David Eaton, KC

About David

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David is an experienced litigator and dispute resolution lawyer. Understanding that each dispute, like the people involved, is unique, he takes an objective, problem-solving approach to achieve a timely resolution.

A partner in our St. John’s office, David’s practice is focused in the areas of corporate and commercial disputes, class action litigation, and defence of quasi-criminal matters / regulatory offences in wide variety of matters such as pollution, occupational health and safety, fisheries and tax. David’s litigation expertise extends to professional liability, contractual disputes, defamation, constitutional law, insurance claims, sexual abuse claims, occupational health and safety and professional regulation. He regularly appears before all levels of court throughout Newfoundland, as well as many professional disciplinary bodies.

David has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada since 2006 and is ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as a leading litigation and professional liability practitioner, and has been repeatedly recommended for Construction Law. He is also listed as a Provincial Litigation Star under class action and commercial law in Benchmark Litigation Canada.

As an active member of the Law Society of Newfoundland, David spent 10 years on Benchers, serving as President in 1998-1999. He served as the section head of Criminal Law and Advocacy Sections of the Bar Admission Program for over 30 years, and continues to serve (for over 30 years) as the long-time chair of the Bar Admission Committee. He is a member of the Education Committee, was Vice-Chair of the Complaints Authorization Committee for 10 years, but now serves as the Chair of the Discipline Committee. David also belongs to the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE), the Advocates’ Society and the Canadian Bar Association.

David is the Honourary Solicitor for the Royal Canadian Legion Newfoundland and Labrador Command and has served for many years as a member of the Dominion Command Constitution and Laws Committee. He served two terms on the Provincial Court Judges Salary and Benefits Tribunal. He served many years as an adjudicator for Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Public Complaints Commission. David is now the Chair of the Hearing Committee for Newfoundland and Labrador for the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). He spent 26 years as a faculty member of the Federation of Law Society’s National Criminal Law Program and taught criminal law and procedure in the Criminology Certificate Program at Memorial University of Newfoundland for 32 years.