About David J. Oliveira

David has been practicing civil litigation law for more than 30 years. He has successfully represented medical malpractice victims and other clients and their families after serious and sometimes catastrophic injuries resulted in disability, paralysis or even wrongful death.

David is well respected in the legal community as an aggressive, dedicated and knowledgeable attorney, with a special talent for medical malpractice cases. Lawyers know he will be thoroughly prepared for trial; persuasive in settlement negotiations; and capable of achieving success in the courtroom or in alternative dispute resolution such as mediation or arbitration.

As an Adjunct Professor of Law & Medicine, Advanced Torts and Advanced Trial Advocacy at Roger Williams University School of Law, David Oliveira has a deep-rooted understanding of what it takes to represent a medical malpractice client. Keeping his academic credentials current ensures that he is on the cutting edge of new developments in law and procedure.

David knows how to evaluate medical malpractice cases and manage them and, when possible, how to settle them for fair value. He knows the prominent lawyers who refer malpractice clients to his care. He knows the lawyers he will have to oppose at trial. He is tough but respectful, and he has won their respect in return.

Civil litigation is not a fistfight. It is a process in which education, experience, dedication, clear communication and integrity are more likely to bring a fair result than sheer misdirected aggression. Anyone can shout or argue; not everyone can persuade a jury in a complicated case. Anyone with a license to practice law can attempt to handle a trial; not everyone can set a standard of practice for new lawyers to follow.

David graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School in 1980, having been selected on the basis of achievement to both the Law Review and the Order of the Coif. For ten years he was a litigation attorney at Adler Pollock & Sheehan, one of the region's most prominent law firms. He left AP&S in 1990 to start a new practice concentrating in medical malpractice and personal injury cases. He has been a long-term member of

• American Bar Association
• Rhode Island Bar Association
• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• American Association for Justice
• Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association
• American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics

David has been the author or presenter of nearly 50 programs or seminars on trial practice, legal ethics, safety and other matters, including:

• "Direct and Cross-Examination of Experts", National Litigation Conference, Orlando, Florida
• "Preparing, Settling and Trying Neck and Back Injury Cases", Res Nova Seminars, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts
• "Premises Liability:  Preparation and Trial of a Difficult Case in Rhode Island" National Business Institute, Inc., Providence
• "Legal and Ethical Issues:  The Status of Embryos in In-Vitro Fertilization", American Bar Association, Torts & Insurance Practice Section, Law and Medicine Sub-Section, Orlando, Florida
• "Proving Permanent Impairment and Establishing Disability,"  Rhode Island Bar Association, Providence
• "Trying the Wrongful Death Case in Rhode Island", National Business Institute, Inc., Providence
• "Premises Liability:  Preparation and Trial of a Difficult Case in Rhode Island" National Business Institute, Inc., Providence
• "From Classroom to Courtroom:  Trial Techniques for the New Lawyer", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Roger Williams School of Law, Bristol, Rhode Island
• "The Judge's Role as Gatekeeper: Responsibilities and Powers," The Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School, Rhode Island Judicial College, Bristol, Rhode Island
• “Medical Malpractice in Rhode Island” National Business Institute, Providence
• “Practical Legal Ethics in Rhode Island:  Issues and Answers”, National Business Institute, Providence
• “The Winning Edge: Persuasive Communications”, Rhode Island Bar Association Annual Meeting, Providence
• “Advanced Issues in Rhode Island Medical Malpractice”, National Business Institute, Providence

David is an author of many law review articles, books and treatises, including

• Personal Injury Forms, James Publishing
• Litigating Neck and Back Injuries, James Publishing
• "How to Handle Surveillance Evidence," 34 Practical Lawyer 55
• "An Attorney's Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder", 1 Practical Lawyer 73
• Personal Injury Trial Handbook, Wiley Law Publications
• Commercial Premises Liability, Wiley Law Publications