Eric M. David

Eric M. David

Raleigh, NC recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

63 Best Lawyers awards

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Corporate Governance Law Appellate Practice Commercial Litigation Litigation - First Amendment Litigation - Intellectual Property
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Raleigh.

Biography

Eric David focuses his practice on business litigation, constitutional litigation, and media and communications law. Eric represents businesses, public agencies, and individuals in high-stakes litigation in federal and state court, and especially the North Carolina Business Court.

Eric represents large and small businesses in complex litigation, particularly in federal court and the North Carolina Business Court. Eric has experience in a myriad of matters, including trade secrets litigation, corporate governance disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and claims brought under the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Eric has advocated on behalf of publisher and broadcast clients in a variety of First Amendment and newsgathering matters, including disputes over the North Carolina Public Records Act and access to public meetings. Eric has substantial experience defending both large and small publishers against defamation claims in state and federal court.

Eric represents companies, shareholders, and directors in a variety of corporate governance disputes, including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and corporate dissolution. Eric has substantial experience in the North Carolina Business Court, where many of these disputes are litigated.

Eric represents companies and individuals in a variety of intellectual property disputes, especially claims brought under the North Carolina Trade Secrets Protection Act. Eric has substantial experience in both federal court and the North Carolina Business Court, where many intellectual property disputes are litigated.

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

63 Best Lawyers awards

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP logo

Overview

  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, JD, graduated 2008
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MA, graduated 2005
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, graduated 1994

  • North Carolina, North Carolina

  • Uniform Law Commission (ULC) – North Carolina Delegation - Commissioner
  • Board of Directors, North Carolina Open Government Coalition - Member

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fourth Circuit
  • U.S Court of Appeals - D.C. Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court - Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court of Colorado
  • North Carolina, North Carolina
  • Uniform Law Commission (ULC) – North Carolina Delegation - Commissioner
  • Board of Directors, North Carolina Open Government Coalition - Member
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, JD, graduated 2008
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MA, graduated 2005
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, graduated 1994
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fourth Circuit
  • U.S Court of Appeals - D.C. Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court - Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court of Colorado

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2026 - Corporate Governance Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Corporate Governance Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Litigation - First Amendment
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Corporate Governance Law, Raleigh (2026)
  • Litigation - First Amendment, Raleigh (2025)
  • Corporate Governance Law, Raleigh (2023)
  • Litigation - First Amendment, Raleigh (2023)
  • Litigation - First Amendment, Raleigh (2020)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Appellate Practice
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corporate Governance Law
  • Litigation - First Amendment
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • First Amendment Law
  • Media Law
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
Awards:
  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in Litigation - First Amendment (2024-2025) (Raleigh "Lawyer of the Year" 2020, 2023, 2025), Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property (2018-2025), Corporate Governance Law (2020-2025), Appellate Practice (2024-2025)

  • Recognized by his peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina’s "Legal Elite" in Young Guns category (2013-2014); for Litigation (2017-2025)
  • Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) in Business Litigation (2019-2024), Top 100 North Carolina Lawyers (2023-2024), Top 25 Raleigh Super Lawyers (2024), and as a “Rising Star” in Business Litigation (2014-2018) and Civil Rights/First Amendment (2012-2013)

  • Selected as North Carolina Lawyers Weekly “Leader in the Law” (2018)

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B