David John Hommel

Hommel David John

David John Hommel

Personal Experience & Biography

David John Hommel focuses on litigation involving disability discrimination and sexual abuse. He has first-chair trial experience, handling motions, witness examinations, opening statements, and closing arguments.

Last fall, David won a federal jury trial in a disability-discrimination case as first chair where he directed the plaintiff and presented the closing argument. The case helped to expand the availability of financial compensation for plaintiffs who are discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, or disability. Specifically, David successfully argued that a plaintiff was entitled to the reasonable value of his or her expectation of equal treatment.

In addition, David is a director of the Appellate Practice Group. He has argued five cases before federal appellate courts and led the briefing in many other state and federal appeals. His appellate work primarily focuses on remedies, reasonable accommodations, and employment law.

For example, David obtained a reversal before the Second Circuit and revived an employee’s lawsuit when she failed to receive accommodations months after her employment started. David conducted a CLE on this case and other employment matters.

In another case, David persuaded the Fourth Circuit to reinstate a deaf father’s lawsuit against a hospital for failing to provide sign-language interpreters for his child’s birth. The case also resolved an open question in the Fourth Circuit concerning the standard to receive financial compensation.

Previously, David clerked for Judge Joanna Seybert in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and then served as a Court Law Clerk in the same district. Before and after his clerkship, he was in private practice managing and litigating insurance disputes. David earned his degrees from New York University and St. John’s University School of Law. At NYU, he captured the 2010 National Mock Trial Championship, receiving All-American honors. In law school, he served as the chief officer of the Moot Court Honor Society and won the 2014 National First Amendment Moot Court Competition.

David lives in Queens with his wife, their daughter, and her four-legged sidekick, Winnie. In his spare time, David is learning ASL to communicate with the deaf community and German to complain about Bayern Munich.

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Clerkship

  • Law Clerk to the Hon. Joanna Seybert, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

Education

  • St. John’s University School of Law, J.D., 2014
  • New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, B.A., 2010