Professional Overview

David is the Chair of the firm’s Business Group. His practice focuses on all aspects of legal counseling for businesses, including business planning, formation of corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, mergers and acquisitions, and the negotiation and drafting of commercial agreements. He has extensive experience in dealing with real estate matters, including financings, purchases, sales, exchanges, leasing, and structuring of entities for ownership and development of real property projects. For many years he represented clients in the solid waste industry in connection with planning for the ownership, development, acquisition, and sale of solid waste facilities such as landfills, transfer stations, composting and recycling centers, and hauling operations, purchases and sales of solid waste companies, and transactions involving contaminated property. David began his career as a tax attorney and continues to provide transactional tax planning advice to businesses and individuals and assistance with estate planning and probate matters.

Representative Matters

  • Representation of several large real estate investment funds and their managers, including Washington Capital Management, Inc. and USAA Real Estate Company in equity and lending transactions including significant equity investment in 1055 guest room hotel in Boston; a $50 million dollar equity investment in a joint venture development of a mixed use 148 unit apartment building and retail space in Chicago; a $70 million dollar equity investment in a mixed use development with 538 residential units in Los Angeles; an equity investment in a joint venture entity that developed two high-rise commercial towers that establishes a commercial condominium in South Lake Union in Seattle; and other financings and purchases of commercial buildings and properties.
  • Representation of The Polyclinic in numerous real estate transactions including ground lease, design, development, construction, and operation of The Polyclinic Madison Center and related parking facilities in Seattle; negotiation of ground leases of other properties in Seattle; and various facility, clinic, and site leases in King County.
  • Representation of the City of Everett on various municipal and public-private projects, including various phases of the Riverfront Development Project on property formerly owned by the City some of which was a landfill; a number of transactions in connection with the former mill site owned by Kimberly Clark, including transactions involving transfer, ownership, use, and control of the deep water Port Gardner Bay Outfall; and acquisitions, sales, leasing, and other transactions involving development and construction of facilities on or near City property including hotels, medical facilities, and art space projects.
  • Representation of various national and local solid waste companies in connection with numerous projects and public-private transactions involving acquisition, design, development, construction, financing, and operation of transfer stations, intermodal rail facilities, recycling facilities, composting facilities, landfills, and other solid waste facilities; negotiation of private and municipal agreements for the collection, long haul, recycling, composting, and disposal of solid waste; and acquisition, clean-up, and use of contaminated properties.
  • Represented Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the owner and operator of the Sheraton, Westin, W, Four Points, and St. Regis Hotel chains on real estate and business matters including leasing of space as landlord and tenant in Seattle, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Birmingham, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, New York, and other locations, and assistance with various business matters, including development and implementation of hotel policies, internet and intranet risk management capabilities, software development agreements, cell tower and facilities agreements, and agreements with service providers.
  • Represented family limited liability company in connection with conversion of a downtown Seattle warehouse to office space including assistance with development, design, permitting, financing, construction, and leasing of the project; building and tenant improvement construction issues and disputes; acquisition and use of historic rehabilitation tax credits resulting from the renovation; and succession planning for the family.

Articles and Presentations

  • Speaker, "Mock Negotiation of a Joint Venture Agreement," at "Real Estate Joint Ventures and Funds Conference," presented by Law Seminars International, February 8 and 9, 2010.
  • Speaker, "Governance Issues in Real Estate Joint Ventures," at Real Estate Joint Ventures Conference, presented by Law Seminars International, February 9, 2009.
  • Speaker, "Selection of Business Entity," Washington State Bar Association's "Business Essentials" Seminar, 2007.
  • Frequent speaker on business planning, corporate governance, asset protection and estate planning matters.

Professional and Civic Involvement

  • King County Bar Association
    Real Property, Probate and Trust Section
  • Washington State Bar Association
    Business Law, Real Property, Probate Trust, and Taxation Law Sections
  • Seattle Estate Planning Council

Honors / Awards / Prior Experience

  • Repeatedly recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, and Tax Law, most recently for 2026.
  • Named the 2023 Best Lawyers in America©: Lawyer of the Year - Seattle in the field of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships).
  • A/V Preeminent Lawyer, Martindale Hubbell.
  • Repeatedly recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by Washington Super Lawyers.
  • Recognized as a FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager by Seattle Business Monthly.
  • Partner, Heller Ehrman, 1988 - 1997.

Education

  • J.D., University of Washington, 1977
    Order of the Coif
  • B.A., University of Washington, magna cum laude, B.A., 1973
    Phi Beta Kappa

Personal

When I am not practicing law, I travel with my family whenever we can. On my own, I enjoy playing the guitar, carpentry, and home remodeling. I can never find enough things to fix.