David W. White
PartnerAlthough my father would have told you I always liked to argue, that is not the reason I became a lawyer. I decided to attend law school when I was living in Vermont, doing environmental work, and I saw that the lawyers held so many of the important keys. I decided that if I was going to make a difference in this world, I had to be a lawyer.
My career took a slightly different turn than I would have predicted. I became a litigator, working primarily on personal injury cases, and also business and insurance cases.
I love solving problems. I enjoy helping my clients solve their problems, whether it is recovering money for injuries, business wrongs, or the bad faith of insurance companies. I like digging out the details, especially the ones that others are trying to hide. And I enjoy the courtroom.
Before you hire a lawyer, you should be comfortable with the person and satisfied that he or she has the skills and determination to get the job done. It is just as important to me that we have a strong relationship from the very start. If we do, it will last for the entire case.
Being a lawyer has allowed me to contribute to our community in several ways. In the legal profession, I have had the honor of being the President of the Massachusetts Bar Association for the 2007-2008 term. I have had a chance to speak on behalf of lawyers and Massachusetts citizens at the State House, in the courts, and in many public forums. I have had a chance to be a strong advocate for preserving the rights of injury victims.
I have also had the chance to work on environmental issues which have long been dear to me. I have been able to urge lawyers to fight global warming, leading the Lawyers' Eco-Challenge. I have given back directly to my home town of Westwood, where I founded the Westwood Land Trust, Inc., and where I chaired the town’s open space committee. The two groups have raised millions of dollars and have preserved hundreds of acres of land in town.
I look forward to working with you on your case, and helping you every way I can. Please give me a call.
 AV--Highest rating--from Martindale-Hubbell's Law Directory. David White was named one of the Lawyers of the Year by Lawyers Weekly Newspaper in 2004. Perfect "10" rating from Avvo.com.
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Education
J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, 1984
B.S., University of Vermont, Environmental Studies, 1978
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, (all Massachusetts state courts) , 1985U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, 1985
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
Massachusetts Bar Association
President, 2007-2008 President-elect, 2006-2007 Treasurer, 2005-2006 Served as chair or member of multiple committees
Massachusetts Bar Foundation
Brandeis Fellow
Boston Bar Association
Member Task Force on Unrepresented Litigants, committee member
American Association for Justice (former ATLA)
Member Key Person Committee, member
American Bar Association
Member
Women’s Bar Association
Member
Norfolk County Bar Association
Member Bench-Bar Committee, member
Honors and Awards
- Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President’s Award, 2008
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Selected as one of the top ten “Lawyers of the Year.” December 2004.
- Boston Magazine Named “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” in the field of Personal Injury Litigation. November 2004, November 2005, November 2006, November 2007, November 2008. Named one of “Top 100 Massachusetts Lawyers” 2005, 2006 and 2008. Named one of "Top 100 New England Lawyers" 2008.
Selected Educational Seminars Presented
Massachusetts Bar Association
- Annual Meeting: Tort and Insurance Law Update, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Preparing to File a Lawsuit (Chair), 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Streetwise: A Beginner’s Guide to Auto Accident Cases, 2003, 2005
- G.L. c. 93A and c. 176D Update (Chair), 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
- Health Law Conference; Malpractice Update, 2002
- How to Try a c. 93A & c. 176D Case (Chair), 2000, 2003
- How to Start and Run Your Own Lawfirm (Co-Chair), 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Hiring, Firing and Inspiring Staff (Chair), 1995
- Law Firm Management Conference: Dissolving and Forming Professional Relationships, 1993
Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys
- Annual Meeting: Tort and Insurance Update, 2004
- Tort Update; Chapter 93A, 2000, 2001
- Annual Meeting: Retirement Planning for Small Firms (Chair), 2000
- Law Office Technology (Chair), 1999
Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
- Bad Faith Insurance Claims and Chapter 176D, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005
- Medical Malpractice Update, 2004
- Personal Injury Basics, 2003, 2004
- Introducing Evidence at Trial, 1993, 1997
- Insurance Update, 1995
- Recovering Attorneys’ Fees in Civil Litigation, 1995
- How to Start a Law Practice, 1994, 1995
- Building a Profitable Personal Injury Practice, 1995
- Unfair Insurance Settlement Practices, 1995
- Videotaped Evidence at Trial, 1994
- Demonstrative Evidence, 1993
- Taking Depositions Workshop, 1993, 1994
Massachusetts District Court Annual Conference
- Valuing Personal Injury Claims, 2001, 2004, 2006
Flaschner Institute
- Personal Injury and Insurance Law Update, 2004
National Business Institute, Inc.
- Bad Faith Litigation in Massachusetts, 1996
Mealey’s
- Bad Faith Litigation Conference, May 1999
Selected Publications
“Handling Anesthesia Malpractice Cases,” in Medical Malpractice Insurance; An Overview. Amicus Books, 2007.
Tort and Insurance Law Update, Massachusetts Bar Association/MCLE (MBA Annual Meeting), 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.
Appeals Court Raises Troubling Questions in Recent G.L. c. 93A Case, Massachusetts Bar Association Section Review, 2001.
Emotional Distress Claims in Bad Faith Cases, John E. Tenner and David W. White; Mealey’s Bad Faith Litigation Conference 1999.
Life After Lazarus and Furtado, Massachusetts Bar Association Section Review, 1999.
Chapter 93A Damages in Arbitration Cases Clarified by Recent Appeals Court Case, Massachusetts Bar Association Section Review, 1999.
Pierce and Dominguez: Legislative Interpretation and Judicial Inconsistency at Work, Massachusetts Bar Association Section Review, 1999.
Collecting Attorneys’ Fees Under G.L. c. 93A and Other Civil Causes of Action, MCLE, 1997.
Rules Governing Audio-Visual Depositions At Trial, MCLE, 1997.
Bad Faith Litigation in Massachusetts: The Plaintiff’s Perspective, First published National Business Institute, Inc., 1996.
Using Computers In Your Civil Litigation Practice, First published Massachusetts Bar Association, 1995.
Practical Advice for Setting Up and Running the Small Office Practice, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, 1995.
Use of Demonstrative Evidence in Massachusetts Courts, MCLE, 1993.
Dissolving and Forming Professional Relationships, Massachusetts Bar Association, 1993.
Community Activities
Organization for the Preservation of the Environment and Nature (OPEN)
Member-1997-2004
Chair-1998-2004
OPEN was the advisory committee to the Selectmen of Westwood, Massachusetts, on matters regarding open space preservation and acquisition. OPEN led the campaign for purchase by the town of two substantial parcels of land in 1998 and 2000.
Westwood Land Trust, Inc.
President-1999-2003
Vice-President-2003-2004
Board Member-2004-2008
Founder of the organization, which is a § 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to open space preservation and acquisition, working with private landowners in Westwood, Massachusetts.
Sewer Commissioner
Westwood, Massachusetts. First elected April 2002.
Westwood Democratic Town Committee
Elected Member-2001-
Elected Delegate to Massachusetts State Convention, 2001, and Alternate Delegate, 2002.
Fernald State School Human Rights Committee
Member-1992-1994
Chair-1993-1994
Reviewed medication and treatment plans for residents of state school for mentally retarded individuals in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Task Force on Human Subject Research
Member-1994
Member of Task Force which examined use of human subjects from state schools in experiments utilizing radioactive foods. Task Force examined extent of exposure and lack of informed consent.
Vermont Health Policy Corporation/State Health Coordinating Council
Environmental Health Representative 1981-1982
Member of 30 person board responsible for hospital cost containment and health policy in Vermont. Appointed by the Governor in June 1981.
Justice of the Peace
Montpelier, Vermont. Elected November 1980; served seven months of term before moving to Massachusetts.
Personal
David White is formerly David White-Lief.
David's practice has included the representation of injured workers in construction accident cases, medical malpractice cases involving failures to diagnose cancer, anesthesia injuries, orthopedic injuries, and other serious injuries from medical negligence. David's experience includes several wrongful death cases, including automobile accidents and construction accidents. David has handled cases on appeal at the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court.
David White served as the chairperson of the 2005 and 2006 Massachusetts Bar Association's Annual Conferences. David is pictured here talking with Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and Judge Allan van Gestel, formerly the head of the Suffolk Superior Court Business Law Session, during the annual Breakfast with the Judges at the 2005 Annual Conference. (Photo by David Gordon)
In his spare time he is also an avid bicyclist, hiker and SCUBA diver, and dabbles in rock climbing, ice climbing and ham radio.
