DAVID GORDON is a preeminent litigator, regulatory advocate, investigator, and trusted counselor who helps clients solve their highest stakes problems. Dave is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, the co-leader of the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Disputes practice, the head of the Litigation group in the firm’s Chicago office, and the co-chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Council. Dave previously served as the co-leader of the firm’s Accountants and Professional Liability practice.
“Dave is an incredible thought partner, litigator, and team member. He is stellar in court and behind the scenes.”
Chambers USA 2025
Litigation. Dave regularly handles high-profile litigation matters, often involving the most complex financial, economic, and accounting matters, leading winning teams in matters that have been featured in the Financial Times, the New York Times, Time, Vanity Fair, and the Wall Street Journal, among many others. Dave is an experienced trial lawyer and has served as lead counsel in numerous high-stakes federal and state court proceedings, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. Dave has won regularly at trial, including for both plaintiffs and defendants, including obtaining a US$62 million judgment as a plaintiff and obtaining complete defense victories. He also has prevailed on dispositive motions in cases with alleged damages totaling billions of dollars.
Regulatory. Dave has successfully represented institutions and individuals in investigations initiated by the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) involving virtually every one of the Division’s offices. Such representations have included investigations involving allowances for doubtful accounts, auditor independence, cybersecurity, disclosures, impairments, insider trading, internal controls, inventory, loan loss reserves, misappropriation of funds, non-GAAP measures, pensions, quality controls, real estate, revenue recognition, stock options backdating, subprime lending, and training integrity, among many others. Dave also has successfully represented institutions and individuals in matters before the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), as well as the U.S. Department of Justice (in Washington and various U.S. Attorneys’ Offices), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, state law enforcement authorities, and state and local regulators.
Investigations. Dave also has conducted more than two dozen confidential internal investigations of alleged employee or corporate wrongdoing for businesses, corporations, boards, and board committees.
“He has an excellent ability to know detail, be on top of it, and take the best view. He can synthesize it all and give an objective view on the best courses of action.”
Chambers USA 2023
Counseling. Clients regularly turn to Dave when they have their most sensitive and challenging legal, business, and brand problems. These representations are confidential, and most of them have been resolved before ever becoming public.
“Dave is a gifted strategist who is able to communicate well with lay people and lawyers. He stays calm under pressure and exercises impeccable judgment.”
Chambers USA 2024
Cross-Border Representations. Dave understands the cultural, judicial, and regulatory nuances involved in cross-border representations, having deep experience representing businesses and/or their employees in litigation and investigations involving numerous jurisdictions outside the United States, including Australia, Brazil, China, Cyprus, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom, among others.
Artificial Intelligence. Dave is a thought leader in the development of law and regulation in the rapid development of artificial intelligence, including as a member of the American Law Institute’s Civil Liability for Artificial Intelligence Project. As co-chair of Sidley’s AI Council, Dave regularly assists clients in thinking through cutting-edge issues around the implementation of artificial intelligence.
Recognitions. Dave’s advocacy has earned him repeated recognition from Chambers USA from 2018–2025 in general commercial litigation, and as a Band 1 lawyer in the inaugural 2025 Nationwide rankings for accountant and auditor liability. In 2025, Chambers described Dave as having “a rare combination of expertise in both regulatory issues and litigation,” with “unique insight about the issues and how other parties play in litigation”; being “very skilled at dealing with at dealing with difficult opposing sides”; that “he is always thorough and listens carefully to ensure he gives the best guidance and advice”; and that his “depth of expertise is incredible and he provides clear and practical advice to complex problems and difficult situations.” In prior years, Chambers has said that “Dave’s leadership, strategic vision, and advocacy are unparalleled.”
Dave has been recognized repeatedly as a “Litigation Star” for both White Collar and Commercial Litigation by Benchmark Litigation, most recently in its 2025 list. Dave also has been recognized repeatedly in Super Lawyers in the areas of securities litigation, business litigation, and professional liability defense. He also has been recognized as honorable mention “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer and as a 2019 and 2022 Notable Gen X Leader in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business. Crain’s Chicago Business also named Dave to its inaugural 2023 “Notable Litigators and Trial Attorneys” list.