About

Background 

David J. Strachman has been practicing for over 30 years with a primary emphasis on family law, elder/probate law, and litigation. In Family Court, his practice focuses on contested divorce, alimony, custody, visitation, paternity, and adoptions. He also has extensive experience in the Rhode Island probate courts, primarily with guardianships, elder law, elder abuse/exploitation, estate administration, will contests, and other contested probate matters.

Beginning in 1999, David brought a series of lawsuits on behalf of American terrorism victims against the Palestinian Authority, the PLO, Iran, Syria, Libya, and Hamas. These cases led to a series of judgments of half a billion dollars and involved extensive post-judgment enforcement litigation in federal district courts and courts of appeals throughout the country.

David was an adjunct professor of law at Roger Williams School of Law, Roger Williams University’s undergraduate college, Southern New England School of Law and the University of Massachusetts School of Law and is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs for the Rhode Island Bar Association, National Business Institute, and other professional organizations.


            His publications include Civil Terrorism Law and Terrorism Litigation

 (Lawyers & Judges Publishing 2008 and 2012), and chapters on family law in A Practical Guide to Divorce in Rhode Island, and probate law in A Practical Guide in Probate in Rhode Island (MCLE Publishing 2009, 2010).

Teaching at Law School and University

  • Adjunct Professor, Terrorism Litigation, Roger Williams University College and School of Law, 2005 – 2012
  • Adjunct Professor, Terrorism Law, Southern New England School of Law/University of Massachusetts School of Law, 2006 -2010

Seminars

  • “The Rights of Religious Persons at Home and School,” Rutherford Institute, 1994
  • “Elder Care Options,” Landmark Medical Center, 1995
  • “Life Planning Issues,” Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island, 1997
  • “Equitable Distribution in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute, 2000
  • Landlord-Tenant Law, Divorce and Family Law, Consumer Law, Learning Connection, 1995 – 2001
  • “Tax Aspects of Divorce in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute, 1998 – 2001
  • “Support Matters,” National Business Institute, 2001
  • “Domestic Law in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute, 2000, 2001
  • “The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute, 2001
  • “Elder Care in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute, 2000, 2001
  • “Dealing with the Difficult Client,” Rhode Island Bar Association Annual Meeting, 2001
  • “Tax Implications of a Dissolution Proceeding and Post Dissolution Estate Planning,” Naval Justice School at Naval War College, 2001
  • “Working with Accountants for the Family Court Practitioner,” Roger Williams University School of Law, 2001
  • Guardianship Seminar, American College of Health Care Administrators, 2002
  • “Elder Options Seminar,” Office of Training and Development, Rhode Island Department of Administration, 2003, 2004
  • “Handling Rhode Island Divorces From Start to Finish,” National Business Institute, 2004
  • “Guardianship Issues in Assisted Living and Long-Term Care,” Amica Insurance, Rhode Island Assisted Living Association, 2005
  • “Collecting Terrorism Judgments,” Roger Williams University School of Law, 2006
  • “Fundamental Probate Procedures and Practice,” National Business Institute, 2006

Representative Cases

Family and Probate Litigation

  • Pontbriand v. Pontbriand, 622 A.2d 482 (R.I. 1993)
  • Beauchesne v. Ricci, 686 A.2d 923 (R.I. 1996)
  • Mattera v. Mattera, 669 A.2d 538 (R.I. 1996)
  • Thomas v. Thomas, 693 A.2d 1028 (R.I. 1997)
  • Imber v. Imber, 711 A.2d 1152 (R.I. 1998)
  • Toupin v. Laverdiere, 729 A.2d 1286 (R.I. 1999)
  • Logan v. Logan, 763 A.2d 587 (R.I. 2000)
  • Griggs v. Estate of Griggs, 845 A.2d 1006 (R.I. 2004)
  • Ricci v. Ricci, 2004 WL 493389 (R.I. 2004)
  • Fleet Nat. Bank v. Hunt, 2005 WL 742663 (R.I. 2005)
  • Baligian v. Bainum, 983 A.2d 271 (R.I. 2009)
  • In Re Estate of Rogers, 2011 WL 5877637 (R.I. 2011)
  • In Re Guardianship of French, 2012 WL 2050371 (R.I. 2012)
  • In Re Estate of Gilchrist, 2013 WL 1494683 (R.I. 2013)
  • In Re Canning, 2015, WL5224819 (R.I. Pro. 2015)
  • In Re Keyshon, 2017 WL 588304 (R.I. 2017)
  • Stevens v. Bainum, 179 A.3d 7hy (R.I.2018)

Civil rights/concealed carry litigation

  • Archer v. Mc Garry, 2002 WL 32182164 (R.I. Super. 2002)
  • Mosby v. Devine, 851 A.2d 1031 (R.I. 2004)
  • Gadomski v. Tavares/East Providence, 113 A.3d 387 (R.I. 2015)
  • Paiva v. Parella, 176 A.3d 480 (R.I.2018)

Terrorism litigation

  • Rubin v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 281 F.Supp. 2d 258 (D.D.C. 2003)
  • Wyatt v. Syrian Arab Republic, 225 F.R.D. 1 (D.D.C. 2004)
  • Knox v. Palestinian Authority, 306 F.Supp. 2d 424 (S.D.N.Y. 2004)
  • Ungar v. Palestinian Authority, 402 F.2d 274 (1st Cir. 2005)
  • Biton v. Palestinian Authority, 412 F.Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2005)
  • Ben Haim v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 425 F.Supp.2d 131 (D.D.C. 2005)
  • Wyatt v. Syrian Arab Republic, 398 F.Supp.2d 131 (D.D.C. 2005)
  • Gilmore v. Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority, 422 F.Supp.2d 96 (D.D.C. 2006) Rubin v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 484 F.3d 149 (2nd Cir. 2007)
  • United States of America v. Holy Land Foundation v. Ungar, 2007 WL 2045448 (5th Cir. 2007)
  • Sokolow v. Palestinian Authority, 583 F.Supp.2d 451 (S.D.N.Y. 2008)
  • Leibovitch v. Syrian Arab Republic, 697 F3d 561 (7th Cir. 2012)
  • Ministry of Defense and Support for Armed Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran v. Cubic Defense Systems, Inc., 984 F.Supp.2d 1070 (S.D.Cal.2013), 814 F.3d 1053 (9th Cir. 2016)

General Litigation

  • Holmes/Republican Party v. Begin, 684 A.2d 1141 (R.I. 1996)
  • Houle v. Begin, 682 A.2d 1384 (R.I. 1996)
  • American Biophysics Corp. v. Dubois Marine Specialties, 411 F.Supp.2d 61 (D.R.I. 2006)

Representative Corporate and Non-profit Clients

  • Rhode Island Meals on Wheels, Inc.
  • Children’s Friend and Service
  • Little Rhody Rescue
  • North American Broadcasting, Inc.
  • Integrated Loan Services, Inc.
  • Dubois Marine Corp.
  • Spanish Advertising, LLC.
  • Family Taxi, Inc.
  • Rhode Island Rock Gym, Inc.
  • Vitarroz Foods, Inc.
  • The Pastry Gourmet, Ltd.
  • Blackstone Valley Baptist Church
  • Rhode Island Revolver and Rifle Association
  • Weekapaug Bluffs Condominium
  • Sheldon Fine Art
  • Atlantic Trophy, Inc. . 
  • Four Season Landscaping, LLC
  • Employers Insurance Company of Wausau
  • Solar Brokers

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Rhode Island Family Court, Rules Committee, 1999 – 2000
  • Rhode Island Family Court, Child Support Task Force, 2001 – 2002
  • Rhode Island Bar Association, House of Delegates, 2000 – 2005
  • Rhode Island Supreme Court Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee 2016 – present
  • Rhode Island Bar Association, Family Court Bench Bar Committee
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Litigation Committee
  • National Guardianship Association- Board of Directors
  • National Council for Adoption
  • Federalist Society

Bar Admissions

  • Rhode Island
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court District for the District of Rhode Island
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Pro Bono Activities

  • Rhode Island Volunteer Lawyer Program
  • Alliance for Better Long-Term Care
  • Rhode Island Meals on Wheels
  • Volunteer Guardianship Program
  • Chabad of Rhode Island
  • Citizens’ Rights Action League
  • Home School Legal Defense Fund
  • Rhode Island Firearms Owners League

Published Works

Books/Chapters

  • Civil Terrorism, (Lawyers & Judges Publishing, 2008)
  • “Alimony in Rhode Island,” A Practical Guide to Divorce in Rhode Island (MCLE 2009)
  • “Claims and Administrative Examples,” A Practical Guide to Probate in Rhode Island (MCLE 2010)
  • Terrorism Litigation 2nd Edition, (Lawyers & Judges Publishing, 2012)

Articles

  • “Rhode Island Supreme Court Overturns Lead Paint Judgment,” State Court Docket Watch, Spring, 2009
  • “’Now is the Time,” State Court Docket Watch, Summer, 2009
  • “Palestinian Statehood and US Court System,” Global Politics, U.K., November, 2011
  • “Abbas Rejects Arafat’s Statehood Strategy,” The New Jurist, Austria, Diplomatic Courier, Lawyers Weekly, October, 2011
  • “Legal Issues Lost in Debate in Palestinian Statehood,” Lawyers Weekly, November 14, 2011
  • “Equitable Adoption Doctrine,” Rhode Island Bar Journal, January 2016
  • “The Right to Bear Arms in Rhode Island,”Rhode Island Bar Journal, March 2017

Teaching Manuals

  • “Equitable Distribution in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2000 (co-author)
  • “Support Matters” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2001 (co-author)
  • “Elder Care in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2000, 2001 (co-author)
  • “Domestic Law in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2000, 2001 (co-author)
  • “The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2001 (co-author)
  • “Tax Aspects of Divorce in Rhode Island,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 (co-author)
  • “Handling Rhode Island Divorces From Start to Finish,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2004 (co-author)
  • “Fundamentals of Probate Practice and Procedure,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2006
  • “Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step is Important,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2009
  • “Sophisticated Probate Strategies,” National Business Institute Teaching Manual, 2011

Education

  • Boston University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts
    • Juris Doctorate – 1990
    • Honors: Liacos Scholar
    • Honors: American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy
  • Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
    • Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) – 1986
    • Major: Politics, Philosophy
  • Yeshivat Ohr Somayach Jerusalem

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