Overview

David A. Robinson is the executive partner of Holland & Knight's Newport Beach office. Martindale-Hubble AV+ rated for more than 30 years and a Southern California Super Lawyer, Mr. Robinson focuses in complex business trials and arbitrations, has appeared as counsel in over 10 states, and serves as outside general counsel and chief legal strategist for select clients.

Mr. Robinson's clientele includes corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and other business entities, industry associations, governmental agencies, high-net-worth individuals and family offices. Licensed in California, Colorado and Nevada, Mr. Robinson has successfully prosecuted and defended cases involving trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition, corporate governance (e.g., disputes involving shareholder voting rights, stock buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, the appointment of provisional corporate directors and other corporate control issues), patent and trademark infringement, real estate acquisition and development, land use, water rights, healthcare (on behalf of hospitals and physician groups), breach of contract, fraud, false arrest, defamation, product liability, wrongful death, First and Fifth Amendment, civil and voting rights, wrongful discharge, employment practices, Ponzi schemes, taxation, environmental and regulatory (e.g., Clean Air Act) disputes. In addition, Mr. Robinson has extensive experience litigating shareholder derivative actions filed in federal and state courts.

Before joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Robinson founded and served as the president of a business law firm that focused in trial, appellate, transactional, labor and real estate matters. After completing law school, he interned with the Hon. Joseph R. Grodin of the California Supreme Court.

Mr. Robinson presently serves as the chairman of the University of California at Riverside's A. Gary Anderson School of Business Dean's Council, formerly served as a member of the California State Bar Judicial Evaluations Nominations Commission (JNE), chairman of the Orange County Bar Association Legislative Affairs Committee, member of Chapman Law School's Board of Visitors, chairman of the Irvine Valley College Foundation, and as vice president of Finance and Strategic Planning for the Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council.

Mr. Robinson's reported decisions include: Barnes, Crosby, FitzGerald & Zeman LLP v. Jerome L. Ringler, 212 Cal. App. 4th 172 (2012); Choi v. Orange County Great Park Corp, 175 Cal. App. 4th 524 (2009); Ekstrom v. Marquesa at Monarch Beach Homeowners Association, 168 Cal. App. 4th 1111 (2008); Joseph P. Saline v. Superior Court (Commonwealth Energy Corporation), 100 Cal. App. 4th 909 (2002); and Videotape Plus Inc. v. Lyons, 89 Cal. App. 4th 156 (2001). *Some matters handled prior to joining Holland & Knight.

Credentials

Education
  • University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, J.D.
  • University of California, Riverside, B.A., Political Science and Law and Society, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • California
  • Colorado
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
Memberships
  • University of California, Riverside, A. Gary Anderson School of Business, Dean's Council Chairman, 2021-Present
  • American Healthcare Lawyers Association (AHLA), 2014-Present
  • American Arbitration Association, Commercial Dispute Panel, 2011-Present
  • University of California Hastings College of the Law, Board of Governors, 2017-2020
  • State Bar of California, Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE), 2015-2017
  • Chapman University Fowler School of Law, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, Advisor, 2013-2014; Board of Visitors, 2012-2014
  • Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council, Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning, 2004-2006
  • Irvine Valley College Foundation, Chairman, 2003-2005
  • Orange County Bar Association, Legislative Affairs Committee, Chairman, 1994-1995
  • Orange County Republican National Lawyers Association, Federalist Society
  • American Bar Association
Honors & Awards
  • Southern California Super Lawyers magazine, Business Litigation, 2007, 2015-2017, 2019-Present
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, 1998-Present
  • Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion, Silver Level, 2019, 2022

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News