Practice areas: International, Business Litigation, Business & Corporate; view more
Licensed in Florida since: 1988
Education: University of Miami School of Law
Languages spoken: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026 David S. Willig serves as the international, multilingual attorney, notary and mediator heading David S. Willig, Chartered, in Miami, Florida. He focuses on international business litigation, corporate transactions, estate planning, intellectual property and alternative dispute resolution. His practice encompasses trade secrets, noncompete agreements, business formations, limited liability companies, partnership contracts and comprehensive business organizational matters. Additionally, he advises on copyrights, patents, trademarks and broader intellectual property concerns.
Mr. Willig has practiced law in Florida for over two decades and in France for more than 16 years. He is admitted to all federal courts in Florida, has appeared before various state courts and serves in the Paris Bar Association. He has led litigation in Lyon and frequently acts as an adept consultant or witness in cross-border disputes. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, enabling seamless advocacy and consultation for clients whose native language is not English.
In Florida, Mr. Willig holds the title of civil-law notary, enabling him to notarize documents in jurisdictions following civil-law traditions, particularly in Europe and South America. Certified in 1999, this role complements his international practice and ensures precise legal documentation across languages and legal systems. In 2013, he further expanded his credentials by becoming a Certified Circuit Court Mediator for the Florida Supreme Court, offering tailored dispute-resolution services for a diverse clientele.
An academic scholar, Mr. Willig earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 1988. His subsequent admissions include The Florida Bar (1988), the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (1989), District of Columbia Bar (1990), the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th (1999) 11th Circuits (1995), the Paris Bar Association (1997) and the United States District Courts for the Middle (2005) and Northern Districts of Florida (2012).
Scoring “Excellent” on Avvo, Mr. Willig is AV Preeminent* peer-review rated through Martindale-Hubbell. His unwavering commitment is to serve as an indispensable legal resource for clients whose endeavors traverse international borders.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
International, Business Litigation, Business/Corporate, Intellectual Property, Estate Planning & ProbateFocus areas
Business Formation and Planning, Business Organizations, Contracts, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Intellectual Property Law, Limited Liability Companies, Living Wills, Non-Compete Agreements, Partnership, Patents, Power of Attorney, Trade Secret, Trademarks, Trusts, Wills
- 30% International
- 20% Business Litigation
- 20% Business/Corporate
- 20% Intellectual Property
- 10% Estate Planning & Probate
First Admitted: 1988, Florida
Bar / Professional Activity
- The Florida Bar, 1988
- United States District Court (Trial Bar), Southern District of Florida, 1989
- District of Columbia Bar, 1990
- United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1995
- Bar of Paris, France, 1997
- Florida Civil-Law Notary, 1999
- United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1999
- United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2005
- United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, 2012
- Florida Supreme Court, Certified Circuit Court Mediator, 2013
- FIBA, International Basketball Agent, 2013
Educational Background
- Juris Doctor, University of Miami School of Law, 1988; Cum Laude Graduate, Dean's List, Best Brief, Moot Court, 1986
- Institut de Droit Compare, Universite de Paris II, 1984-85; Brevet, Legal Translation, English, Mention Bien, 1985; Brevet, Legal Translation, Spanish, Mention Assez Bien, 1985; Coursework included survey of French Private Law and French Public Law, with French as the language of instruction
- Bachelor of Arts, French Language & Literature, University of South Florida, 1983; Arts & Letters Honor Society, Dean's List
- Summer Law Program in Tokyo, University of Santa Clara Law School, 1986; Japanese Legal System, Comparative law of Japanese and American protection of intellectual property, including protection of computer software, and Internship in Japanese law office (Fujii & Toda)
- Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris, France, 1983-84; Entrance upon competitive admission, including French-language version of GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test); Grande Ecole management studies including statistics, marketing, informatique, economics, accounting, etc.; French as language of instruction, and Japanese as a third language
- Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (I.N.A.L.C.O.), Paris, France, 1984-85; Audited third year Japanese courses on language of business, administration, diplomacy, law, etc.; Japanese Legal System, elective course; Korean language, full first year curriculum; Indonesian, first year course in reading comprehension, with French as the language of instruction
- Association Philotechnique, Paris, France, 1983-84; Romanian language, intermediate level coursework
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- 2do Encuentro de Dos Sistemas, Union International du Notariat, Panelist, San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 2025
- FRAMCO (French-American Business Council of West Florida) Webinar – Navigating Probate and Successions: Steps to Secure Your Legacy in the US and France, January 2025
- A La Recherche des Héritiers de L’Art Volé – Le Courrier de Floride, July 2018
- Conférence Trust & Fiducie, Conference Participant, Ile Maurice/Mauritius, September 2016
- 28th International Congress of Notaries, UINL (Union International du Notariat Latin), Practical Case Study, Theme No. 2, Notarial Acts and European Public Order, Paris, France, October 2016
- Mait’ David (Willig) Sur les Ondes des Caraïbes, Courrier des Amériques, November 2015
- Les Défis Confrontés par les “Civil-Law Notaries” en Floride, 2nd International Forum of the Notariat, Petion-ville, Haiti, March 2015
- Miami-Dade County, Mission to France – Paris & Marseille, 2015
- Managing Language Issues in Mediation, Pennsylvania Council of Mediators Report for Members, Summer 2014
- Speaker, Función Notarial: Una Visión de Futuro en un Marco Internacional, Asociación de Notarios de Puerto Rico and Inter-American Bar Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 2014
- Bilingual Mediation, Too Often an Afterthought, Florida Law Journal, May 12, 2014
- Lecturer (Practicum), National Ass’n of Civil Law Notaries (NACLN), Civil Law Notary Training, Huntsville, AL (March 2003) and Coral Gables, FL (August 2004)
- 4th Florida-Canada Forum, “Le Notaire de Droit Civil en Floride: Un Regard vers le Nord,” September 2002
- The Florida Civil-Law Notary: An Overture to the World; Entracte (Montreal), September 15, 2000
- NAFTA e MERCOSUL, Congresso de Direito Comunitario do MERCOSUL, Foz do Iguaçu, April 1997
- A Internet e a Constituição dos Estados Unidos, August 1996, published in REVISTA CONSULEX, April 1997
- U.S. Coordinator & Speaker, Congresso Internacional de Direito Publico, Miami, FL, December 1996
- Developments en Droit de Famille en Floride, UIA Congress - San Francisco, 1993
- Program Chair & Coordinator, Expropriated Property in Former Communist Countries, The Florida Bar, International Section & St. Thomas School of Law, Miami, FL, May 1993
- Insolvency & Bankruptcy in Central America: Panama and Costa Rica, Turnarounds & Workouts Survey, May 13, 1993
- Program Chair & Coordinator, Expropriated Property in Former Communist Countries with District of Columbia Bar, International Law Section and Inter-American Bar Association, Washington, D.C., September 1992
- Program Chair & Coordinator, Frontiers of International Law: Emerging International Practice Areas for Florida Lawyers, The Florida Bar, International Section, Miami, FL, June 26, 1992, also lecturer “Pleading and Proving Foreign Law.”
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, International Business Chronicle, April 1992
- Fundamentals of Evidence, American Society of Industrial Security, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, December 1991
- Florida Bar Journal, Why We Need Foreign Legal Consultants in Florida, February 1990
- Comparative Juridical Review, Observations on Comparative Legal Education, Vol. 27, 1990
- Annals of XXVII Conference, Inter-American Bar Association, 1989
- Modern Japanese-American Dictionary of Legal Terminology, Copyright 1990 (unpublished)
- "Japan's Technological Edge: Myth or Reality?", STATUS Reports, June 1989
- "Traders study cultural nuances to win in international markets", San Francisco Business Times, November 1989
- "Overseas trade is more than mere statistics", South Florida Business Journal, November 1989
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Circuit Court, 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Palm Beach Co.) – Family Division, July 1996, Adhira v. Adhira: Expert Affidavit of Counsel
- U.S. Dist. Ct. – So. Dist. Fla., Case No. 96-1166-CIV-LENARD, Sept. 1996, Schumaker v. Societe Shell des Antilles et de la Guyane Françaises: Affidavit
- Tribunal de Grande Instance de Fontainebleau, Dec. 1997, White c. Scott: Attestation (Fr.)
- High Court of Justice, Family Division – Principal Registry (London), May 1998, White v. Scott-White: Affidavit
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami-Dade Co.) – Family Division, Aug. 1998, Joyaux v. Joyaux: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami-Dade Co.) – Family Division, June 2000, Forer v. Forer: Affidavit
- Real Estate Transaction – Dade Co., FL, July 2000: Affidavit
- Tribunal de Grande Instance de Nantes, Aug. 2001, Diaz c. LeBreton: Attestation (Fr.)
- International Court of Arbitration (Paris) – International Chamber of Commerce, Sept. 2001: Expert Law Consultant
- Central Bank of Brazil, Oct. 2001: Legal Opinion (Parecer)
- Fiscalía General de la Nación, Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia, June 2002, Rad. #56493 – D. R***: Certificación (Sp.)**
- Circuit Court – 18th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Brevard Co.) – Family Division, Oct. 2002, Blanc v. Blanc: Expert Law Consultant
- Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, Dec. 2002, BordesCannat c. Bordes: Certificat (Fr.)
- U.S. Dist. Ct. – So. Dist. Fla., Feb. 2003, Vinten v. Jeantot Marine, et al: Expert Report & Affidavit; Deposition Testimony
- Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Brevard Co.), July 2006, McDonald v. McDonald: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, October 2006, CDRSA v. Macson Express, S.A.: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Brevard Co.), December 2007, McDonald v. McDonald: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, April 2008, CDRSA v. Macson Express, S.A.: Live Expert Testimony
- New York Supreme Court, Manhattan, September 2008, CDRSA v. M. Cohen: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida, November 2009, Ginez v. Brunet: Live Expert Testimony
- New York Supreme Court, Manhattan, May 2010, CDR CREANCES, SAS v. M. Cohen et al: Expert Affidavit
- Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit of Florida (Brevard Co.), June 2013, McDonald v. McDonald: Live Expert Testimony; Affirmed, 5th DCA, Florida, May 2014
- U.S. District Court, Southern Dist. Florida, December 2013, Hebert v. The Middleby Marshall Holdings, LLC: Affidavit
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, August 2015, Zerdoun v. Zerdoun: Live Expert Testimony
- Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, November 2017, Mastantuono v. Mastantuono: Retained as Expert; Appeared at Mediation
- U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, April 2023, ECB USA, INC. V. SAVENCIA, S.A, et al: Expert Report
- U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, December 2024, ECB USA, INC. V. SAVENCIA, S.A, et al: Expert Affidavit
Honors
- Top 100 Verdicts, Florida, 2018, No. 79
- Radio Host, “Pale de Justis” segment on Haiti Talks radio show, WLQY, 1320 AM
- National Association of Civil-Law Notaries, Director, 1998 - present
- Avocat accrédité, Consulate General of France in Miami, 1997
- Editor, Comparative Juridical Review, Coral Gables, FL, 1991- 1998 (A bilingual, English-Spanish Law Review, 1961-1998)
- Congresso Internacional de Direito Publico, Miami, Florida, December 1996, U.S. Coordinator
- Attestation de Réussite à l’Examen de Contrôle de Connaissances (French Bar Exam); CRFPA Lyon, France, November 22, 1995
- Florida Bar, International Section, 1991-92, Program Chair, “Frontiers of International Law: Emerging International Practice Areas for Florida Lawyers”; “Pleading & Proving Foreign Law”, presented by David S. Willig
- Florida Bar, International Section, 1992-93, Program Chair, “International Law Update: Emerging Practice Areas for Florida Lawyers”
- Florida Bar, International Section, 1993-94, Program Chair, “International Law Update: Emerging Practice Areas for Florida Lawyers”
- Appointee, Overall Economic Development Program Committee, Metropolitan Dade County, Florida, 1990
- First Prize, Best Paper Award, Inter-American Bar Association, XXVII Conference, Cartagena, Colombia, 1989
- Cum Laude, University of Miami School of Law, 1988
- High Honors, English Legal Translation, Institute of Comparative Law, University of Paris II, 1985
- Honors, Spanish Legal Translation, Institute of Comparative Law, University of Paris II, 1985
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026
