Practice Areas
Bar and Court Admissions
- Connecticut
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Tax Court
Clerkship(s)
- Served as a law clerk to Hon. Almeric L Christian, U.S. District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands, from 1981 to 1983
Education
- Yale Law School, J.D., 1981
- Columbia University, B.A., summa cum laude, 1978
News & Events
- IN THE NEWS: 23 Pullman & Comley Attorneys Named "Top Lawyers in Fairfield County"
- PRESS RELEASE: Pullman & Comley Attorneys Recognized As 2012 “Best Lawyers In America”
- SEMINAR: A Primer for Attorneys Serving on Nonprofit Boards
- PRESS RELEASE: Pullman & Comley Attorneys Named to 2011/2012 Connecticut Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
- LEGAL PROFESSION FORUM: Client Conflict Waivers: Requesting and Obtaining Effective Consent
- SEMINAR: Ethical Issues in Practicing Before Environmental Regulatory Agencies
- SEMINAR: Negotiation Ethics for In-House Counsel-Walking the Line Between "Puffing" and Lying
- SEMINAR: Building a Solid Foundation–Managing Law Practice Risk
- FORUM: Client Intake Procedures: Ways to Identify and Manage the Risky Client
- SEMINAR: Practicing Law in Compliance with Ethics Standards
- IN THE NEWS: Pullman & Comley Attorneys Named Among Greater Hartford's "Top Attorneys"
- SEMINAR: Grievance Complaints Against Attorneys, the Real Story: What’s New, What’s True
David P. Atkins
David P. Atkins is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and chair of its Professional Liability Section. He practices in the areas of professional liability, commercial litigation, appeals and administrative proceedings. He regularly represents professionals, including attorneys and law firms, in malpractice, business dissolution, licensing, court sanctions proceedings, ethics and disciplinary (grievance) matters. David also is frequently engaged by law firms and corporate legal departments for risk management consultations and as an expert witness on legal ethics and professional liability issues.
David has written and spoken widely on attorney discipline, legal ethics and law office risk management. He co-authored “Attorney Advertising in Connecticut: Everything You Need to Know about the New Era of Oversight and Regulation,” (Connecticut Lawyer); “Conflict Waivers: When in Doubt, Spell It Out,” (Connecticut Lawyer); “Responding To a Disciplinary Complaint: The Do’s and Don’ts,” (Connecticut Law Tribune); and “Advancing Client Costs: Pitfalls and Changes in Rule 1.8(e),” (Connecticut Law Tribune). He authored “The Duty To Report Client Misconduct and The Client Veto,” (Connecticut Law Tribune) and “Contacts With An Opposing Party’s Employees: When Is A Witness Off Limits?” (Connecticut Law Tribune).
David is a regular speaker at programs sponsored by the Connecticut, Fairfield County, Greater Bridgeport, New Haven County and Westport Bar Associations and the Connecticut and Westchester County chapters of the American Corporate Counsel Association. He also has been an invited speaker on professional responsibility issues at the University of Connecticut School of Law; Yale Law School; and Quinnipiac College School of Law.
Professional Affiliations
- Connecticut Bar Association - Task Force on Grievance Procedures; Special Committee on In-House Counsel Certification
- U.S. District Court Grievance Committee, District of Connecticut - former special counsel
- Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers - former director
- State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Committee on Uniformity of Court Procedures (2009)
Honors & Awards
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation and legal malpractice law
- Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2011/12 in the areas of business litigation and professional liability (defense)
