David specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration and is Head of the Commercial Disputes & Class Actions department. He was articled with Edwin Coe and qualified in 1980, becoming a Partner in 1984 and Senior Partner in April 2011.
He has developed a strong following in contentious competition work being involved in cases in front of the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), High Court and Competition Commission. He has for many years advised sovereign states on disputes in international tribunals and particularly specialises in work involving governments in sub-Saharan Africa.
David is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has acted in many international and domestic arbitrations. This has included arbitrations in the main international institutions, LCIA, ICC and the SCCIA.
During his practice David has been involved for parties in some of the most important, weighty and headlining litigation and arbitration over many years including disputes between states and for and against governments including the UK government in the Article 50 litigation.
David is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Fraud: Civil and in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Commercial Litigation and Group Litigation: Claimant. He is ranked in Chambers UK as a Senior Statesperson for Group Litigation: Claimant.
Chambers directory commented; “David is a hugely well-respected and well-known figure; he knows every inch of the territory. He is unflappable and has a very calm manner.” and that “David Greene is one of the leaders in this sector.”
Legal 500 described David as “indefatigable, always cheerful, and a leader in his field.” and ‘David Greene is extremely experienced and strategic”
David is a past winner of Solicitors’ Journal Rule of Law Award and the Law Society’s Legal Personality of the Year 2017. He is consultant editor of the New Law Journal.
David served as the 176th President of the Law Society – the independent professional body for solicitors in England & Wales. In this role, he represented the profession at home and abroad and chaired the Law Society Council.
David was previously the President of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and is currently the co-President of the Collective Redress Lawyers Association. He is a Council member of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and co-Chairs its Human Rights and Rule of Law Committee
David was appointed by the Lord Chancellor to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee and then as a member of the Civil Justice Council.
David has always been active in writing and speaking on civil litigation and access to justice. He is the author of ‘Civil Procedure Rules‘, an associate editor of ‘Civil Practice Manual‘, on the editorial board of Butterworths’ ‘The Civil Court Practice‘ (‘the Green Book‘), a contributor to the Law Society’s ‘Civil Litigation Manual‘, and the author of two titles for Atkins Court Forms.
David has worked on numerous high profile cases including:
- Railtrack shareholders’ action against the Government
- Northern Rock
- Resort Hotels
- E-District
- many shareholder groups in complaints to the FSA and in private claims including Langbar, Mayflower and Torex
- depositors in KSF (Isle of Man)
- investors in the Madoff fraud
- Stanford Investment Fund.
Published books include:
- Shareholder Claims Jordan publishing Ltd
- Civil Practice Manual
- The Civil Court Practice (‘The Green Book’)
- Atkins Court Forms
- The Civil Litigation Handbook
- International Employment Law
Expertise
Competition/EU Litigation
Public Law
Asset Protection and Recovery
Civil Fraud
Commercial Litigation
Defamation
Professional and Disciplinary Tribunals
Credentials
Recommended in Legal 500 UK 2025’s Commercial Litigation ‘Hall of Fame’
Recommended in Legal 500 UK 2025’s Group Litigation ‘Hall of Fame’
Included in the Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers 2025 guide
Recognised by Best Lawyers as a leader in Competition Law and Litigation since 2009
The Law Society’s President 2020-21 (Deputy Vice President 2018 and Vice President 2019)
Winner of The Law Society Gazette 2017 Legal Personality of the Year
Winner of Rule of Law Award for Article 50 litigation at the Solicitors Journal Awards 2017
Founding Co-President of The Collective Redress Lawyers Association (CORLA)
Council member of the Law Society. His seat is for international practice
President of the London Solicitors Litigation Association
Member of the Executive Committee of the London Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
CEDR accredited mediator
David's Blogs
Blog - 16/04/2025
The Court of Appeal rules that half-secret co...
Class Action Litigation
Blog - 23/10/2024
Arbitration explained – principles, why to ...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Blog - 02/07/2024
Litigation Funding – the What, Why and How
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Blog - 03/07/2023
Claim back the secret commissions paid to you...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
