Overview

David Goodnight is an experienced trial lawyer in major disputes. David is in his 39th year of law practice and thoroughly enjoys it. He is a trusted advisor to public and private clients in major disputes. His work includes commercial, land use, partnership, construction, and tax and telecommunications litigation. David has tried cases to juries and judges in various state and federal courts throughout the U.S. and has obtained several of the largest jury trial verdicts in Washington.

David served as a law clerk for the Tenth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

Education

Yale Law School, LL.M., 1990; Editor, Yale Journal on Regulation

Valparaiso University School of Law, J.D., 1986, magna cum laude; Finalist, National Moot Court

Greenville College, B.A., 1983, magna cum laude

Admissions

Washington

Supreme Court of the United States

United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington

United States Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits Supreme Courts for Indiana and Washington

Experience

  • WSDOT v. STP. Representation of WSDOT in a nine-week jury trial. Obtained verdict of $57.2 million for WSDOT and defeated contractor’s claim for $337 million.
  • King County v. VPFK, et. al. Representation of King County in a case against a contractor. The jury returned a verdict of $155 million following a 13-week trial. Award of attorneys’ fees was upheld in Washington Supreme Court.
  • King v. Mockovak. Representation of physician in a three-week jury trial over ownership of U.S. and Canadian medical practices. Obtained jury verdict in favor of plaintiff.
  • Toys R Us v. Amazon.com. Representation of Amazon.com in a 12-week trial in a commercial dispute over a 10-year strategic alliance agreement with Toys R Us.

Published Opinions

  • Seattle Tunnel Partners v. Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC, 527 P.3d 134 (Wash. Ct. App. 2023)
  • Seattle Tunnel Partners v. Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC, 492 P.3d 843 (Wash. Ct. App. 2021)
  • Frank Coluccio Construction Company v. King County, 3 Wash.App.2d 504 (2018)
  • King County v. Vinci Constr. Grands Projects /Parsons RCI/Frontier-Kemper, JV, 188 Wn.2d 618, 398 P.3d 1093 (2017)
  • King County v. Vinci Constr. Grands Projects, 191 Wn. App. 142, 364 P.3d 784 (2015)
  • Oldja v. Warm Beach Christian Camps & Conference Ctr., 793 F. Supp. 2d 1208 (W.D. Wash. 2011)
  • Lee v. ITT Corp., 275 F.R.D. 318 (W.D. Wash. 2011)
  • VP Gables, LLC v. Cobalt Grp., Inc., 709 F. Supp. 2d 1357 (S.D. Fla. 2010)
  • Qwest Corp. v. Elephant Butte Irrigation Dist., 2009 WL 2252199 (D.N.M. 2009)
  • Qwest v. Maryland, 598 F. Supp. 2d 704 (D. Md. 2009)
  • VP Gables, LLC v. The Cobalt Grp., Inc., 597 F. Supp. 2d 1326 (S.D. Fla. 2009)
  • Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Accurate Recycling Corp., 247 F.R.D. 636 (W.D. Wash. February 2008)
  • Qwest Corp. v. Elephant Butte Irrigation Dist., 616 F. Supp. 2d 1110 (D.N.M. 2008)
  • Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Accurate Recycling Corp., 244 F.R.D. 648 (W.D. Wash 2007)
  • Qwest Corp. v. Elephant Butte Irrigation Dist., 2007 WL 2258281 (D.N.M. 2007)
  • Qwest Corp. v. Utah Telecomm – Open Infrastructure Agency, 241 F.R.D. 515 (D. Utah 2007)
  • Qwest Corp. v. Utah Telecomm – Open Infrastructure Agency, 438 F. Supp. 2d 1321 (D. Utah 2006)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Kent, 157 Wn.2d 545, 139 P.3d 1091 (2006)
  • Time Warner Telecom of Or., LLC v. City of Portland, 452 F. Supp. 2d 1084 (D. Or. 2006)
  • Time Warner Telecom of Or., LLC v. City of Portland, 452 F. Supp. 2d 1103 (D. Or. 2006)
  • Almeida v. Amazon.com, Inc., 456 F.3d 1316 (11th Cir. 2006)
  • Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Keating Fibre Int’l, Inc., 416 F. Supp. 2d 1041 (W.D. Wash. 2006)
  • Keating Fibre Int’l, Inc. v. Weyerhaeuser Co., Inc., 416 F. Supp. 2d 1048 (E.D. Pa. 2006)
  • Qwest v. City of Surprise, 434 F.3d 1176 (Cal. 2006)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Berkeley, 433 F.3d 1253 (Cal. 2006)
  • Toysrus.com v. Amazon.com, 2005 WL 846141 (N.J. Super. App. Div. 2005)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Santa Fe, 380 F.3d 1258 (10th Cir. 2004)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Eugene, 336 Or. 181, 81 P.3d 702 (2003)
  • Segal Co. v. Amazon.com, 280 F. Supp. 2d 1229 (W.D. Wash. 2003)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Berkeley, 255 F. Supp. 2d 1116 (N.D. Cal. 2003)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Globe, 237 F. Supp. 2d 1115 (D. Ariz. 2002)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Portland, 200 F. Supp. 2d 1250 (D. Or. 2002)
  • Levi Townsend, v. Lyle Quasim, 163 F. Supp. 2d 1281 (W.D. Wash. 2002)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Berkeley, 208 F.R.D. 288 (N.D. Cal. 2002)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Berkeley, 146 F. Supp. 2d 1081 (N.D. Cal. 2001)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Berkeley, 202 F. Supp. 2d 1085 (N.D. Cal. 2001)
  • Qwest Corp. v. City of Portland, 204 F.R.D. 468 (D. Or. 2001)
  • Boyd v. Davis, 75 Wn. App. 23, 876 P.2d 478 (1994)
  • Boyd v. Davis, 127 Wn.2d 256, 897 P.2d 1239 (1995)
  • Moorehouse v. Goodnight Bros. Constr., 77 Wn. App. 568, 892 P.2d 1112 (1995)
  • McCarthy v. Azure, 22 F.3d 351 (1st Cir. 1994)
  • In re JBS, 123 Wn.2d 1, 863 P.2d 1344 (1993)
  • Scott v. Dep’t of Social & Health Services, 122 Wn.2d 131, 856 P.2d 694 (1993)

Insights

Insights & Presentations

  • “Jury awards $57.2 million in damages to WSDOT in SR 99 tunnel delay trial” (quoted), MYNorthwest, December 2019

Recognition

  • Included in The Best Lawyers in America® (Commercial Litigation), 2015–present
  • Selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Washington) by Chambers USA (Litigation: General Commercial), 2004–present
  • Selected as U.S. and Washington “Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation (Energy and Natural Resources, General Commercial, Insurance, Media and Entertainment, Product Liability, Securities), 2011–present
  • Listed in Washington Super Lawyers® (Business Litigation, Utilities, Appellate), 2000–2023; listed in Top 100 Lawyers, 2007, 2009–2010
  • Obtained top 20 plaintiff’s verdict in U.S. in 2012 ($155 million) by The National Law Journal
  • Selected as one of “Washington’s Most Amazing Lawyers” by Washington CEO, 2006–2010
  • David’s trial practice was featured by Thomson Reuters in an interview, “The Good Foot Soldier,” 2014

Affiliations

Professional

  • Guidestream Financial, Inc., Director and Chairman
  • F.M. Financial, Director and Chairman
  • Guidestream Charitable Gift Fund, Director and Chairman
  • Warm Beach Ministries, Director and Chairman
  • Friends of Immanuel University (India), Director and Founding Chairman
  • Asbury Theological Seminary, former Trustee
  • Sister Connection (Burundi), former Director and Founding Chairman
  • Seattle Pacific University, Trustee
  • Central College, former Trustee
  • Seedbed, Inc., Director and Chairman
  • Hope Africa University (Burundi), former Director
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