David Zuckerman

David Zuckerman

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 37 years

Appeals Lawyer at Seattle, WA
Practice Areas: Appeals, Criminal Defense, Family

705 2nd Ave Ste 1300, Seattle, WA

About David

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Appeals 60%

After my clerkship with federal judge William Dwyer, I opened my own law practice in 1993. Since then, most of my work has involved appeals in the Washington state and federal courts.

32 years | 250 cases

60%
Criminal Defense 20%

Beginning in 1988, I spent three years with the Seattle-King County Public Defender, handling misdemeanors, civil commitments, and felonies. I then clerked for federal judge William Dwyer from 1991-1992. Since 1993, I have been in private practice, handling criminal cases mostly at the appellate level.

37 years | 1,000 cases

20%
Family 20%

I began handling family law cases, mostly at the appellate level, in 2005. By 2010 they had become a large part of my practice. Most of the cases have focused on issues stemming from divorce, including parenting plans, child support, division of property, and findings of contempt.

20 years | 20 cases

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 65-325 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check

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Licenses

Licensed in Washington for 37 years

State: Washington

Acquired: 1988

Voluntarily Resigned

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of David Zuckerman

705 2nd Ave Ste 1300, Seattle, WA, 98104-1797

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David Zuckerman's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

3 Client Reviews

5 star (3)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by anonymous | November 3, 2014

I Now Know Why David Was Named Superlawyer

I am a lawyer who needed a lawyer to represent me in my child custody case where the quality and quantity of time that I spent with my child was in jeopardy after a disastrous trial in family court. I therefore was on a mission to find the absolutely best appellate lawyer in Washington State. Upon ...conducting an exhaustive search, I opted for David Zuckerman. My journey with David took us all the way to the Washington State Supreme Court. In the process, David's brilliance was constantly on display through how he discussed strategy and crafted masterful briefs. Had it not been for the fact that the case involved my life with my family, I would simply have sat back and admired his work. Although David faced a formidable opposing counsel, he outmaneuvered and outclassed his opponent so thoroughly that the opponent sometimes resorted to desperate tactics in attempting to retain what started off as an overwhelming advantage over us. David, in contrast, always exercised his great skill with the highest sense of professionalism and civility. When all was said and done, David got me out of the deep canyon that I had fallen into and helped preserve my family. While David has been named Superlawyer for several years in a row as an appellate attorney, it wouldn't surprise me if he is the absolutely best appellate attorney in Washington State. One in need of an appellate lawyer in family or criminal cases will be very fortunate to have David represent them.

Posted by Julie | October 28, 2014

Family Law Appeals Expert

My divorce was ugly, expensive, and in the end, extremely dissatisfying. I'd ended up representing myself in court due to having financial problems and a lawyer who'd dropped the ball several times along the way. It was a huge mistake on my part, as you should never go to court against an attorney wi...thout having a lawyer of your own. I essentially lost custody of my children, which was a tragedy for all involved. I contacted David a few months later and asked him for help. He was honest about the difficulty of the process, and took time to answer all my questions, giving me in-depth explanations as to why it's so hard to successfully appeal, and yet he felt there was a good chance he could negotiate a settlement with my ex. In the end, despite my fear and the expense, I hired David. From the moment I hired him, he went to work immediately by filing the form to start the process and working with my ex's attorney to negotiate a settlement out of court. My ex's attorney told my ex that he knew David's reputation as a successful appellate attorney and he highly recommended my ex negotiate a settlement before going back to court. David's negotiation style and in-depth knowledge of the family court system led to a negotiated agreement, saving me so much money, time, and anguish. David communicate with me every step of the way. I was depressed and difficult to contact at times, but he wouldn't take 'I'll call you later' as an excuse. He was always professional, honest, and knowledgeable. If there was a subtle legal nuance he was unfamiliar with, he'd tell me that and find an expert in that area to get clarification before suggesting a course of action. I made an egregious error representing myself at my divorce trial, but David helped rectify my mistake by negotiating a much better agreement out of court, saving me an inordinate amount of time and money. That never would have happened if I didn't have his expert experience and dogged determination on my side.

Posted by anonymous | January 26, 2011

The best lawyer in Seattle

We did hire Mr. David Zuckerman for our daughter appeal case. He is very professional, very honest, he know the law. He will tell you the truth always. He will kip you inform about the case. If David will accept your case, you should consider yourself very lucky. I believe that “If David will not be ...able to help you, no other lawyer will help you. “ I thank him many times.

See All Client Reviews

David Zuckerman's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse David
Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | May 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse David. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Peter Lawrence Maier headshot
Peter Maier

Appeals lawyer | May 15

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"David is a terrific lawyer, very experienced in appeals. He is smart, diligent and focused. I worked with him on an eminent domain civil case and was impressed with the quality of his legal work."

Susan F Wilk headshot
Susan Wilk

Criminal defense lawyer | May 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I strongly endorse this lawyer's work. David is an exceptionally capable and conscientious attorney with substantial experience in both state and federal courts. Because of his particular expertise in post-conviction work, he is also an invaluable resource to other lawyers in the community."

David S. Marshall headshot
David Marshall

Criminal defense lawyer | May 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work. When I have a client who needs help with an appeal or with a habeas corpus or personal restraint petition, I never hesitate to recommend David. In fact, when I recently handled a PRP myself, David served as an invaluable consultant to me on it."

Suzanne Lee Elliott headshot
Suzanne Elliott

Appeals lawyer | Apr 16

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work. David's knowledge of the law combined with his outstanding brief writing skills have led to his numerous successes in the state and federal courts."

View All Endorsements
Jill Amie Malat headshot
Jill Malat

Criminal defense lawyer

Catherine Wright Smith headshot
Catherine Smith

Appeals lawyer

Peter Lawrence Maier headshot
Peter Maier

Lemon law lawyer

Susan F Wilk headshot
Susan Wilk

Appeals lawyer

David S. Marshall headshot
David Marshall

Child abuse lawyer

Suzanne Lee Elliott headshot
Suzanne Elliott

Appeals lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2013

Certificate of Appreciation, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

2013

Superlawyer, Law and Politics Magazine

2012

Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2011

Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2010

Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2009

AV rating (highest rating), Martindale-Hubbell

2009

Top 25 Criminal Defense Lawyers, Law & Politics Magazine

2009

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2008

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2007

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2006

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2005

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2004

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2003

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2002

President's award, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

2002

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2001

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

2000

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

1999

Superlawyer, Law & Politics Magazine

Work Experience

1993 - Present

Owner, Law Office of David Zuckerman

1994 - 2011

Judge pro-tem, Seattle Municipal Court

1991 - 1992

Law Clerk, Federal Judge William L. Dwyer

1988 - 1991

Staff Attorney, Seattle-King County Public Defender

Associations

2013 - Present

Washington Appellate Lawyers Association

Co-President

2008 - Present

Washington Appellate Lawyers Association

Member

2008 - Present

Washington State Bar Association, Family Law Section

Member

1994 - Present

American Civil Liberties Union of Washington

Legal Committee

1993 - Present

Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Goldberg v. Willey, Court of Appeals No. 352311-II

Ruling in client's favor affirmed

State v. Gregory, 158 Wn.2d 759, 147 P.3d 1201 (2006)

Death sentence reversed

Please see my web site for numerous other cases

See More Legal Cases

Education

1988

Northeastern University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1981

Brown University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2009

Elder Law Conference

Ethical Requirements of Fee Agreements

2009

"Cars and Crime"

Legality of Arrests based on smell of marijuana

Publications

2009

Washington Appellate Deskbook Postconviction Petitions

Activity

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution