José R. Dávila (Of Counsel)
Jose R. Dávila has almost a decade of litigation and corporate experience. Before joining the firm as of counsel, José R. Dávila represented clients in litigation, government, and corporate matters. Dávila also served as law clerk to the late Salvador E. Casellas of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. After a second stint in private practice, Dávila worked as in-house counsel for a Puerto Rico-based gaming company that operates video lottery, sports betting, and virtual sports throughout the Caribbean, gaining significant experience in this emerging area of the law. Dávila also has ample experience in all phases of litigation, including trial, before federal and state courts, and administrative agencies. His practice includes commercial litigation, insurance, torts, products liability, contracts, labor and employment, construction, banking, and gaming law.
Education
- University of Puerto Rico, School of Law, Magna Cum Laude (2012)
- University of Barcelona, Joint Law Degree Program (2010-2012)
- Loyola University New Orleans, BA Finance and Marketing, Cum Laude (2007)
Publications
- La Naturaleza Jurídica del Préstamo Bancario, 4.1 UPR-BLJ 91
Representative Experience
- Secured dismissal for multiple defendants after a state-court trial involving alleged property damages stemming from a government construction project.
- Second chair in a federal civil trial where the jury rendered a verdict lower than the settlement offer previously rejected by the plaintiffs. Drafted appellant’s brief and reply brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which ultimately vacated and remanded the district court’s denial of the defendant’s renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law, paving the way to settle the case for an amount lower than the jury verdict. Rivera-Carrasquillo v. Centro Ecuestre Madrigal, Inc., 812 F.3d 213 (1st Cir. 2016).
- Successfully moved to dismiss claims wrongful death claims against the government and successfully defended the judgment before the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals. See Melendez Cruz v. Cruz Santiago, 2014 WL 7398721 (P.R. Cir. Oct. 31, 2014).
- In an insurance coverage dispute in state court, obtained a favorable judgment for insurance company after trial, and the judgment was affirmed on appeal. Quiros Otiniano v. Checkers Pub, 2015 WL 6696483 (P.R. Cir. Sept. 17, 2015).
- Secured the denial of an injunction filed by the general contractor against a government agency that owned the construction project.
- Led anti-union campaign for the employer in a RC Petition case before the NLRB obtaining a landslide victory over the union.
- Drafted and negotiated contracts with providers of sports betting and virtual sports content, software, products, and services.
- Developed Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Programs for several affiliated companies in multiple jurisdictions of the Caribbean.
