David A. Harris > Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP > Wilmington, United States > Lawyer Profile

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP
CHASE MANHATTAN CENTER, 18TH FLOOR
1201 NORTH MARKET STREET
WILMINGTON, DE
DELAWARE
United States

Work Department

Position

David’s practice focuses on the fields of partnership, limited liability company and statutory trust law, with an emphasis on issues relating to the formation, operation and dissolution of private investment funds, mutual funds and other investment vehicles organized as Delaware entities.

His practice also includes state bank regulatory matters (including organization of Delaware limited purpose trust companies), mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions (including matters involving Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”)) and other general commercial law counseling.

He regularly delivers third-party legal opinions, including opinions with respect to private investment funds, special purpose entities, perfection of security interests and deal closings.

His clients range from large, multinational corporations to local startup ventures, and include private investment fund sponsors such as Advent International, Apollo Global Management, Ares Management and Insight Venture Partners, mutual fund sponsors such as Franklin Templeton and Invesco and Fortune 500 companies such as Bayer, Comcast and Sears Holdings. David is often called upon to provide counsel to other attorneys domestically and internationally on matters relating to Delaware law.

For more, visit his bio at https://www.morrisnichols.com/lawyers-david-a-harris.

Career

An active member of the Delaware State Bar Association (“DSBA”), David serves on the DSBA Limited Partnership and LLC Committee, which is responsible for reviewing and updating Delaware’s partnership and LLC statutes. He is a past-chair of the DSBA Commercial Law Section, which is responsible for reviewing and updating legislation involving commercial law matters, including laws relating to statutory trusts, the UCC and banking.

A frequent writer on alternative entities, he is the coauthor of the Bloomberg BNA Corporate Practice Series Portfolio Limited Liability Companies: Legal Aspects of Organization, Operation, and Dissolution.

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
    • Business Law Section (Mergers & Acquisitions Committee)
  • Delaware State Bar Association
    • Commercial Law Section (Chair, 2005-2007; Vice Chair, 2003-2005; Secretary, 2001-2003)
    • Corporate Law Section (Limited Partnership and LLC Committee)

Education

  • J.D., with honors, 1996, University of North Carolina School of Law
  • B.A., summa cum laude, 1993, Salisbury University

Lawyer Rankings

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > Delaware counsel

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP are specialists in Delaware law, and extremely experienced in this area and have a strong reputation, working on large private transactions for large corporations. One client comments that it is a ‘go- to firm for the most complex Delaware state law and corporate governance issues.’ Daniel Matthews, Jeffrey Wolters, David Harris, and Louis Hering head up the practice, and are well supported by team members such as Eric Klinger-Wilensky, who ‘is exceptionally knowledgeable about the law’ and is instrumental in the team’s corporate work when it comes to transactions. The quartet are also supported by ‘superstar female partners’ such as Melissa DiVincenzo and Patricia Vella who ‘have deep knowledge, expertise and practical wisdom.’ Jason Russell is also a key team member for alternative entities.