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Chamberlain McHaney, PLLC

Texas Lawyers, Austin & San Antonio

David E. Chamberlain

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Partner

Double board certified in trial law, David E. Chamberlain has also been recognized as The Outstanding Defense Bar Leader in the nation by DRI, the largest association of defense trial lawyers in the country (Fred Sievert Award). He is the past Chair of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas and past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of Texas Insurance Trust. He received the “Standing Ovation” Award from the State Bar of Texas for outstanding service as the course director or speaker on over 30 State Bar legal education courses in the last 15 years. He served as the 2015 President of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Texas Chapters (TEX-ABOTA). He was the founder and first chair of the Texas Civil Justice Roundtable. In 2011-12 he served as President of the Austin Bar Association, the year it was named the Outstanding Local Bar Association, Div. IV, by the State Bar of Texas. He formerly served on DRI’s National Board of Directors. In 2008, he was named The Outstanding Board Director of the Austin Bar Association. He has served as President of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and received the association’s Founder’s Award for outstanding leadership and service to the profession. He is named in the peer-selected BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer for 20 straight years in Texas Monthly Magazine (2004-Present) (limited to 5% of Texas attorneys). He is double Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (less than one percent of Texas attorneys are board certified in both of these practice areas). He is the senior partner in the Austin civil trial firm of Chamberlain♦McHaney and has had the highest peer review rating (A.V. – Pre-eminent) issued by Martindale-Hubbell for over 25 years. He has served as the Course Director of the State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Law Course, State Bar of Texas Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, and the State Bar of Texas Business Disputes Institute among others.

Activities & Honors:

  • Chair of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas (2015-2016); Executive Committee (2013-2017);
  • President, Texas Chapters of American Board of Trial Advocates 2015 (Tex-ABOTA) and chair of its Legislative Committee; (2012–Present);
  • President, Austin Bar Association (elected 2011-2012) (Named the Outstanding Local Bar Association, 2011-12, by the State Bar of Texas; Received the Luminary Award 2011-2012 for Excellence in Communication from the National Association of Bar Executives;
  • Chair, Board of Trustees, State Bar of Texas Insurance Trust (2014-2015);
  • National Director, Board of Directors, DRI (the largest association of defense trial attorneys in North America and Europe) (2009-2012);
  • Chair, Austin Bar Foundation (2012-2013) (Charitable arm of the Austin Bar)
  • President, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2004-2005 (President-Elect, 2003-2004; Executive Vice-President, 2002-2003; Secretary-Treasurer 2000-2001; Founder’s Award, 2009; President’s Award, 1991 and 1999); Program Chair, 2015 and 2011 Annual Meetings; Program Chair, 2013 Summer Meeting;
  • 2014 Recipient of the “Standing Ovation” Award from the State Bar of Texas for serving as course director or speaker on over 30 legal education courses in the last 15 years.
  • President, American Board of Trial Advocates; Austin Chapter (2016-2018);
  • DRI (named Outstanding Defense Bar Leader in the nation in 2006; State Leadership Award, 2009; Exceptional Performance Award, 2005; Chair, Public Service Committee, 2010-11; National Membership Committee, 2007 to 2009; Texas State Representative, 2006-2009; Regional Marketing Chair (2006-2009);
  • Life Fellow, Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates
  • President’s Citation for Exemplary Service, 2014 State Bar of Texas;
  • Member, Supreme Court of Texas Expedited Actions Task Force (2011-2012);
  • Chair, TEX-ABOTA/TTLA/TADC HB 274 Working Group on New Civil Procedure Rules (2011);
  • Chair, Legislative Committee, Austin Bar Association (2008 to 2013);
  • President, Austin Young Lawyers Association (1987-1988);
  • Board of Directors, Texas Civil Justice League, (2004-2011);
  • State Bar of Texas (Course Director, Advanced Civil Trial Law Course, 2014; Course Director, Business Disputes Institute, 2013 and 2014; Course Director, Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, 2007; Planning Committee, Advanced Trial Strategies (2015-Present); Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2006; Planning Committee, Texas Business Torts, 2018, 2017, 2012, 2011, 2009; Planning Committee, Litigation Update (2019 to present); Planning Committee, Damages in Civil Litigation, 2013; Planning Committee, Advanced Insurance Law Course, 2008; Planning Committee, Advanced Civil Trial Law Course, 2005; Member, Court Administration Task Force, 2007-2008); Chairman, State Bar Jury Project, 2005-2006; Court Rules Committee, 1997-2000; Sunset Committee, 2002-2003);
  • International Society of Barristers;
  • Board of Directors, Austin Bar Association (1987-1988);
  • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys;
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel;
  • Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit;
  • Sustaining Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (Nominating Chairman, 2000-2001) (Selection Committee, Dan R. Price Award, 2009);
  • Member, College of the State Bar of Texas (2001-present); Donor to Texas Bar College Endowment Fund for Professionalism;

Board Certifications:

Double Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (less than one percent of all Texas attorneys are board certified in both these practice areas). The Texas Board of Legal Specialization is an arm of the State Bar of Texas. See www.tbls.org.

Admissions:

State Bar of Texas; Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; All U.S. District Courts: Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas.

Author and Speaker

Representative recent topics and publications include:

  • Speaker and Author–Texas Legislative Update (State Bar Advanced Personal Injury Course, 2020, 2019,
    2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006; State Bar of Texas-Litigation Section, 2023,
    2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2012; State Bar of Texas-Damages in Civil Litigation, 2023, 2019, 2015, 2013, 2012; State Bar of Texas-Advanced Civil Trial Law Course, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2012 University of Texas-Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference 2019, 2017, 2015, 2012; State Bar of Texas-Business Torts and Disputes, 2022, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011; TEX-ABOTA, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011; Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2020, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009; and Austin Bar Association, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2007, and State Bar College, 2017, 2015, 2005); State Bar Advanced Trial Strategies Law Course, 2023, 2022.
  • Speaker and Author–Recovery of Medical Expenses Under Chapter 18 (State Bar Trucking Law Course, 2022).
  • Speaker and Author, Insurance Update (State Bar Damages Law Course, 2022).
  • Author, Preparing the Witness for Trial, The Advocate (2020);
  • Civility Matters (State Bar of Texas 2019, 2018); (TADC 2019)
  • Net Worth – Discoverability and Admissibility, (State Bar of Texas, 2016);
  • Artificial Intelligence and the Ethical Practice of Law, Advanced Trial Strategies (State Bar of Texas, 2018)
  • Civility Oath, Advanced Trial Strategies, (State Bar of Texas, 2016);
  • Expedited Actions (State Bar, 2012, 2013)(Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2014);
  • Proposed New Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct (State Bar Advanced Personal Injury Course, 2010; Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2010);
  • Litigation Update, State Bar of Texas, 2016;
  • Article, Texas Chancery Courts, Texas Bar Journal, Feb. 2016;
  • Article, A Level Playing Field with No Wind, Voir Dire, the Journal of the American Board of Trial Advocates, January 2012
  • Ethical Considerations in Business Litigation (State Bar of Texas Business Torts Law Course, 2009); (Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2010).
  • “Paid or Incurred” How it works at Trial (2009 Austin Bar Association Bench-Bar Annual Conference);
  • Judicial Tort Reform (State Bar Advanced Personal Injury Course, 2008);
  • Feature Article, The American Jury: The Best Alternative Dispute Resolution, For The Defense (DRI, The Magazine of Defense, Insurance and Corporate Counsel, June 2008);
  • Attorney Ethics (State Bar Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, 2008);
  • Insurance Coverage Update (State Bar Advanced Insurance Law Course, 2007, 2008); (University of Houston, Advanced Insurance Law Course, 2008);
  • The State of Our Seventh Amendment, Presented to the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting (2007);
  • Insurance Issues in Construction Defect Litigation (San Antonio 2007);
  • Article, Texas Legislative Update, Texas Bar Journal, State Bar of Texas, January, 2007;
  • Tort Trends (Texas Causes of Action, State Bar of Texas, 2006);
  • Texas Tort Reform (2003 & 2004);
  • Trying Tough Cases in Tough Venues (Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2004);
  • Mold Litigation (2002);
  • Daubert Overview (State Bar, Advanced Civil Law Trial Course, 2000);
  • Texas Summary Judgments (Rutter Group, 1997);
  • Chapter, Government Liability (1998);
  • Insurance Coverage of Employment Claims (Austin Bar Association, 1997);
  • Editor in Chief -Texas Update (2002 to present).

Education:

  • University of Texas at Arlington (B.A.)
  • St. Mary’s University of San Antonio (J.D., with honors)
  • Note and Comment Editor, St. Mary’s Law Journal
  • Phi Delta Phi (Vice President; Outstanding Law Graduate)
  • Harlan Honor Society.

Other:

Former Briefing Attorney to Associate Justice Sears McGee, Texas Supreme Court.

  • Recognized, Best Lawyers in America, 2012 – Present.
  • Recognized as Texas Super Lawyer for 16 straight years (2004-Present) in Texas Monthly Magazine and National Super Lawyer-Corporate Edition for eleven straight years (2008-Present).
  • AV-Rated (highest peer review rating) by Martindale Hubbell for over 25 years and listed in Best’s Directory of Recommended Attorneys and Martindale Hubbell’s Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers.
  • 2012 GO-TO Litigation LAW FIRM for the Top 500 Companies, American Financial Group
  • Texas Top Law Firms, listed in 2012-Present by ALM and Law.com