David J. Weiland is an experienced trial attorney in the Fresno office.  Mr. Weiland joins Coleman & Horowitt, LLP as a partner and chairman of the firm’s litigation department.  Mr. Weiland previously served as a partner, a member of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Operating Officer, and chair of the Litigation Department of the Fresno firm Dowling Aaron Incorporated for the past fifteen years and solo practice for six years before Dowling Aaron.  Mr. Weiland, a registered civil engineer, represents clients in complex commercial, construction, real estate, professional liability defense, tort defense, as well as municipal law, real estate transactions and land use matters. Mr. Weiland is experienced in all phases of real estate and construction litigation and public agency law.  Mr. Weiland also specializes in professional liability defense for design professionals and attorneys.  He has also served as the City Attorney for the City of Mendota and the City of Sanger, California.  In addition to his advocacy work, Mr. Weiland also offers arbitration and mediation services with the firm's ADR Department.  

Education:

  • San Joaquin College of Law, J.D. 
  • Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University
  • California State University, Fresno, B.S. Civil Engineering

Admissions:

  • All California courts, United States District Court, Northern and Eastern Districts of California, and United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit

Honors & Awards:

Mr. Weiland has been named a Super Lawyer® by Thomson Reuters from 2009 to 2014 and holds an AV®-preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Practice Areas:

  • Business & Tort Litigation
  • Construction Law and Litigation
  • Employment Law
  • Public Agency
  • Real Estate & Land Use
  • Professional Liability Defense
  • Arbitration & Mediation Services

Professional Affiliations & Memberships:

  • Managing Editor, San Joaquin Agricultural Law Review, 1991. 
  • Member: American Bar Association (Advisory Panel and Construction Industry Forum)
  • Member: Association of Business Trial Lawyers
  • Member: Fresno County Bar Association (Real Estate, Construction, and Litigation Sections)
  • Construction Industry Panel, American Arbitration Association
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (Life Member)
  • Legal Advisory Committee, Associated General Contractors of California
  • American Council of Engineeering Companies, Affiliate
  • Adjunct Faculty Member, San Joaquin College of Law, 1997
  • Judge Pro Tempore, Fresno County Consolidated Courts and Merced Superior Court

Attorney News & Announcements:

Representative Cases:

  • Represented a large corporation in defense of a superior court shareholder lawsuit resulting in a complete dismissal of the case.
  • Represented multiple franchisees in superior court lawsuit against their franchisor resulting in a significant judgment, including attorney’s fees, following a five-week jury trial and subsequent appeal.
  • Represented a national telecommunications company in defense of a superior court lawsuit by a customer injured in a slip and fall at a shopping mall kiosk resulting in a favorable verdict following a jury trial.
  • Represented a regional financial institution in a superior court lawsuit against the guarantors of a residential development loan resulting in recovery of significant assets in repayment of the defaulted loan.
  • Represented an architect in defense of a personal injury lawsuit arising out of the design and construction of an elementary school resulting in a settlement for no liability or indemnity payment on the part of the architect.
  • Represented an architect in arbitration defending a design defect claim arising out of the design and construction of a school gymnasium resulting in an award of less than 1% of the claimed damages.
  • Represented over 150 design professionals, realtors and attorneys in defense of professional malpractice claims.
  • Represented a general contractor in a federal court lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service for the recovery of significant payroll tax penalties resulting in a total recovery of the penalties plus interest.