Dave Godwin represents companies in nationwide insurance coverage matters, as well as manufacturers in product liability and mass tort litigation. In both these areas, he has served as national coordinating counsel, assessing his clients’ overall risk in high exposure, multijurisdictional disputes, formulating strategic plans to achieve optimal outcomes.
Dave frequently calls on his engineering background in defense of his clients. He easily grasps complex processes in manufacturing, design and operational exposures, which gives him the ability to explain arcane technical concepts to juries in laymen’s terms. He deposes expert witnesses in their own language, thus, exposing questionable opinion “evidence.” In highly complex litigation, his technical background is an asset both unexpected and effective.
Products Liability
Dave regularly coordinates the nationwide defense of manufacturers in product liability actions. As many of these actions involve non-US companies, he often argues jurisdictional issues in an effort to keep his clients out of US courts.
He has litigated a wide variety of matters, including: class actions involving food-borne illness and product labeling claims; auto products liability lawsuits; and claims arising from durable goods manufacturing – including, by way of example, claims involving steel pipe used for transportation of petroleum products, fire arms, and automobile restraint systems.
Insurance Coverage
Most of Dave’s coverage actions include a bad faith component, in which his clients are exposed to extra-contractual liability. His cases often involve broad portfolios of claims, requiring him to create consistent nationwide strategies to minimize clients’ overall risk exposure.
He has litigated a wide variety of coverage cases, including contamination caused by the release of hydrocarbons, PCBs, solvents, sewage, lead, arsenic and other toxic metals and mass tort claims involving bodily injuries allegedly resulting from exposure to asbestos, lead, tobacco, EMF, pesticides and other toxic chemicals/products.
Other example representations include patent infringement, TCPA claims, investment fraud, and commercial real estate and construction claims.
