David Skillman

David G. Skillman is of counsel at Tuttle Yick LLP, with a practice focused on complex commercial litigation, business torts, and corporate governance disputes. He has successfully advocated for public companies, developers, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals in both state and federal courts. Representative matters include:

• Obtaining a favorable settlement with a New York investor-owned utility by a developer that was denied timely interconnection.
• Dismissing a shareholder derivative suit against a Swiss blockchain corporation’s managing directors for breach of fiduciary duty.
• Securing a defense verdict for the owner of a Landmarked property in Manhattan, following a multi-week jury trial in an action brought by a geoengineering firm.
• Representing the CEO of a large national bank during the course of a defamatory short-seller campaign and subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission investigation.
• Obtaining an injunction on behalf of a closely held corporation against a co-founder caught embezzling funds.
• Securing a $6 million judgment for a developer against a structural engineering firm for defective design plans on a high rise project.

David is recognized for his measured, strategic thinking; his ability to break down multifaceted legal issues with clarity and precision; and his unwavering focus on achieving winning outcomes at minimal cost.

In addition to practicing as a commercial litigator — both in “Big Law” and at a boutique firm — for over a decade, David also spent several years “in-house” at a large, national renewable energy service provider, where he advised on federal tax and trade policy, represented the company in proceedings before RTOs/ISOs, and oversaw regulatory compliance. As a result, his clients benefit from a rare blend of elite trial experience and subject-matter fluency in energy policy and market dynamics. While David provides clear-eyed and pragmatic analysis to clients on their litigation strategy, he is a fierce advocate in the courtroom. As a seasoned trial lawyer, he has first-chaired bench and jury trials, cross-examined key witnesses, and handled complex evidentiary issues. His courtroom advocacy is rooted in thorough preparation and persuasive, fact-driven argument.