- Accomplished civil litigator and trial attorney with over 36 years of experience defending complex actions arising from personal injury, real property, insurance defense, and business disputes.
- Current practice focuses on defending property owners and managers in habitability, negligence, nuisance, and breach of quiet enjoyment claims.
- Provides practical, strategic guidance with candid case evaluation and a focus on efficient, cost-effective resolution.
David S. Canter is an experienced civil litigator and trial attorney based in the firm’s Los Angeles office, bringing more than 36 years of experience representing clients in complex litigation matters across California and Colorado. He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in both jurisdictions, as well as the United States Courts of Appeal for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits.
Throughout his career, David has represented clients ranging from individuals and closely held businesses to large, publicly traded corporations. David’s current practice primarily focuses on defending property owners and property managers against claims involving alleged breach of the warranty of habitability, breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment, and negligence. His extensive litigation background also includes representing defendants in a wide range of insurance matters ranging from complex motor vehicle accidents, commercial trucking claims, slip and fall incidents, premises liability issues, real property line disputes, nuisance, construction defect, commercial transportation, as well as civil litigation involving a wide range of business disputes.
As a civil litigator and trial lawyer, David prepares each case as if it is going to go to trial, all while exploring reasonable settlement opportunities at appropriate junctures with opposing counsel.
David earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School’s 2-year “SCALE” Program (1989), taught Introduction to Public Speaking and Small Group Communication while studying in the Masters Program at the University of California, Davis (1984 to 1986), and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric from the University of California, Davis (1984). He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, and he and FGMC attorney Christine Ghattas present regular webinars to members of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, on how to address (and avoid) claims of breach of the warranty of habitability.
EDUCATION:
- Southwestern Law School, 2-Year SCALE Program, JD (1989)
- University of California, Davis, Master of Arts Program/Associate Instructor (1984-1986)
- University of California, Davis, Bachelor of Arts (Rhetoric) (1984)
MEMBERSHIPS:
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
ADMISSIONS:
- State Bar of California
- United States District Court Central District of California
- United States District Court Northern District of California
- United States District Court Southern District of California
- United States District Court Eastern District of California
- State Bar of Colorado
- United States District Court of Colorado
- United States Court of Appeal Ninth and Tenth Circuits