Overview

David J.F. Gross is a trial lawyer and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. David’s recent jury trial victories include:

  • In 2024, David led a trial team that won a complete defense verdict in a $100+ million trade secret infringement jury trial in Orange County, California. See Law360’s coverage here.
  • In 2023, David led a trial team that won a complete defense verdict in a $200+ million trademark infringement jury trial in Los Angeles, California. See Law360's coverage here and Bloomberg Law’s coverage here.
  • In 2022, David led a trial team that won a complete defense verdict in a $1billion+ patent infringement jury trial in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. See Law360's coverage here.

Based on jury trial victories over the course of his career, David is a three-time recipient of the Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorney of the Year recognition and a member of the Minnesota Lawyer’s Circle of Excellence. David's winning jury trial record led The American Lawyer to name him one of the top 50 litigators in the United States under the age of 45, and The National Law Journal recognized David's complete defense jury verdict in a patent infringement jury trial in Orange County as one of the top 10 trial victories in the United States.

National Speaker and Author

David is a national speaker and author on trial advocacy (The Power Trial Method), patent litigation (Winning Patent Litigation), and Legal Design (Design Thinking and Visual Advocacy for Lawyers).

Past Experience

Prior to joining Faegre Drinker, David was a litigator in Washington, D.C., serving as a trial attorney in the Honors Program of the United States Department of Justice, a litigation associate at Covington & Burling, and a litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Firm Leadership

David is a past member of the firm's board.

Innovations in Visual Advocacy
Innovations in Visual Advocacy
Leading the way for design thinking in law

Related Industries

Credentials

Bar Admissions

California
Minnesota
Arizona

Court Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

Clerkships

U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, Hon. Levin H. Campbell, 1989-1990

Education

Harvard Law School
J.D. magna cum laude (1989)

University of Minnesota
B.A. summa cum laude (1985)

Insights & Events

Other Perspectives
  • Design Thinking Sprint
    CLE, CEO Strategic Leadership Forum, 2018
  • Design Thinking in Technology
    Silicon Valley Business Journal Seminar, 2017
  • Winning Trials With the Power Trial Method
    Albuquerque, Anchorage, Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Minneapolis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle, others, 2000-17
  • The Lost Art of Cross Examination
    Alaska Annual Bar Convention, Juneau, 2017
  • Delivering an Effective Opening Statement in Plaintiff Cases (Plaintiff v. Defendant)
    Patent Litigation 2017: Practising Law Institute, Chicago, 2017
  • A Whirlwind Tour of Everything You Need to Know to Win Your Trial in Federal Court
    CLE Webinar, 2017
  • The Past, Present and Future of Data
    Silicon Valley Business Journal Seminar, 2016
  • Winning Patent Litigation Casebook (4th Edition)
    Faegre Baker Daniels, 2016
  • The Power Trial Method (2nd Edition)
    National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2014

Leadership & Community

Civic Activities

  • Stanford Law School's Center on the Legal Profession — Advisory Board Member
  • Stanford Law School's Introduction to Legal Design Course — Coach
  • Stanford Law School's Legal Design Lab — Official Partner

Firm Leadership

  • Silicon Valley Office Leader 
  • Former Board Member

Honors

  • Super Lawyers — Intellectual Property Litigation, 2001, 2002, 2005-23
  • Minnesota Super Lawyers — Intellectual Property Litigation, 2005-22
  • Best Lawyers® — Patent Litigation, 2011-25
  • American College of Trial Lawyers — Fellow
  • Managing Intellectual Property — "IP Star," 2021-22
  • National Law Journal — Top 10 Winning Litigators, 2009
  • The American Lawyer — Litigation's Rising Stars, 2008