David Kaufman has extensive experience in handling complex commercial, products liability, and mass tort cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts in Mississippi and elsewhere. In recent years he has tried to jury verdict antitrust, breach of contract, business torts, product liability, construction, personal injury, wrongful death, and premises liability lawsuits. He has been lead counsel in a number of the largest lawsuits ever filed in Mississippi, and has been a member of trial teams on multi-state litigation concerning issues of national importance.

David currently serves as Mississippi trial counsel for several Fortune 500 companies. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member and national director of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel. David also is recognized in The Best Lawyers® in America in Bet-the-Company, Business, and Personal Injury Litigation, and was named Lawyer of the Year for 2010 in the Bet-the-Company Litigation category, and Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers also lists him among America's Leading Lawyers in Business Litigation. He is recognized in Mid-South Super Lawyers® as one of the top 50 lawyers in Mississippi, and one of the top business litigators in Mississippi.

He is a past Chairman of the Firm's litigation department and now serves on the Firm's Board of Directors. David has also been active in business and civic affairs. He has served as a member of the boards of directors of financial institutions and is a former president and member of the Board of Directors of the Country Club of Jackson. He also has been active in bar organizations and is Past President of the Capital Area Bar Association.

Representative Matters

• Successfully defended welding rod manufacturers The BOC Group, Inc., Lincoln Electric Co., Hobart, Inc. and ESAB in the first welding fume exposure lawsuits tried in Arkansas and West Virginia.
• Obtained a dismissal with prejudice before trial of the claims of an Alabama welder against The BOC Group, Inc, Lincoln Electric Co., Hobart, Inc. and ESAB in a case that was to be the second bellweather trial in the national welding fume litigation in the MDL court in Cleveland, Ohio.
• Obtained Summary Judgment for Honeywell in Rouse plant explosion, the largest industrial accident in the history of Mississippi.

Speeches & Publications

• David has presented at a number of trial practice seminars and has been an invited lecturer at a number of trial practice classes at area law schools. He also has presented at national mass tort seminars and recently participated in the American Board of Trial Advocate's Masters In Trial Program at the Arkansas State Bar Convention.

Community & Professional Activities

• Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers
• American Board of Trial Advocates (Director)
• Capital Area Bar Association (Past-President)
• Mississippi Bar Association
• Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit
• Mississippi Association of Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute
• International Association of Defense Counsel
• American Inns of Court