Overview
David A. Schaefer is a Principal Attorney at McCarthy Lebit. David devotes the majority of his practice to product liability, business litigation, professional liability, employment discrimination, construction litigation, and he has extensive experience in complex business and tort litigation, addressing a diverse spectrum of personal and business grievances.
David represents both public and private companies located in Ohio and nationwide. His seasoned judgment and fair mindedness often find him acting as an arbitrator and mediator. He recently served as a mediator in a six-party construction dispute with three personal injury actions and two related insurance coverage issues, all of which were resolved in approximately one day of mediation. David is a member of The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, an invitation-only alternative dispute resolution professional association.
He has prevailed before juries in both state and federal courts and he has been selected by state and federal judges to be a Life Member of the Eighth District and Sixth Circuit Judicial Conferences.
David is a frequent lecturer on topics including deposition practice and insurance related issues. From 1988-2015, he taught annually at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy in Chicago, Illinois.
Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2003-2026
- The Best Lawyers in America®, "Lawyer of the Year" Insurance Litigation, Cleveland, OH, 2025
- Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2004-2026
- Ohio Super Lawyers®, Top 50 in Cleveland, 2004, 2006-2009, 2014-2026
- Ohio Super Lawyers®, Top 100, 2004, 2007-2009, 2014, 2016-2026
- The Best Lawyers in America® "Lawyer of the Year" Insurance Litigation, Cleveland, OH, 2020
- The Best Lawyers in America® "Lawyer of the Year" Bet-the-Company Litigation, Cleveland, OH, 2017
- The Best Lawyers in America® "Lawyer of the Year" Mediation, Cleveland, OH, 2014
- America’s 100 Top Defense Civil Litigators
- National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Case Western Reserve University Society of Benchers
- National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Selected Instructor
- Inside Business Magazine, Cleveland's Top Litigators, 2002-2014
Affiliations
- Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
- Litigation Counsel of America, Diversity Law Institute, Member
- Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Law Institute, Member
- American Arbitration Association, Multi-Panel Member
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, ADR Committee
- Federal Bar Association, Cleveland Chapter, Past President
- Eighth District Judicial Conference, Life Member
- Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, Life Member
- American Inns of Court, John M. Manos, Founding Member, Master Bencher
- Cleveland Bar Foundation, Fellow
- International Association of Defense Counsel, Member
- National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Member
Articles
- "Unique Aspects of Arbitration in Employment Law," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, September 2024
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation: Part 5 - Why Mediations "Fail"," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, October 2022
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation: Part 4 - What To Do At Impasse," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, September 2022
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation: Part 3 - Mediation Trigger Points," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, September 2022
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation: Part 2 - Characteristics of a Good Mediator," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, August 2022
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation: Part 1 - Trends in Mediation," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, June 2022
- "Some Thoughts About Mediation," Litigation Commentary & Review (published by Litigation Counsel of America), April 2022
- "Let's Talk About Mediation," Federal Bar Association NDOC INTER ALIA, Spring 2018
- "Mediation Can Be a Useful Tool For Companies Locked in Conflict," Smart Business Magazine, March 2017
- "Testing Your Evidence Before and Even During Trial," American Bar Association Litigation Journal, Summer 2016
Presentations
- "Let's Talk About Mediation," Ohio Women’s Bar Foundation Leadership Group Presentation, February 2018
Practice Area(s)
Education
Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
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