REPRESENTATIVE WORK
GAMBLING LICENSE PROCEEDINGS
(Administrative Hearings)
Following a closure order and accusation seeking the revocation of the client's state gambling license, David negotiated the prompt re-opening of the card room and remedial measures instead of suspension or revocation of the gambling license.
POLITICAL STRATEGY
(Gambling Measures)
Represented businesses and citizens challenging the development of a $1.5 Billion tribal casino backed by well-connected developers. The casino appeared to be on its way to approval, but we sponsored a ballot measure demonstrating public opposition to the casino. We defeated legal challenges to our ballot measure, successfully supported City Council candidates opposed to the casino, and lobbied at the federal and municipal levels against government approvals. The casino project was defeated. David has also worked on several other local and state casino gaming measures.
TRIBAL GAMING LITIGATION
(IGRA & Casinos)
Represented plaintiffs challenging California’s Proposition 1A, which granted Indian tribes a monopoly on casino gaming. A second case also challenged the acquisition of an off-reservation urban site for an Indian casino, and the status of an Indian group as a recognized tribe.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
(First Amendment Rights)
Represented journalists as lead counsel in a novel suit to establish a First Amendment right to witness capital executions. Ordinarily the First Amendment protects the right to disseminate information, but this case involved the right to witness and gather information. After trial, the federal district court, Judge Vaughn Walker, held that the State's policy restricting media access was an exaggerated response to security concerns and the media should be allowed access to executions. The right to witness executions was upheld after two appeals to the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and an emergency petition to the United States Supreme Court.
The decision of the Court of Appeals has been cited in more than 60 other judicial decisions, 90 federal briefs and Supreme Court petitions, and more than 30 law review articles, treatises and journals. California First Amendment Coalition v. Woodford, 299 F.3d 868 (9th Cir. 2002); prior: California First Amendment Coalition v. Woodford, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22189 (2000); 532 U.S. 939 (stay denied); California First Amendment Coalition v. Calderon, 150 F.3d. 976 (9th Cir. 1998); California First Amendment Coalition v. Calderon, 956 F. Supp. 883 (1997); 517 U.S. 1182 (1996) (stay denied).
BUSINESS LITIGATION
(Business Cases)
Represented a gaming software company in a bad faith suit against its insurer. The insurer denied coverage under a prior litigation exclusion in a patent infringement policy. The scope of the exclusion had never before been litigated. After establishing coverage and defeating the policy exclusion, the bad faith case against the insurer settled for almost twice the face value of the policy.
Represented limited partners/investors in a suit against the general partner, involving contract, real estate appraisal, accounting and fraud issues. After a three-week trial, the general partner was removed and his claim for management fees was defeated. The Court recognized the clients' appraisal and accounting, and awarded the clients' their attorneys’ fees and costs.
APPELLATE REPRESENTATION
(Appeals & Writs)
Represented MCI Telecommunications on appeal seeking a tax refund for sales and use taxes upon property acquired in corporate mergers. In settlement, MCI received $4.9 million.
Other Appellate Cases:
Aviation Data v American Express, (2007) 152 Cal. App. 4th 1522
As a law clerk David worked on more than 100 federal appeals, including the First Amendment lawsuit over the book "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse," by Peter Matthiessen. Price v Viking Penguin, 881 F.2d 1426 (1989).
