Eric represents large and small businesses in high-stakes, complex litigation, particularly in federal court and the North Carolina Business Court. Eric has experience in a wide range of matters, including trade secrets litigation, corporate governance disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and claims brought under the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

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Eric has advocated on behalf of media and broadcast clients in a variety of First Amendment and newsgathering matters, including disputes over the North Carolina Public Records Act and access to public meetings. Eric has substantial experience defending both large and small publishers against defamation claims in state and federal court.

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Eric represents companies, shareholders, and directors in a variety of corporate governance disputes, including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and constructive fraud. Eric has substantial experience in the North Carolina Business Court, where many of these disputes are litigated.

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Eric represents companies and individuals in a variety of intellectual property disputes, especially claims brought under the North Carolina Trade Secrets Protection Act. Eric has substantial experience in both federal court and the North Carolina Business Court, where many intellectual property disputes are litigated.

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Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in Litigation - First Amendment (Raleigh "Lawyer of the Year" 2020), Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property (2018-2021), Corporate Governance Law (2020-2021)

Recognized by his peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina’s "Legal Elite" in Young Guns category (2013-2014); for Litigation (2017-2020)

Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) in Business Litigation (2019-2020) and as a “Rising Star” in Business Litigation (2014-2018) and Civil Rights/First Amendment (2012-2013) 

Selected as North Carolina Lawyers Weekly “Leader in the Law” (2018)

President, Board of Directors, Lucille Hunter Elementary School Foundation (2017-2019)

Regional Scholar Selection Committee, The Morehead-Cain Foundation (2012–2015)

President, Board of Directors, Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood (2017)

Vice President, Board of Directors, Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood (2014-2016)

Rules Advisory Committee, North Carolina Business Court (2015)

Council Member, Constitutional Rights and Responsibilities Section, North Carolina Bar Association (2014-2017)

Author, "Social Media and Politics: What President Trump’s Recent Executive Order Means," June 30, 2020

Co-presenter, "Minding Others' Business: Navigating Gossip, Defamation, and Employee Use of Social Media," Association of Corporate Counsel meeting, November 2019, Geneva Group International Southeast Chapter Continuing Legal Education Webinar, April 2020

Presenter, "Trash Talk: Gossip and Defamation on Social Media," Guilford Merchants Association's Digital Marketing Institute, July 24, 2019

Co-Author, Survey of North Carolina Privacy Law and Related Claims Against the Media, Media Law Resource Center 50-State Survey, Media Privacy and Related Law, 2015-present

Though not a Tar Heel born, Eric is, by now, a Tar Heel bred. Eric graduated from high school in Baltimore and then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar. After receiving his undergraduate degree with honors, Eric spent five years teaching history and coaching three sports at Sewickley Academy outside Pittsburgh. In 1999, Eric returned to Chapel Hill to serve for four years as Assistant Director for Summer Enrichment for the John Motley Morehead Foundation (now the Morehead-Cain Foundation). 
 
After nine years in education, Eric decided to return to school, earning a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from UNC Chapel Hill. Eric’s passion for law was sparked by a graduate class in media law. As a result, Eric continued on to law school after receiving his master’s degree. He graduated with high honors from UNC School of Law in 2008. While in law school, Eric served as editor-in-chief of the First Amendment Law Review. 
 
Eric lives in downtown Raleigh with his two boys. Not surprisingly, he is a fan of Tar Heel sports—one of his favorite memories is celebrating on Franklin Street after the Tar Heels won the 1993 NCAA men’s basketball championship. 

Recent Publications & Media

Speaking Engagements

Recognitions

The 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America © recognized 73 Brooks Pierce attorneys as industry...(read more)
Thirty-four Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2020 edition of North Carolina...(read more)
Twenty-one Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2020...(read more)
The 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America © recognized 55 Brooks Pierce attorneys as industry...(read more)
Forty-four Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2019 edition of North Carolina Super...(read more)
Twenty-five Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2019...(read more)
The 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America © recognized 55 Brooks Pierce attorneys as industry...(read more)
Brooks Pierce partner Eric David has been selected as a North Carolina Lawyers Weekly 2018 Leader...(read more)
Thirty-eight Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2018 edition of North Carolina...(read more)
Twenty-five Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2018...(read more)
The 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America © recognized 54 Brooks Pierce attorneys as industry...(read more)
Thirty-eight Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2017 edition of North Carolina...(read more)
Thirteen Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2017...(read more)
Thirty-six Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2016 edition of North Carolina Super...(read more)
Thirty-six Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized in the 2015 edition of North Carolina Super...(read more)
Business North Carolina magazine publishes annually the “Legal Elite,” lawyers throughout the state...(read more)
Brooks Pierce is pleased to announce that 39 lawyers, representing 46% of the firm’s attorneys,...(read more)
Business North Carolina magazine publishes annually the "Legal Elite," lawyers throughout the state...(read more)
Brooks Pierce is pleased to announce that 38 lawyers, representing 43% of the firm’s attorneys,...(read more)

Recent Publications & Media

Brooks Pierce Partner Mentioned by NiemanLab

Firm News
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September 22, 2017
Eric David, a partner at Brooks Pierce, was recently mentioned in an article by Harvard University’s NiemanLab on the work being done by the Southern Investigative Reporting Foundation (SIRF). Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, SIRF is a nonprofit...(read more)

Understanding New Attacks on Section 230 Immunity

Insight
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March 16, 2017
This article was originally published in Westlaw Journal , Volume 34, Issue 20. It has been republished here with permission. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides website operators who post user-generated content with broad...(read more)

Eric David Quoted on First Amendment Issues

Firm News
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June 3, 2016
Eric David, a partner in the Raleigh office, was recently quoted on First Amendment issues and public documents in an article on StateScoop, a leading website covering governments and their use of technology. The article explores a case in Seattle...(read more)

Pitfalls in Managing Online Reputations

Insight
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June 2, 2016
Whether you represent sports stars and high-profile entertainers, or hometown doctors, architects, and restaurateurs, you have almost certainly gotten calls in the past several years asking for your help in dealing with something posted online that...(read more)
Congratulatory lights

Six New Partners Named at Brooks Pierce

Firm News
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October 1, 2014
Brooks Pierce is pleased to announce that six attorneys have been selected to become partners (owners) in the firm: Eric David, Clint Morse, Joey Ponzi, David Smyth, Thomas Varnum and Ed West. “Last week, Brooks Pierce’s partners invited six...(read more)