ALLEN EATON III

Allen Theophilus Eaton III,  
Of Arlington, VA., and Hallandale Beach, FL., died peacefully on Sunday, December 15, 2019, at the age of 84. He is survived by his sons, Allen IV of Hallandale Beach; Leon (Donna) of Seattle, WA.; and Jacob of Tallahassee, FL.; his daughters, Sara (Travis) Helterline of Los Angeles, CA.; and Simone (Michael) Bellamy of Jacksonville, FL.; as well as by his sisters, Danette Thomas of Atlanta, GA.; Sara Wallace of Cleveland Heights, OH; and Anna (Wilson) Jones of Lakewood Ranch, FL. He is also survived by his many loving and devoted nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, former colleagues, and friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Montague Lawrence.Born in Laurel, MS., Allen graduated from high school in East St. Louis, MO., and received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia State University. After a distinguished career of 10 years in the United States Army, during which he rose to the rank of major and served in South Korea and Germany among other posts, he received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC., and then joined the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, now WilmerHale. Allen had a long career as a litigation specialist in the areas of product liability and medical malpractice. In 1982, when he litigated his first major case, he won the highest jury verdict that had ever been awarded a personal injury case in the federal court in Harrisburg, PA. Throughout his career, he earned a reputation as an extraordinary trial advocate. Among his honors and awards, Allen was named Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1999 by the Trial Lawyers Association of the District of Columbia and is a member of the Washington Bar Association Hall of Fame. Allen was also a published author of legal texts and articles, and served as an adjunct faculty member at American University Washington College of Law before later retiring from practice as the founder and managing partner of The Eaton Law Firm in Washington, DC. Whatever spare time Allen had away from family was spent as an avid fisherman, golfer, and mentor to younger lawyers, and he was a board member and adviser to various local charitable and civic organizations. A private celebration of Allen's life will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2020. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Equal Justice Initiative.