David is the Director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Commission staff, which regulates oil and gas development in the State. 
 
He previously served as acting director from Nov. 2007 through March 2009. In addition, he was Assistant Director for Energy and Minerals within the Executive Director’s office of the Department of Natural Resources from August 2007 through March 2009.
 
Prior to joining the Department in August 2007, David spent 24 years as an associate and partner in the international law firm of Arnold & Porter, LLP.  At Arnold & Porter, he represented clients in a wide range of complex litigation matters, including environmental permitting disputes, government contracts claims, government enforcement actions, real estate disputes, and products liability litigation.  He also assisted clients in obtaining numerous environmental, land use, and other regulatory approvals.  In recent years, his clients included ski resorts, real estate developers, public utilities, local governments, Indian tribes, mining and oil and gas companies, pharmaceutical companies, and landowners.   
 
He has also written and lectured on wetlands regulation, threatened and endangered species, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and other issues.
 
He is a graduate of the University of Washington and the University of Washington Law School.