 20 cases in the Tennessee Supreme Court. Now focusing his practice primarily on appellate work and trial consulting, Mr. Capparella uses experience gained from serving as trial counsel in over 150 trials, many of them before a jury, to advise lawyers on the challenges they face at trial and to achieve the best possible outcomes at the appellate level.
Donald Capparella has established a reputation as one of Tennessee’s most respected litigators, with his experience handling a wide variety of matters, from seminal tort law cases to over 50 divorce appeals to his work on many of Tennessee’s landmark cases.
Frequently in demand as a speaker, Mr. Capparella regularly leads continuing legal education seminars for organizations such as the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations. His popular “Much Ado About Ethics” seminar combines Shakespeare’s timeless works with modern legal dilemmas, with proceeds benefitting the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. A passionate supporter of the arts, Mr. Capparella founded the Nashville Shakespeare Festival in 1988 and has remained actively involved as a director, actor, fundraiser and board chairman. The Festival provides professional theatre to more than 10,000 Tennesseans annually through its critically-acclaimed Summer Shakespeare Festival at OneCity and other productions and tours during the year.
Case History
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Nashville (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Nashville (2018)
- Lawyer of the Year: Insurance Law, Nashville (2017)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Nashville (2016)
- Lawyer of the Year: Insurance Law, Nashville (2015)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Nashville (2014)
- Recognized: Insurance Law
- Recognized: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
- Recognized: Appellate Practice
- Special Focus: Appellate Practice
- Special Focus: Trial Consulting
- AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- One of Business TN magazine’s “150 Best Lawyers”
- Nashville Business Journal "Best of the Bar" (Multiple Recognitions)
- Tennessee Bar Association Pro Bono Honor Roll
- Mid-South Superlawyer Listing (since 2009)
- Center for Nonprofit Management, Kraft CPA Nonprofit Board Member of the Year (2004)