David E. Otero
Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
David Otero’s national practice focuses on bankruptcy and tax litigation and counseling. A partner in both the Tax and Bankruptcy & Reorganization Practice Groups, his clients include Citigroup, Capital One, Nissan, Santander Bank, Sears, Synchrony Financial, U.S. Bank, Venus Fashion, and professional athletes.
In his tax practice, David advises multistate businesses on state and local tax controversy matters throughout the United States. He represents institutions financing both credit cards and automotives, national retailers, and other companies in refund actions (including bad debt sales tax recoveries), audit defense, administrative appeals, litigation, including appeals, and related consulting and planning.
In his national commercial bankruptcy and creditor’s rights practice, David represents financial institutions and other secured creditors, unsecured creditors, and creditors’ committees, as well as trustees and debtors-in-possession. In addition, he represents financial institutions and other plaintiffs and defendants in related complex commercial litigation and bond defaults in federal and state court, and bankruptcy appeals. He advises financial institutions and other businesses with respect to bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters, including loan workouts and restructurings, tax matters, bond defaults, and issues legal opinions on substantive consolidation and true sale and other bankruptcy related issues. David also frequently represents clients in acquiring or investing in businesses in bankruptcy.
Overview
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, J.D., graduated 1987
- Florida, Florida State Bar
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Bar
- Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association - Past President
- Jacksonville Bar Association, Sports & Entertainment Law Committee - Member
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Bankruptcy Insolvency and Creditors Rights, Intellectual Property, Sports & Entertainment Law, and Taxation Sections - Member
- The Florida Bar, Administrative Law, Business Law, Entertainment Arts and Sports Law, Taxation, and Trial Lawyers Sections - Member
- Florida, Florida State Bar
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Bar
- Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association - Past President
- Jacksonville Bar Association, Sports & Entertainment Law Committee - Member
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Bankruptcy Insolvency and Creditors Rights, Intellectual Property, Sports & Entertainment Law, and Taxation Sections - Member
- The Florida Bar, Administrative Law, Business Law, Entertainment Arts and Sports Law, Taxation, and Trial Lawyers Sections - Member
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, J.D., graduated 1987
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus

- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Jacksonville (2026)
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Jacksonville (2024)
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Jacksonville (2022)
- Litigation - Bankruptcy, Jacksonville (2021)
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Jacksonville (2017)
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Jacksonville (2013)
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Litigation - Bankruptcy
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax
- Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- Tax Law
- Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Securities
- Securitization
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated
- Florida Trend's Legal Elite 2012, 2013, Listed for Bankruptcy & Workout
- Jacksonville Magazine 2014, Listed in 904 Magazine's "Top Lawyers" for Tax
- Chambers USA 2016, listed in Florida as a Recognized Practitioner for Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy, American Board of Certification
- Super Lawyers Magazine 2008-2016, Listed in Florida for Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, Tax, and Business Litigation
News & Media
Additional Information
- Published Works and Lectures
- COST Annual Meeting, Panelist, "Bad Debt Planning - How to Keep Your Bad Debt Deductions or at Least Know When to Give Them Up," October 22, 2015
- Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Annual Seminar, moderator for judicial panel on "Current Developments," 1997-2016
- Representative Experience
- Co-counsel with Peter Larsen for Citigroup, Synchrony, Capital One, Santander, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Sears, Kohl's, and Best Buy, among others, in nationwide state and local bad debt sales tax recovery efforts. Has assisted clients in recovering over one billion dollars to date.
- Lead counsel for principal secured creditor with over $100 million in claims in six related Chapter 11 bankruptcy matters in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Successfully secured dismissal of four of the six cases and obtained relief from the automatic stay and order excusing the turnover of assets by the receiver on the remaining two cases, which involved a large subdivision and apartment complex. The creditor eventually caused the sale of the subdivision through a 363 sale and foreclosed on the condominium complex.
- Lead counsel for unsecured creditors' committee in Chapter 11 reorganization of a continuing care retirement community in Florida (In re Life Care St. Johns, Inc., d/b/a Glenmoor).
- Lead counsel for secured creditors (such as financial institutions, indenture trustees, and governmental agencies), unsecured creditors and creditors' committees, as well as trustees and debtors-in-possession, in other complex Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases in numerous jurisdictions throughout the country.
- Lead counsel for taxpayers in numerous bankruptcy/tax matters.
- Lead counsel for numerous prospective acquirers of bankrupt entities.
- Provided non-consolidation and true sale opinions on behalf of borrowers, and reviewed opinions for lenders and trustees, in many structured finance and asset securitization transactions.
- Lead counsel for professional athletes in numerous litigation and workout matters.
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