Professional Biography
Image of David A. Perez

David A. Perez Partner

Firmwide Chair, Business Litigation Practice; Firmwide Co-Chair, Real Estate Litigation

  • Seattle

    D +1.206.359.6767

    F +1.206.359.7767

    Seattle

    1201 Third Avenue, Suite 4900

    Seattle, WA 98101-3099

    +1.206.359.6767

    DPerez@perkinscoie.com

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Overview

David Perez is a trial lawyer focused on contract disputes, intellectual property (IP), real estate, class actions, and constitutional law, including First Amendment litigation. David is the firmwide chair of the Business Litigation and Real Estate Litigation practices.

Clients turn to David for their most complex, time-sensitive, and high-stakes disputes. David is a recipient of the Washington State Bar Association’s Award of Merit, which is the Bar’s “highest honor and is given to an individual for a recent, singular achievement . . . thus bringing credit to the legal profession.” No matter the dispute or issue, David can assemble a skilled team to drive outstanding results.

In his IP practice, David represents plaintiffs and defendants asserting or defending against misappropriation or infringement claims, with a particular emphasis on trade secret litigation and other time-sensitive IP disputes that may require expedited briefing and oral argument. These claims often involve arguments in state and federal courts for and against temporary restraining orders and other injunctive relief. David co-authored the Four Keys to Litigating a Modern Trade Secret Case for the Litigation Journal of the American Bar Association.

In his Real Estate Litigation practice, David represents clients with property and leaseholds throughout the country. These real estate matters run the gamut from routine lease issues to complex multiparty disputes involving guarantor liability, lender exposure, construction disputes, and veil-piercing or alter ego claims. He recently co-authored the 3 Keys to Successfully Litigating Alter Ego Claims for The Am Law Litigation Daily. David’s real estate team is prepared to litigate in any jurisdiction and has handled disputes in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, the District of Columbia, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis.

As part of his constitutional and public law work, he routinely advises companies and individuals—including public officials and candidates for office—on First Amendment issues, communications, media, and pending legislation, including at the appellate level. These cases often involve defamation and disparagement, civil rights claims, election law, or other issues of public significance. David recently secured three consecutive First Amendment wins in less than a year in cases filed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington, with another case pending in Nevada. He also serves as outside counsel to various candidates for public office.

David represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex business disputes, including post-closing litigation arising out of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals or earnout provisions, breaches of fiduciary duty, buyouts between partners and directors, nonsolicit and noncompete claims, consumer class actions, and other commercial disputes that require experienced trial counsel.

As the client service partner for several large clients in the healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and technology industries, David manages the day-to-day relationships while providing outside counseling in employment, IP, and litigation contexts. His representative clients include Albertsons, Boeing, Hinge Health, Hughes Marino, Industrious, Microsoft, Ravensburger, WeWork, and Zumiez, along with various startups and individuals.

David also maintains an active pro bono practice. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently awarded David with its Kathleen Taylor Civil Libertarian Award for outstanding contributions to the cause of civil liberties and justice for his work as lead counsel in the Black Lives Matter v. City of Seattle litigation, which led to a federal injunction restricting the use of less lethal weapons, especially against peaceful demonstrators. The League of Women Voters named David a “Champion of Voting Rights” for his work in co-authoring the Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA), which passed the Washington State Legislature in 2018. David is a longtime board member of the Ballard Food Bank and provides outside general counseling on a pro bono basis to the food bank. He is currently a commissioner on the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.

After earning his J.D. from Yale Law School, David clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He repeatedly has been named a Washington “Super Lawyer” and listed in Best Lawyers in America for litigation.

Professional Recognition

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation, 2024
  • Selected as a “Super Lawyer” in Super Lawyers Magazine, 2021 – 2023; “Washington Rising Star”, 2013 – 2020
  • Recipient of the “Award of Merit” from the Washington State Bar Association, “the Bar’s highest honor” which “is given to an individual for a recent, singular achievement,” 2021
  • Recipient of the ACLU’s Kathleen Taylor Civil Libertarian Award for outstanding contributions to the cause of civil liberties and justice, 2021
  • Recipient of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 under 40” Award, which recognizes the business community’s most innovative leaders under 40 years old, 2019
  • Named “Champion of Voting Rights” by the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, 2015
  • Recipient of the Latino/a Bar Association of Washington’s “President’s Award,” 2013

Professional Leadership

  • King County Bar Association, Appellate and Intellectual Property sections
  • Seattle Municipal Court Selection Committee, 2016
  • Washington Attorney General-elect Bob Ferguson, Transition Team, 2012
  • Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law & Equality, Fellow

Community Involvement

Clerkships

  • Hon. Robert Beezer, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2010 - 2011

Experience

News

Insights

RELATED INFORMATION

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

Education

  • Yale Law School, J.D.
  • Gonzaga University, B.A.