David H. Epperson

David H. Epperson has served as President and Senior Partner of the firm since 1986 and has more than 34 years of experience as a trial lawyer in Medical Malpractice defense, health care law, and product liability defense. His employment with the historic firm founded by his great grandfather has spanned the era of the malpractice insurance crisis of 1976 and resultant tort reform to the present. His trial practice and appellate cases have significantly defined health care law in Utah.

While serving as President of the Utah Defense Lawyer Association in 1985-1986, joint and several liability was abolished by statute. He served as President of the Utah Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (1996-1998) and his jury trial success record can be matched by few, if any, Utah malpractice lawyers. He was selected by the Administrative Office of the Courts to represent the defense bar on the Committee to Improve Jury Service. A frequent lecturer, he recently addressed the annual meetings of the Utah Orthopedic Association and Utah Association of Ambulatory Care Centers. His educational video "Malpractice Suits, Prevention or Coping With One" with Dr. Gordon J. Christensen for Practical Clinical Courses has remained in wide use for a decade by Dentists and Oral Surgeons nationwide.

Dave was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 6, 1950. He obtained his education from the University of Utah (B.S., magna cum laude, 1973) in Biology and Sociology, including an animal surgery course. He worked over two thousand hours at Primary Childrens Hospital. He received his J.D. in 1977. He is admitted to practice before all Utah State Courts (1977), the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah (1977), the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (1977), and the U.S. Supreme Court (1980). Together with his wife, Diane, a Registered Nurse, they have raised four children, including David C. Epperson, who continues the family tradition of law with the firm. His idea of a good time is ranching and seeing the high country from the back of a horse, or skiing down one of Utah's premier resort slopes.