Bowman and Brooke Logo
David W. Graves

David W. Graves

Executive Managing Partner and Firm Chairman
Phone:612-672-3225

David Graves, Jr. is the chairman and managing partner of Bowman and Brooke LLP. With an esteemed reputation as one of Bowman and Brooke’s most seasoned and successful trial lawyers, David is a sought-after first chair defense attorney for catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases in the automotive industry. His entire practice is concentrated in national litigation.

David’s 26-year record of jury verdicts has been instrumental in establishing Bowman and Brooke as a leading national litigation defense firm for complex product liability. Over the last ten years, David has prevailed in over 10 jury trials in as many states, aggressively defending automotive manufacturers against catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims in the most hostile jurisdictions in the nation. His audacious appetite for the courtroom and reputation for swift and meticulous trial preparation serve clients including Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan, and General Motors.

His persuasiveness in courtrooms across the country is informed by a credentialed and sophisticated background in mechanical engineering, notably including authorship of NASA’s ground test program for eight solar telescope experiments on the SKYLAB Orbiting Workshop. David’s case analysis and trial preparation draws on automotive industry insights cultivated during his tenure on the legal staff at General Motors.

In 2010, David was named an Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer Magazine.

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota, 1975
  • Michigan, 1975
  • Florida, 1976

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1997
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2003
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1975
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2013

Education

  • University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 1975

    magna cum laude

    Student Director, Moot Court Program

    National Moot Court Competition, 1974

  • University of Notre Dame, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1968

Professional Associations

    Defense Research Institute, Inc.

    American Bar Association

    Minnesota State Bar Association

    State Bar of Michigan

    The Florida Bar

    Minnesota Defense Lawyers

    Hennepin County Bar Association

Distinctions

    Attorney of the Year, 2010
        Minnesota Lawyer Magazine

    The Legal 500 United States, 2009-2011

    Super Lawyer®, 2007-2011
        Minnesota Super Lawyers Magazine

    International Who's Who of Product Liability Defence Lawyers,
        Who's Who Legal, London, England, 2010

Recent Verdicts & Case Studies


CASE RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE. CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE CASE.

Recent News, Events and Blogs