David has specialised in all aspects of dispute resolution and risk management for a broad range of commercial organisations for over 20 years, acting for plcs and larger limited liability companies, as both claimant and defendant. He is head of one of the largest, strongest and broadest dispute resolution practices in the UK.

David has a wealth of experience of ADR (having actively promoted this since its arrival in the UK in c 1990 when DLA Piper was a co-founder of CEDR), arbitration and higher court litigation. He has managed many large multi-disciplinary teams in high-value, complex claims, often of a multi-party nature. He has also handled many breach of confidentiality and mis-use of confidential information claims. In addition, David has dealt with a number of national and international product recalls for household name clients.

He has actively promoted the use of alternative charging methods for a considerable period time, developing transparent risk-sharing schemes. He has most recently driven the use of conditional fee arrangements (CFAs) in commercial claims for both claimants and defendants, on occasions presented as fixed-fee packages.

For many years David has been ranked as a commercial dispute resolution expert in the leading legal directories most recently in Legal 500 and Chambers 2012 and is also recognised in the Legal Business Legal Experts 2011 directory. He has been described as "an outstanding professional," "...commercial and down to earth..." and as having "...a wealth of experience particularly in relation to ADR..." in the directories.

• Acting for bus manufacturer in relation to claims against it arising from the manufacture of alleged faulty electrical equipment for buses. Dealing with the recall situation and subsequent action involving the regulatory authorities
• Acting for US owned UK plc supplier of electrical components in claims arising from allegedly faulty battery charging equipment for wheelchairs. Handling claims arising, potential recall situation and bringing third party claims
• Acting for British Waterways in defending multi-party multi million pound claims arising out of the breach of one of its canals in the North West. Subsequently handling British Waterways' arbitrations against local authorities and other third parties to recover a contribution to the damages arising from the breach
• Acting for a major UK financial institution in its professional negligence claim arising out of negligent valuations of a portfolio of 20 nursing homes by a listed plc surveyor. Settled at mediation for a substantial seven figure sum
• Acting alongside brokers, insurers and household name manufacturer and distributor of office equipment in respect of a number of domestic, pan-European and worldwide product recall situations for allegedly faulty fax machines and printers. Leading the damage limitation process and co-ordinating the recall in conjunction with other firms of lawyers worldwide and subsequently handling civil claims arising
• Acting for a mobile phone distributor in a £20 million+ claim against Vodafone arising out of an exclusive distribution agreement producing a substantial seven figure settlement for the client following mediation
• Acting for North West based company in its claim against its accountants for negligent tax advice on the establishment and management of employee share option schemes, resulting in full recovery
• Acting for manufacturer of metal components for the manufacturing industry against former senior employee and his new German employer, obtaining simultaneous injunctive relief to prevent the mis-use of confidential information in both the UK and Germany
• Acting for one of European's leading carwash operators in the successful defence of a substantial loss of profits claim arising out of a dispute over shared access
• Acting for UK bus manufacturer in dispute with Malta Government with regard to alleged defects in refurbished fleet of coaches which was settled without recourse to formal dispute resolution procedures
• Acting for Corus in its successful appearance in the Court of Appeal against Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig (Welsh Water) (reported at 2007 [EWCA] Civ 285), in which the court decided that "the supply of water pursuant to an agreement between a water undertaker and a customer fell within the terms of the Water Industry Act 1991 s.55 and the introduction of a charges scheme by the water undertaker after a request for supply had been made did not deprive the Water Services Regulation Authority of power to determine the terms of the supply under s.56 of the Act after the expiry of the agreement"
• The same case was also reported (2006 EWCH 1183 (Ch)) in an early successful Court of Appeal hearing which determined that "it was not an abuse of process for [Corus], in private law proceedings brought by Welsh Water for payment of outstanding water supply charges, to mount a public law challenge to the validity of the water supply charges schemes fixed by the water undertaker."

"Partner" refers to a member of DLA Piper UK LLP