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David J. Stock, Esq.’s extensive 45-year legal career has uniquely positioned him as a highly experienced mediator. With a primary focus on civil litigation, his expertise includes handling of diverse personal injury cases involving a wide range of issues, including vehicle accidents, premises liability, public entity liability, industrial accidents, and product liability. He has also handled numerous landlord/tenant, homeowners’ association, construction defect, business, commercial contract, and insurance bad faith matters.

For over 35 years, Mr. Stock has served as a private mediator, specializing in resolving the same types of cases he litigated. His track record includes successful resolutions of hundreds of cases. He has volunteered as a pro tem settlement officer for the courts and as a neutral party in early settlement conference programs, showcasing his knack for facilitating settlements. Moreover, Mr. Stock has served as an arbitrator in over 75 uninsured/underinsured motorist matters, handling them with skill, precision, and attention to detail. His commitment to alternative dispute resolution extends to his service as a court-appointed discovery referee. Mr. Stock’s wealth of experience and proficiency in alternative dispute resolution matters make him a trusted and capable mediator for a wide array of legal disputes.

Mr. Stock’s law practice emphasized general personal injury defense, although he has handled and tried multiple plaintiff personal injury matters as well. His litigation portfolio encompasses a wide spectrum of injuries and issues, including catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, and wrongful death claims. He has represented numerous public entities in the greater Bay Area, successfully handling cases involving alleged civil rights violations, excessive force claims, and severe injuries stemming from rail accidents, roadway issues, and other public property defects, including enforcement and pursuit of statutory and contractual defense and indemnity obligations. Mr. Stock has tried over 30 cases to jury verdicts in both state and federal courts. He has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2008.

• Personal Injury
• Public Entities
• Premises Liability
• Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith
• Landlord/Tenant
• Business & Commercial Contract
• Real Estate
• HOA Disputes
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
• Civil Rights

• Santa Clara University School of Law (J.D., 1978)
• Stanford University (B.A., 1975)

Rankin | Stock | Heaberlin | Oneal. Partner/Shareholder, Managing Partner,  1997-2023  2013-2023

Civil litigation on behalf of public entities, insurance carriers, self-insured defendants (individual and corporate) in addition to business and personal injury litigation on behalf of defendants and plaintiffs. Issues litigated included catastrophic injury claims, wrongful death, real estate disputes, condominium conversion and HOA board claims, hotel liability claims, various commercial claims, first party claims (uninsured, underinsured motorist claims, first party property claims in catastrophic losses), construction, mold-related claims, landlord-tenant disputes, police misconduct, civil rights violations, insurance coverage, trusts and estates. Representation included commercial lines and personal lines of coverage. Over 30 jury trials to verdict in State and Federal courts.

Office of the City Attorney, San Jose. Senior Deputy City Attorney 1996-1997

Civil litigation involving issues pertinent to the public entity, including police misconduct, employment disputes, civil rights violations, land contamination and remediation cost recovery, code enforcement, planning commission issues, personal injury litigation involving City entities.

Mitchell & Stock. Partner 1979-1996

Civil litigation, primarily for self-insured defendants and various insurance carriers. Issues litigated included personal injury, first and third-party insurance coverage and insurance bad faith litigation, land subsidence, construction defect litigation, real estate disputes, hotel liability representing large national chains and entertainment venues. Representation included commercial lines and personal lines of coverage. Public entity defense included police misconduct and personal injury matters. Trial experience also included representation of plaintiffs in personal injury and business disputes, as well as bad faith.

Judicial Externships

Judge William Ingram, United States District Court, Northern District of California
Judge J. Barton Phelps, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara

• State Bar of California (1979)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth District (2000)
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada
• AV-Rated by Martindale Hubbell

Mr. Stock has served as a lecturer and as a panel participant for a number of legal and professional groups including the California Continuing Education of the Bar and the Association of Defense Counsel, on topics ranging from basic training for civil defense attorneys to fundamentals of civil litigation and punitive damages.