Atty. R. David Ware
David Ware earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia where he excelled in national Moot Court competition, a precursor to his work as a trial lawyer. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Georgia (formerly West Georgia College) and attended on academic and athletic scholarships.
Profile Summary
About R. David Ware at a glance
R. David Ware is a Partner based in Atlanta, Georgia, practicing at Hall Booth Smith, P.C.. They have 47+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1979. Their practice focuses on medical malpractice, employment, class action, product liability, and government. Educated at University of Georgia School of Law (J.D., 1979) and West Georgia College (B.A. English, 1976). Recognitions include BV Distinguished. Active member of Memberships •Gate City Bar Association: Member, President (Former) •Leadership Atlanta: Class of 2012. Serands clients in Atlanta, GA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- David Ware earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia where he excelled in national Moot Court competition, a precursor to his work as a trial lawyer
- He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Georgia (formerly West Georgia College) and attended on academic and athletic scholarships
- While there, he was elected to the Blue Key National Honor society and Phi Eta Sigma (the small school counterpart of Phi Beta Kappa), served as a student government leader, and was both a nationally ranked NCAA Division II track and field athlete (he set the school record for the high jump) and on the basketball team
- David is admitted to practice in all Georgia state and federal courts along with the United States Supreme Court
- He is also a certified mediator and is on Henning Mediation’s panel of neutrals
- During his multi-faceted, 40-year career, David has represented clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies, cities and counties, as well as high-profile professional athletes and other high net worth individuals in complex litigation matters and multimillion-dollar negotiations and transactions
- He has extensive executive management experience and has played an active and prominent role in numerous professional organizations, civic groups, and legal advisory panels
- He also is an ordained minister
- Prior to Hall Booth Smith, David chose to work in public service for 11 years - 7 as the Fulton County Attorney, Georgia’s largest county
- In that role, he led a team of 25 staff attorneys and managed numerous outside counsel who provided legal advice to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and 40 departments and agencies on a range of complex matters including labor and employment actions, catastrophic personal injury suits, wrongful death claims, government contract disputes, taxation controversies, zoning law interpretations, environmental issues, construction litigation, constitutional challenges, First Amendment questions, and Section 1983 cases
- David’s most noteworthy achievements included defeating a 2014 suit of first impression brought by a group of state legislators to prevent the County from raising property taxes
- he successfully convinced a Federal District Court to end nine years of federal oversight of the County jail and represented the County in the protracted series of cases arising from the 2005 Atlanta courthouse shootings that killed four people
- But his greatest asset is his ability to try cases of all complexities
- David’s trial skills have earned him numerous accolades
- David’s litigation work in private practice for corporate clients, insurers, municipalities, and counties has covered matters ranging from alleged employment discrimination under Title VII and the ADA to general business disputes and complex personal injury litigation, as well as issues facing cities and counties
- He is a former Magistrate Court judge who sat by designation in Superior and State Court
- David is particularly adept at helping clients resolve complex disputes and provides clients with advice to avoid protracted litigation, but he is also a skilled trial attorney who has tried numerous cases to verdict
- He is also widely known for his pioneering work as a sports attorney, where David has advised and represented professional athletes in negotiations that resulted in record-setting salaries and lucrative rights agreements for his clients
- Notably, David became the first African American to represent a Heisman Trophy winner when then Oklahoma State running back and eventual NFL Hall of Fame player, Barry Sanders, hired him and he successfully challenged the National Football League’s prohibition against drafting college juniors
- He has named Agent of the Year and has been featured in and interviewed by numerous national and local print and broadcast media outlets, including Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal, The Sporting News, Jet Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, and Ebony, among others
- Additionally, David has provided legal advice and counsel to entertainers and those involved in intellectual property endeavors, including serving as the legal advisor on the award winning movie, Sunday Morning Rapture
- David also has executive management experience: he was appointed to serve as the County Manager for Fulton County where he successfully balanced a billion dollar budget and saved the county $24 million
- Experience David has a vast history of legal experience, including the following cases: •Successfully defeated an unprecedented suit by state legislators against Fulton County to prevent the County from collecting $680 million in taxes, which would have shut down County operations. •Presented the legal arguments that ended the nine-year federal oversight of Fulton County’s jail which had lasted 10 years and cost over $1billion. •Successfully challenged the National Football League’s player eligibility rules on antitrust grounds, leading to the inclusion of college juniors in the NFL draft. •Defeated multiple wrongful death and personal injury claims against the County stemming from the 2005 Atlanta courthouse shootings where four people were killed. •Established an 11th Circuit precedent regarding the ability of the County to fire an employee who criticized the Sheriff. •Established Georgia precedent establishing immunity for police officers engaged in high-speed pursuits. •Successfully represented a small municipality in one of the first environmental justice cases ever filed which lead to a $24 million settlement. •Successfully defended the County in a suit involving an inmate who was held almost two years past his release date. •Devised legal strategies that led to summary judgment in many employment litigation matters and won numerous jury trials brought under Title VII and related employment discrimination laws. •Successfully defended a Fortune 500 company in a multimillion-dollar racial discrimination suit. •Won a rare federal bench trial in a Fair Housing case brought by a real estate developer related to a multimillion-dollar project. •Successfully defended two sheriffs in federal employment cases. •Served as counsel to a major insurer in numerous personal injury matters that ended in verdicts for the defendants. •Negotiated the largest contract at the time for an NFL running back and was considered one of the top sports agents in the country
- Recognition •The Best Lawyers in America , Commercial Litigation
- Best Lawyers, 2020-2026 •Distinguished Peer Rated Attorney, Martindale-Hubbell, 2023 •AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2020-2022 •Top 10 NFL Agents in America, The Sporting News, 2003 •Who’s Who Among Black Americans, 1992 •100 Most Influential Black Atlantans, Atlanta Tribune •Alumnus of the Year, University of Georgia B.A.L.S.A
- Chapter •Sports Agent of the Year, B.E.S.L.A. •Top 100, The National Black Lawyers David has also been featured in Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, USA Today, Black Enterprise Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlanta Tribune, Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, The National Law Journal, The Fulton County Daily Report, and The Sports Business Journal
- Presentations •Defending Local Governments: Tackling Section 1983 Claims with Employment Law Challenges International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) Mid-Year Seminar
- April 19, 2024 Publications •Modern Litigation: The Effect and Discoverability of Third-Party Litigation Funding (Part 2 of 2) DRI - For the Defense, April 2021 •Modern Litigation: The Effect and Discoverability of Third-Party Litigation Funding (Part 1 of 2) DRI - For the Defense, March 2021 In the Press 58 HBS Attorneys Recognized as The Best Lawyers in America Award Recipients August 16, 2024 Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is pleased to announce that 58 lawyers have been included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America
Practice Areas Explained
R. David Ware's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases R. David Ware handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
R. David Ware is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Georgia →
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
R. David Ware is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Georgia →
R. David Ware is one of 26,424 class action attorneys indexed nationally. Browse class action attorneys in Georgia →
R. David Ware is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in Georgia →
Attorneys for administrative law, agency hearings, government contracts, licensing, and public benefits.
R. David Ware is one of 132,225 government attorneys indexed nationally. Browse government attorneys in Georgia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Georgia
Practicing law in Georgia. Legal matters in Georgia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Atlanta are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Georgia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Georgia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Georgia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Georgia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Atlanta or all attorneys in Georgia.
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