
“[A] searing critique of the way power is abused in America’s criminal legal system based on firsthand experience.”
– Barry Scheck
Co-Founder & Special Counsel to The Innocence Project
Fighting for the Individual
Here is how he has described the roots of his passion:
Shaping a Life
The Kent State Shootings
A tour of “The Tombs”
It felt like a human zoo. The conditions were appalling. And these people had not been convicted of any crime. They were presumed innocent.
The “Saturday Night Massacre”
The Watergate Indictments
Nixon Resigns
My Journey
Work
After two years in the Bronx, I went to the Federal Defender office in Brooklyn, and tried a number of federal criminal cases (including a case arising out of the hijacking of an airliner by a group of Croatians seeking independence from Yugoslavia).
After several more years in the courtroom representing indigent defendants, I wanted to encourage new law students to represent poor people. In 1978, I was hired to start the Criminal Law Clinic at the University of North Carolina School of Law. A number of my students became public defenders themselves.
But I missed the courtroom, and I missed representing people myself. I missed the ability to give a voice to the accused, and I missed the responsibility of protecting critical Constitutional rights. So, in 1982 I started my own firm with a colleague from Duke Law School.
The firm has been in existence ever since – now 36 years. Although there has been evolution in terms of partners, firm names and the cases we tend to handle, one thing has remained constant – a commitment to individuals who need our help against the power of the government. Some of the cases that have meant the most to me personally over the decades are described below.
Life
Although the work is consuming, I do find time for life outside the law. I ski as much as possible, I devour newspapers, and I love to travel with my wife and law partner, Sonya Pfeiffer. We share a passion not only for giving voice to the voiceless and fighting for fairness and equality, but also for finding unique ways of addressing the societal issues that motivate us and underlie many of the cases we handle.
Most recently, that has translated into us purchasing an art gallery in Charlotte – the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art. www.eldergalleryclt.com. We recognize that art can be an incredibly powerful way to address challenging issues and subjects in a non-threatening manner – as opposed to the adversarial setting we generally live in. Art can be a vehicle for constructive dialogue and an agent of change.
Sonya’s previous career as a journalist puts her in a unique position as the gallery’s Creative Director to design meaningful programming that weaves together contemporary social issues and fine art. Take a closer look at what we are doing at the gallery on Instagram at @elder_gallery_clt and @sonyapfeiffer. Or follow the gallery on Facebook: @eldergalleryclt.
I aim to live a life of meaning. I take risks where many others would not. I am motivated by doing what is right and what is fair. And I believe in following your passion – in work and in life. If you love what you do every day, you will never work a day in your life. And I haven’t. Follow my continuing journey on Twitter @DavidSRudolf.

BUSINESS LOCATION
225 East Worthington Ave
Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 333-9945
EDUCATION
Rutgers University
B.A. Summa Cum Laude
London School of Economics
New York University
J.D. Cum Laude
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Civil Rights
College Disciplinary Proceedings
Complex Civil Litigation
Criminal Defense
White Collar Criminal Defense
BAR ADMISSIONS
North Carolina
New York
U.S. District Court, WDNC
U.S. District Court, MDNC
U.S. District Court, EDNC
U.S. District Court, SDNY & EDNY
U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
United States Supreme Court
AFFILIATIONS
American Bar Association
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
North Carolina Bar Association
American Board of Criminal Lawyers
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Why I Do What I Do
Although every case and client is important, over the past decade eight cases stand out as being particularly meaningful to me. They exemplify why I do what I do.
Speeches and Presentations
National Organizations
American Bar Association
American Psychological Association
Federal Bar Association
First Amendment Lawyers Association
National Institute for Trial Advocacy – Southeast Regional
National Forensic College
Law Schools
Duke University School of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law
Wake Forest University School of Law
Bar Associations
Missouri Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
South Carolina Bar Association
Utah State Bar Association
Atlanta Bar Association “Superstar Seminar”
Mecklenburg County Bar Association
Criminal Defense and Trial Lawyer Organizations
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Association of Federal Defenders
California Public Defenders Association
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
North Carolina Public Defender Conference
North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Utah Trial Lawyers Association
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
Private Organizations
Duke Energy
Fourth Circuit Seminars
Law Education Institute, Inc.
Select Topics
Defending Us All – Why We Do What We Do
Ethical Limits on Lawyers Dealing with the Media
The Role of Plea Bargaining and Plea Agreements in the Criminal Justice System
The Causes of False Confessions & False Guilty Pleas
Using Psychologists to Attack the Admissibility & Reliability of Confessions
Attorney Client Privilege – Forcing Lawyers to Testify Against Their Clients
Grand Jury Practice: The Minefield of Representing Multiple Witnesses
Defense Experts: Evidentiary & Tactical Considerations for Direct Examination
Prosecution Experts – Cross-Examination Techniques
The Psychology of Jury Selection & Jury Decision Making
Painting the Picture of Innocence for the Jury
Using Demonstrative Evidence Effectively
Ethical Issues in Cross-Examining and Impeaching Witnesses
The Government v. Your Life Savings – Forfeiture Without Due process
Dealing Effectively with a Hostile, Indifferent, or Difficult Prosecutor
Contact for Speaking Engagements
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