Education
1987, LL.B., University of British Columbia
1981, B.A., University of Alberta
Bar Admission
1988, British Columbia
Profile
David is senior litigation counsel whose preferred areas of practice are serious personal injury and intellectual property law. David has extensive experience in cycling advocacy work. He is regularly consulted by cyclists, cycling advocacy groups and private and non-private organizations and on issues affecting the cycling population. He has also been consulted by a variety of government and non-government stakeholders on urban planning and management relating to the safety and security of cyclists. He also practises in the licensing and enforcement of intellectual property.
Areas of Practice
Personal Injury Litigation, Intellectual Property Law, and Patent Litigation
Education and Community Service
David is highly involved in legal education. He produced "The Paisley Snail", an educational documentary on the modern laws of negligence, narrated by former Justice of the B.C. Court of Appeal Martin Taylor Q.C., and shown on various television networks and distributed to high schools and law schools throughout the world. He is also the producer of "An Afternoon with Denning", the last television quality interview with the great law Lord.
David also writes a column for Momentum Magazine, a publication for cyclists, and has contributed to other publications, such as New Horizons, The Newsletter of the BC REHAB FOUNDATION, and The Urbane Cyclist, a publication of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition.
David also serves as a Guest Instructor for Continuing Legal Education (Advocacy) and as a Moot Court Judge for the UBC Faculty of Law.
Professional/Business Affiliations
Director and Provincial Grants Coordinator for the Canadian Bar Association Benevolent Society
Member, Trial Lawyers Association of BC
Member, Law Society of British Columbia
Member, Canadian Bar Association (C.B.A.)
Honorary Member of the UBC Law Class of '62
Member, Bicyclists' Injuries and the Urban Environment (B.I.C.E.), Steering Committee, studies through UBC and St. Paul's Hospital
Member, Central Valley Greenway Capital Campaign Cabinet
Member, Original Steering Committee for BEST (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation)
Member, Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition
David is a partner in the Litigation group at Richards Buell Sutton LLP. He practised for three years with Campney and Murphy and joined RBS as an associate in 1991 and partner in 2000. "Partnership is rewarding. It's one of my proudest achievements because I enjoy my partners and have tremendous regard for them. Unlike many organizations, we are not driven by our individual egos but by a collective desire to serve our clients and balance our working lives. The nice thing about the firm is that we're small enough to be personable but large enough to be effective for our clients."
David's exceptional work in the personal litigation field is shaped by both personal experience and social altruism. He learned of the catastrophic consequences of motor vehicle accidents at a young age when his own father suffered devastating injuries in a car accident. "I saw very early on how the smallest amount of negligence can lead to enormous suffering and life-long change." As an adult, he developed a concern for the environment associated with the deleterious impact of automobiles. This became the seed for his passion for cycling and his belief in the role that cyclists and alternate means of transportation can play in the protection of the environment.
David works in the intellectual property field relates to status messaging technology. His clients in that area rely on him to pursue infringements of extensive and world-wide patent portfolios and negotiate licences pertaining to a variety of transportation uses in a wide range of industries and jurisdictions.
David's motivation is to help individuals fight institutions. "It's all about empowering an individual in the face of adversity. Most people who become involved in litigation face very difficult circumstances. The most satisfying thing about being a Trial lawyer is having a part in levelling a playing field typically unfavourable to an individual with limited resources."
David is married and a father to two young girls. His daughters firmly believe he makes his living as a rock star. This is most likely due to his being, in fact, an incorrigible rocker and recording artist who sings, writes and performs songs, and occasionally misbehaves. Every year he participates in the CBA's Battle of the Bar Bands. He also enjoys snowboarding and skiing, about which he says, "the goal is the soul".