USA
Practice Areas
Litigation
Trial Practice
Appeals & Legal Issues Mining
Career
David Weinstein is the Managing Shareholder of GT’s Tampa office. With over 30 years of experience, David is a “go to” litigator and strategist for high-stakes and complex civil and white-collar litigation, including business, environmental, toxic tort, real estate, land use, health care, and other challenging matters. An accomplished litigator who takes pride in his courtroom advocacy, David also works to help clients find practical and effective out-of-court approaches to their legal issues whenever appropriate. Drawing on his business experience and acumen, David handles a wide variety of matters and enjoys assisting clients with overcoming their most difficult challenges. In the civil context, he represents clients in class actions, mass torts, and other complex litigation. He also represents organizations and individuals in federal and state white-collar criminal investigations. In addition, David assists clients with developing and implementing crisis management, public relations, and other external and internal communications strategies for both civil actions and government investigations. He has significant “first-chair” trial experience in jury and non-jury trials, as well as arbitrations. David also serves as the Chair of the firm’s Environmental and Toxic Tort Litigation Practice.
David’s versatility and skills are exemplified by his recognition in multiple categories by the most prestigious legal rating services. Both Chambers and Partners USA Guide and The Best Lawyers in America list David in three distinct categories: Commercial Litigation, White-Collar Criminal Defense, and Environmental Law. In 2023, The Legal 500 United States recognized him as one of only ten “Leading Lawyers” nationally in “Litigation - Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense: Toxic Tort.” Who's Who Legal describes him as “a distinguished litigator and a well-known name for civil and white-collar disputes,” and Benchmark Litigation recognizes David as a “Litigation Star.” David is recognized as one of “Florida's Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine—which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2010. And Florida Super Lawyers has rated David as one of Florida's “Top 100” lawyers seven times.
Ranked in Chambers and Partners USA Guide since 2009, David has been described by clients in the following ways:
“[A] really fabulous lawyer . . . well-liked by clients . . . the kind of guy you would want leading the charge if you had a problem.”
“[A] stellar reputation” with a “wealth of expertise in high-stakes civil and white-collar criminal disputes. He offers additional strengths in appellate work, healthcare disputes, and wider business litigation. Interviewees report that he ‘has good judgement and is a pleasure to work with.’”
“The way he handles litigation is truly a sight to behold. He is a fantastic lawyer.”
“‘[I]ncredibly skilled and adept in the courtroom.’”
“David is very savvy, super hard-working with good managerial skills. He is the gold standard of environmental lawyers.”
“‘[A] master litigator not only in the thoughtfulness of his drafting and pre-trial work, but also as a great trial attorney.’ He is recognized for his litigation strength in matters including toxic tort class action cases as well as in criminal environmental cases.”
“He's top-notch, he's one of the best. If I was accused of a white-collar environmental crime I would use him. He's tenacious, bright and extremely capable.”
“David is outstanding, a committed and passionate advocate, and he has the technical knowledge of environmental law.”
“He shows incredible judgment and is very helpful to clients. He has a good understanding of local regulatory climates.”
David has a long record of service to the legal profession and the community, which include: Member, Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay; Former Member, Board of Trustees, Straz Center for the Performing Arts (three terms); Member, Former Chair and current Co-Chair, Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources; and Co-Chair, Criminal Litigation and Enforcement Subcommittee, ABA Environmental Litigation Committee. He is also a member emeritus of the Herbert G. Goldburg-Ronald K. Cacciatore Criminal Law American Inn of Court and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. A Fourth-Degree Black Belt, David served as the senior instructor of Tampa Moo Duk Kwan, a not-for-profit martial arts club.
David was recently recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as a member of their “Power 100” and in Florida Trend’s “People to Know in Tampa/Hillsborough County.”
Concentrations:
Business litigation
Environmental and toxic tort litigation
Real estate and land use litigation
White-collar criminal defense
Class actions
Mass torts
Trial and appellate practice
Professional Memberships
Member, American Bar Association, 1987 - Present
Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER)
Vice-Chair, Year in Review, Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee, 2015-2023
At-Large Vice-Chair, Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2013-2019
Chair, Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee, 2012-2013
Criminal Litigation Committee
Co-Chair, Civil & Criminal Litigation Enforcement Subcommittee, Environmental & Energy Litigation Committee, 2020-2023
Co-Chair, Criminal Litigation and Enforcement Subcommittee, Environmental Litigation Committee, 2009-2015
Member, Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Committee
Member, Trial Practice Committee
Member, State Litigation Advisory Committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Litigation Center
Member, The Florida Bar
Member, Hillsborough County Bar Association
Member, District of Columbia Bar
Member, The New York State Bar Association
Member, Herbert G. Goldburg Inn of Court (Criminal Law)
Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member, Defense Research Institute
Member, Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee – Articles, 2021
Outside General Counsel, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, 2019-Present
Member, Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
Board of Directors, 2018-Present
General Counsel, 2018-2020
Executive Committee Member, 2018-2020
Former Member, Board of Trustees (three terms), David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
Fourth Degree Black Belt; Senior Instructor, Tampa Moo Duk Kwan (a not-for-profit martial arts club)
Publications
Listed, Chambers USA, 2009-2023.
Personal
J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1986; Trial Competition Team; Florida Blue Key; Omicron Delta Kappa.
B.S.B.A., University of Florida, 1981.
