David Aaron Lewis, General Attorney in New York

When a lawyer needs a lawyer, David A. Lewis is the one to call. In all matters of legal ethics and professional responsibility, David provides attorneys and their firms practical advice on issues of disciplinary exposure, financial risk, and conflicts of interest.

An eminent authority on attorney grievance complaints, malpractice suits, and the panoply of disputes between lawyers, their firms, and their clients, David’s credentials include a three-year term as chair of the New York City Bar Association’s prestigious Professional Responsibility Committee. He has also served on the state level, with the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct (COSAC). These committees are at the vanguard of the legal ethics field, studying and recommending changes to rules and procedures that directly affect the practice of law.

David’s own practice reflects this experience. He represents lawyers and firms wherever the Rules of Professional Conduct come into play – from partnership disputes to privilege and confidentiality issues – from conflicts of interest to bar admission problems. He defends clients facing attorney grievance complaints, disqualification motions and other court matters.

David is quick to make the distinction between ethics and morality. He understands that one’s morals are not always an accurate guide to what the ethics rules proscribe.

To help lawyers grasp this distinction, David advises both outside and inside counsel – including Fortune 500 companies – on issues of ethical risk management. At his lectures and seminars, he teaches how to avoid disciplinary complaints and malpractice charges – to make sure engagement letters, conflict waivers, and other basic procedures are scrupulously executed in a way that reduces exposure. Prevention, to David, is always preferable to litigation.

David’s approach to legal ethics – a field known for its rigidity, is to keep an open mind. He prefers to think through his client’s entire situation, looking for other – possibly better – options than what is immediately evident.

For his clients – those lawyers and firms that may have strayed from the rules, thereby putting their careers and businesses at risk – David’s thorough and carefully considered approach provides the guidance that puts those clients on the right track.

As a nationally recognized legal ethics speaker, David has been called upon to participate in programs across the country that address complex legal ethics and compliance issues. These ethics programs include events sponsored by: Practicing Law Institute, American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers’ Association, Association for Professional Responsibility Lawyers, Fortune 500 companies and various national law firms. David has also been honored to serve as an adjunct law professor teaching legal ethics and professional responsibility at Cardozo Law School.

David’s commentary on national ethics matters can be found in the pages of the New York Law Journal, Corporate Counsel Magazine, National Law Journal, New York State Bar Association Journal, ABA/BNA Lawyer’s Manual on Professional Conduct Bloomberg BNA, Law360 and Law.com.

Honors/Awards:

• Super Lawyers List, New York Metro Edition, 2015 - Present

• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating for High Ethical Standards and Professional Ability by Martindale-Hubbell, 2019

• George W. Cobb Leadership Fellowship, Colgate University

• Rising Star Super Lawyers List, New York Metro Edition, 2013 - 2014

• Pro Bono Publico Award, Legal Aid Society, 2007

• Empire State Counsel, New York State Bar Association, 2007 - 2010

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Written and Oral Appellate Advocacy, Children's Rights Division, Legal Aid Society

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• Speaker, Complex Legal Ethics and Compliance Issues, Practicing Law Institute

• Speaker, Complex Legal Ethics and Compliance Issues, American Bar Association

• Drafter, Immigration Practice Standards, New York State Bar Association

• Co-Author, A 'Safe Harbor' for Future Conflicts Waivers, ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct, Bloomberg BNA, 2013

• Co-Author, In With the Rules, Out With the Code, New York State Bar Association Journal, June 2009

• Inadvertent Electronic Disclosure Q&A, Practicing Law Institute's All-Star Briefing, July 2009

• Co-Author, Extended Leave Can Be Aspect Of Accommodation, National Law Journal, June 6, 2005

• Legal Ethics Panelist for Mandatory New Lawyer Orientation

• New York State Unified Court System, January 2010 - Present

• Speaker, Complex Legal Ethics and Compliance Issues, New York State Bar Association

• Speaker, Complex Legal Ethics and Compliance Issues, New York City Bar Association

• Speaker, complex legal ethics and compliance issues, New York County Lawyers’ Association

• Speaker, Complex Legal Ethics and Compliance Issues, Association for Professional Responsibility Lawyers

Industry Groups

• Ethics

• Law

Professional Activity:

• Member, New York City Bar Association

• Member, New York State Bar Association, Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct (COSAC)

• Member, American Bar Association, Center for Professional Responsibility

• Chair, New York City Bar Association, Professional Responsibility Committee, 2011 - 2014

• NYC Bar Association, Council on the Profession

• Vice-Chair, NYSBA, Task Force, Non-Lawyer Ownership

• Member, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL)

• New York State Bar Association, Special Committee on Immigration

• Member, New York County Lawyers Association, Ethics Institute, Board of Advisors

• Chair, New York City Bar Association, Professional Responsibility Committee, 2011 - 2014

• Member, New York City Bar Association, Professional and Judicial Ethics Committee, 2008 - 2011

• Founding Member, New York County Lawyers' Association, Board of Advisors for the Ethics Institute