Attorney Profile

David Nachtigall

David Nachtigall is a Houston trial lawyer who has represented individuals and businesses in a wide variety of criminal and civil matters. David began his legal career at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney, where handled thousands of misdemeanor, felony, and juvenile criminal cases.  Through his years of work as a prosecutor, David honed his advocacy skills and developed valuable relationships with prosecutors and judges.   David’s commitment to professional excellence and his consistent success in the courtroom earned him a reputation as an effective trial lawyer among colleagues and the judiciary.

During his time a prosecutor at the District Attorney’s Office, David was selected to join the Special Prosecutions Bureau where he led large-scale investigations and prosecutions of financial crime and fraud. Today, David is called upon by individuals and corporations for counsel with complex civil matters related to white collar crimes, allegations of theft, and fraud investigations.

After leaving the District Attorney’s Office, David joined one of Houston’s top civil litigation boutiques where he used his extensive trial experience to achieve excellent results for clients in civil matters. As a civil litigator, David handled commercial matters including contractual disputes, fraud, and intellectual property.  David again demonstrated his effectiveness in the courtroom and earned an excellent reputation among his colleagues in civil law.

As the managing member of David A. Nachtigall, Attorney at Law, PLLC, David has represented hundreds of individual and business clients.  An experienced Houston criminal defense lawyer, David has successfully defended clients facing serious charges in state and federal court and in government investigations. David has represented individual and corporate clients in a wide variety of commercial matters (see a sample of some of the firm’s past matters).

Before returning to law school, David worked as an information technology consultant and software developer for a Fortune 500 company in Dallas.  David’s deep understanding of technology assists him in both preparing cases for trial and presenting them to judges and juries.

QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to his many years of prosecutorial and criminal defense experience, David is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This distinction, earned by only a small percentage of Houston criminal defense lawyers, recognizes deep knowledge of criminal law and extensive courtroom experience. (Learn more about Board Certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.)  David is also a member of the Southern District of Texas Criminal Justice Act panel, which is comprised of a select group of Houston criminal defense attorneys who have been qualified by the federal district courts in the Southern District of Texas to provide defense to indigent persons facing federal charges.

EDUCATION

David Nachtigall received both his undergraduate and law degrees from The University of Texas at Austin.  David is a graduate with high honors of the McCombs School of business with a focus in management information systems, one of the top programs in the United States.  David holds a law degree with honors from the University of Texas School of Law, considered the most prestigious law school in Texas and one of the most distinguished law schools in the country.  During his time at the University of Texas School of Law, David was honored with the David  J. Beck Endowed Presidential Scholarship in law, a merit scholarship recognized his high degree of academic achievement.  David is also a graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Lamar High School.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

David is an active member of several legal organizations in Houston, and serves on the board of directors of the Harris County Public Defender’s Office.  He regularly speaks to organizations and classrooms about topics in criminal law.  He is a member of the CJA Panel for the Southern District of Texas, which is comprised of a select group of Houston criminal defense lawyer who provide defense to indigent persons charged in federal court.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

David is a native Houstonian, having left only for his education and to work in Dallas in between college and law school.  David lives in Houston with his wife and son. Outside of the practice of law, David enjoys writing, producing, and occasionally performing music with several Houston and Austin-based artists.