David Rifkind focuses his regulatory and litigation practice principally on the transportation and insurance industries. He has represented major corporations in complex litigation in federal and state courts, in arbitration and before federal agencies. David regularly counsels clients on regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. His experience includes:

• Representing a Class I rail carrier in several major rate reasonableness challenges before the Surface Transportation Board.
• Counseling a state rail authority on restructuring of state-owned rail entities.
• Counseling rail and aviation carriers on compliance with federal laws and regulations.
• Assisting a foreign air carrier in commencement of service to the United States.
• Representing carriers and shippers in hazardous material transportation enforcement proceedings.
• Representing a defense contractor in arbitration of a contract dispute involving a billion-dollar military equipment program.
• Representing air carriers in federal and state courts against claims for, inter alia, lost cargo and personal injury.
• Representing insurers in complex multi-million dollar coverage litigation.

David is a past president of the Association of Transportation Law Professionals, serves on the association’s board of directors, and is a regular contributor to its Association Highlights newsletter. 

Prior to joining Leonard, Street and Deinard, David was a special counsel at Steptoe & Johnson and an associate at Condon & Forsyth, both in Washington, D.C.  He also served as a legislative assistant to Rep. James H. Scheuer (D-New York) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Professional and Civic Activities

• Chair, Air Transportation Standing Committee, Transportation and Transportation Security Law Section, Federal Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar and the Maryland State Bar Association
• Member and past president, Association of Transportation Law Professionals
• Member, International Aviation Club
• Member, Aero Club of Washington

Education

• J. D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1995
       Notes editor, American Criminal Law Review
• B.A., History, Emory University, 1989
       National History Honor Society

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• State of Maryland
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Fourth Circuit and the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the District of Maryland