David is a senior trial and appellate lawyer with more than 37 years of experience representing businesses, professionals, and institutions in complex civil litigation throughout Virginia. Clients value his steady judgment, deep courtroom experience, and practical approach to resolving high-stakes disputes.
A principal at Blankingship & Keith, P.C., David focuses his practice on commercial litigation, employment law, real estate disputes, legal malpractice defense, and appellate representation. He has spent the majority of his career litigating matters in Virginia’s circuit courts, particularly in Northern Virginia, and regularly appears before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
In addition to his trial practice, David has extensive appellate experience and has argued cases before both the Supreme Court of Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. His appellate work is informed by decades of trial experience, allowing him to identify and preserve issues early and to present them clearly on appeal.
David has long been recognized as a leader within Virginia’s legal community. He currently serves as President of the Virginia Law Foundation and has held numerous leadership roles within statewide and local bar organizations. His career reflects a sustained commitment to professionalism, ethics, and the development of the practice of law in the Commonwealth.
He has also been deeply involved in legal education. Beginning in 1993, David returned for more than 25 years to Charlottesville to serve as a faculty member of the National Trial Advocacy College at the University of Virginia School of Law, helping train generations of trial lawyers. In 2026, the National Trial Advocacy College will relocate to William & Mary Law School.
David earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia, where he received the UVA Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award.