David M. Pattee

/My focus

My practice focuses on commercial and contract disputes, products liability, trade secrets and business torts, and claims arising out of mergers and acquisitions.

Commercial Litigation

I litigate breach of contract and other business disputes for companies across many industries, from early resolution of disputes, through discovery and trial when conflicts cannot be resolved. I have litigated supply agreement, service agreement, indemnification, and intellectual property-related disputes; defended professional liability claims, class-actions, and False Claims Act and tax-related actions brought by the United States; and I regularly represent clients in arbitration and mediation before the AAA, JAMS, and other ADR providers. I counsel businesses managing litigation risk day-to-day, and I always put clients’ business and legal objectives first.

Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Disputes

I represent clients in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and life sciences industries, including in complex disputes arising from the development, manufacture, and supply of medical devices and pharmaceutical products.

Mergers and Acquisitions Disputes

I represent buyers, sellers, and shareholder representatives in post-closing M&A disputes, including earnout disputes and indemnification claims.

Trade Secrets and Business Torts

I advise individuals and businesses regarding trade secrets and restrictive covenants, including matters involving departing employees and competitors. I pursue and defend claims for breaches of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of confidential information, violation of non-competition and other restrictive covenants, and related business torts.

Products Liability Defense

I work closely with clients to craft defense strategies and have favorably resolved tort actions in jurisdictions throughout the United States. I have defended premises actions and products liability claims involving medical devices and other products on behalf of manufacturers and distributors.

/Looking ahead

Generative AI has moved from an emerging curiosity to a technology woven into daily business operations. It is now producing real disputes and is reshaping litigation itself. As employees increasingly utilize AI tools to draft, summarize, and communicate, the volume and character of discoverable material is changing, demanding new approaches to preservation and review, and introducing serious risks to attorney-client privilege and work-product protections. Clients will need assistance navigating these new considerations, building defensible discovery and information-governance practices, and litigating the questions this technology will continue to raise.