David R. Santana

David Santana represents businesses and individuals in all aspects of complex litigation. David’s practice focuses on the defense of general, premises, and construction liability claims, including matters involving New York Labor Laws and the defense of construction defect and property damage claims. David skillfully navigates insurance coverage and contractual indemnification issues essential to transferring risk, liability, and indemnity from his clients. He has achieved certification in Wilson Elser’s rigorous Mock Trial Invitational, through which our most successful trial lawyers impart their knowledge to those destined to join their ranks.

Prior to joining Wilson Elser, David worked at a New York firm handling insurance fraud litigation. He prosecuted civil lawsuits under the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, including affirmative actions to recover insurer claim payments to physicians, medical clinics and others involved in complex, large-scale insurance fraud schemes.

Previously, David was an Assistant District Attorney in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, assigned to the Vehicular Crimes Bureau. He gained valuable experience prosecuting a wide array of offenses involving charges of driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by drugs, vehicular assault, vehicular manslaughter and other cases where the use of a motor vehicle caused death or serious physical injury. David managed all aspects of investigation, discovery and litigation, including crime scene examination, warrant applications and grand jury presentment. He conducted over three dozen pre-trial hearings and brought more than a dozen jury trials to verdict.

From 2022 to 2025, David served as an Interscholastic Coach for the Hofstra Trial Advocacy Association. During that time, David committed to improving Hofstra law students' advocacy skills and trial performance and taught trial advocacy techniques in preparation for nationwide interscholastic mock trial competitions.