David W. Lee is a private attorney with Comingdeer, Lee & Gooch, and focuses on civil rights and employment litigation. Mr. Lee previously served as Chief of the Criminal and Federal Divisions of the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office for three Attorneys General. He was also was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, an Assistant District Attorney in Washington and Oklahoma Counties, and an Assistant Public Defender in Oklahoma County.
In 2003, Aspen Publishers, Inc., 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 37th Fl., New York, NY 10036, published the third edition of a book that Mr. Lee has written on the subject of 42 U.S.C. ' 1983, which is entitled, "Handbook of Section 1983 Litigation."
Mr. Lee is a regular lecturer for the National College of District Attorneys, and in 2002 received that organization's Distinguished Faculty Member Award. He was the recipient of the National College=s Lecturer of Merit Award in 1992. He has also given lectures to the Georgetown University Law Center, the Illinois Attorney General's Office; the Vermont Law School, and the Texas District Attorneys' Association.
Mr. Lee has argued four cases before the United States Supreme Court: Thompson v. Oklahoma, 487 U.S. 815 (1988); Burlington Northern v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 481 U.S. 454 (1987); Oklahoma v. Castleberry, 471 U.S. 146 (1985); and Eddings v. Oklahoma, 455 U.S. 104 (1982). He has also argued and written briefs in numerous cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. His legal articles include: Personal Liability Against Correctional Officials and Employees for Failure to Protect the Suicidal Inmate Under 42 U.S.C. ' 1983, Jail Suicide/Mental Health Update, Spring, 2002; Grand Juries in Oklahoma: Where Are We Now?, 68 Okla. B. J. 2604 (1997); Burden Shifting and Summary Judgment in Federal Employment Discrimination Cases, 67 Okla. B. J. 2861 (1996); Qualified Immunity for Public Officials Under 42 U.S.C. ' 1983, 25 The Urban Lawyer 97 (Winter 1993); The Need for New Criminal Discovery Code in Oklahoma State Courts, 60 Okla. B. J. 2259 (1989); and Grand Jury Procedure in Oklahoma State Courts, 59 Okla. B. J. 2087 (1988).
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