Biography
Professor David D. Walter, Emeritus, is a former Professor and Co-Director of the FIU Law Legal Skills and Values Program and is one of the 2002 FIU Law founding faculty. An experienced and highly regarded law teacher, Professor Walter taught LSV I, LSV II, LSV III, LSV IV, Negotiation, and Appellate Procedure I and II at FIU Law from 2002-2023.
From 2002-2017, Professor Walter directed and advised the FIU Board of Advocates, a student moot court organization whose members compete in national and regional appellate advocacy, trial advocacy, negotiations, and mediation competitions. Under Professor Walter's direction and coaching, FIU Law appellate advocacy teams finished as champions, finalists, and semi-finalists in multiple state and national competitions and brought home multiple best brief and best orator awards. From 2008-2023, Professor Walter coached dozens of FIU Law negotiation and mediation teams in national and international competitions, including the ABA National and Regional Negotiation Competitions, the International Negotiation Competition, the Trans-Atlantic Negotiation Competition, the ABA Mediation Competition, the ICC Mediation Competition, and the INADR Mediation Competition, frequently finishing as champions, finalists, semi-finalists, and quarterfinalists and winning best mediator and advocate awards.
Before coming to FIU Law, Professor Walter taught legal writing and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the nationally recognized legal writing and oral advocacy programs at Seattle University and Mercer University, and prior to that, he practiced as a commercial litigator at a Seattle law firm. Professor Walter graduated from law school with honors, and he was a member and author for the Iowa Law Review. He has published several articles and given many presentations about legal writing and oral advocacy topics, and he has served on the Board of Editors for the Journal of the Legal Writing Institute. Professor Walter’s scholarly interests focus on appellate practice and procedure and persuasive writing and oral advocacy topics (in particular, the use of empirical research findings from the fields of psychology, communications, and argumentation to craft persuasive legal arguments).
Professor Walter is a licensed Florida attorney and practices on a limited basis. He is currently working on a text, "Lessons Learned", that ties his recent practice experiences with his legal skills teaching. Professor Walter continues to assist with the coaching of FIU Law negotiation and mediation teams and frequently assists and consults with FIU Law students and FIU Law alums regarding their current employment and prospective employment opportunities.
Education
- J.D., University of Iowa College of Law
- M.A., University of Iowa
- B.A., Eastern Kentucky University