David Hennes

Practice Areas

David B. Hennes is one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers who litigates significant, high-profile corporate disputes, regularly achieving outstanding results for his clients. Major investment banks, private equity firms, public companies, and C-suite executives choose David to represent them in complex business disputes, securities and derivative cases, corporate-control disputes, and government and regulatory enforcement inquiries, among other significant matters. David regularly represents boards of directors and their committees, and has handled a number of prominent special litigation committee matters for clients. David is widely recognized for his work and regularly handles issues of major importance to corporate America in federal and state courts across the country, including in the Delaware Court of Chancery and Delaware Supreme Court. Most recently, The American Lawyer named David one of its 2026 "Dealmakers of the Year" for his work leading Nippon Steel's landmark litigation campaign in connection with its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, the first litigator ever to receive the prestigious award.

David’s long track record of success has earned him the respect of clients, peers and legal industry observers alike. Deemed a “first-rate litigator” by The Legal 500, David is commended for his “great balance between aggressive advocacy and the ability to close on a compromise.” Fellow practitioners praise his “judgment and strategic thinking,” while Chambers USA calls David “an outstanding lawyer who has excellent judgment, is responsive 24/7, and gives excellent, thoughtful and practical business-oriented advice.” Chambers sources describe David as “an excellent litigator with a thorough awareness of clients' needs.” “He is smart, dedicated and hard-working and will stop at nothing to get the best for his client.” Chambers also adds that David’s “writing and oral advocacy and general client skills are as good as they come” and highlighted his “ability to handle a wide range of corporate and white-collar criminal litigation,” with a “great ability to argue and convince regulators of his position.” One client comments that David “is my first pick for counsel in connection with any high-stakes dispute. He's incredibly smart, learns quickly, and stops at nothing to get the best for his clients.” Other clients note that David “is a dynamic partner … and a powerful advocate” and “is cool, calm, and collected.”

Based in New York, David co-chairs Ropes & Gray’s corporate and securities litigation practice and the firm’s investment banking industry group.

In addition to his work for clients in the courtroom, David frequently writes and teaches on important issues in corporate litigation. His thought leadership includes authoring chapters on fiduciary duty litigation and parallel civil litigation in such respected sources as Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts and Global Investigations Review’s The Practitioner’s Guide to Global Investigations. David also serves on the boards of the New York University Institute for Corporate Governance & Finance and Congregation Emanu-El of New York City.