DAVID S. ROBINSON
David has guided businesses large and small through complex transactions around the world. The global commercial marketplace is rapidly becoming both more complex and interwoven. Few attorneys/consultants understand the opportunities and dynamics of global trade better than David Robinson. He has assisted clients in cross-border transactions around the world. He has been to over 50 countries. David knows when “yes” means yes and when it means no, and he knows the importance of cultural understanding in international commerce. He helps global businesses integrate corporate compliance and operational programs into subsidiary operations, facilitate the transfer of personnel among operations, comply with export control and boycott regulations, and negotiate commercial and joint venture relationships.
David also understands business. On behalf of clients in a number of industries, David has incorporated dozens of companies, written and edited many business plans, and assisted with both start-up and growth issues. David has taught both Business Organizations and Global Corporate Compliance at Campbell University Law School and he has regularly lectured on business topics for over three decades. He is a principal at Derby Lane, a consulting firm in Raleigh North Carolina, and is a minority member/owner of several businesses.
David negotiated and secured the largest HUD Community Development Block Grant in North Carolina’s history, on behalf of the Veterans Life Center. He has assisted VLC on mostly a pro bono basis for over 10 years, prior to and subsequent to the CDBG funding, has become a go-to resource for Veterans issues. He is presently spearheading the first Social Impact Bond issuance in the State’s history, also on behalf of VLC.
David has run the US subsidiaries of two foreign companies; for one he secured and oversaw a significant Department of Defense TSWG grant for a mobile disaster remediation solution.
Bar Admissions:
US Supreme Court
US Court of International Trade
North Carolina Supreme Court
10th Judicial District Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
Civic & Professional Memberships:
Honorary Consul of Japan for North Carolina
Chairman, NC Consular Corps and Chancellor, Consular Corps College
NC Bar Association, Board of Governors Member; Chairman of the Governance Committee
Vice Chair of the NCBA Future of Law Committee
NC Bar Foundation, Immediate Past Director
Law Faculty, Campbell University School of Law
Past Chair of the International Law and Practice Section of the NC Bar Association (David served two terms in this position)
Board of Advisors of the NC Japan Center
Former Deputy Director of the NC Japan Center
Former Director of the NC China Center steering committee
Wake Tech Business and Industry Services Advisory Committee
Wake Tech Community College, Former Trustee
North Carolina Export Outreach Program: Lecturer and Program Planner
Former President/Director of the Nippon Club
Fellow of the Institute of Political Leadership
Fellow of the BCBSNC Healthy Community Institute
Former American Red Cross “Outstanding Volunteer” and Disaster Team Member
Rotary International - Paul Harris Fellow
Past Chair, Wake County Board of Elections
Past Director, Charlotte International Arbitration Society
Chairman, Educational Growth Across Oceans/Animazement
Director, Investor Services Company of America
Director, Secretary and Founding Member, Japan-America Society of North Carolina
Chairman, Conservatives for Criminal Justice Reform
Former Member, Coalition for Global Competitiveness
Member, Wake County Economic Development Foreign Direct Investment Committee
Counsel, One World Health
Counsel, Veterans Life Center
Invest in USA, Former Best Practices Committee Member
David’s Legal Practice:
The International Team at Nexsen Pruet has just about seen it all: from structuring complex foreign investments in the Carolinas to airlifting cattle to Turkey, from exporting just the right kind of wood to Japan for temple construction to distribution sales of hot tubs in the Middle East, from facilitating the transfer of US workers abroad to importing the best talent from overseas into the US, and from the export of sophisticated export controlled technologies to chicken legs, Nexsen Pruet lawyers have been involved. When you start selling to overseas markets, David will let you know which US laws will follow you around the globe, and which new laws you’ll likely encounter. With law firm relationships in 75 of the major commercial centers of the world, the International Team at Nexsen Pruet helps clients obtain precise and timely answers to their global law questions.
Speaking & Writing:
David regularly presents on cross-border legal issues. He has written and taught an MBA-level International Business Ethics course. He has lectured on a variety of cross-cultural topics to first graders through seasoned lawyers. David has taught "Business Organizations" and "Global Corporate Compliance" at Campbell University Law School. He was the international CLE planner for the NC Bar Association’s Annual Meetings of the Business and International Law Sections of the Bar in 2014, and recently chaired the International Law Section for a second time. He is also a recipient of the highest award accorded to an international lawyer by the NC Bar Association. As Chairman of the Wake County Board of Elections he was frequently interviewed on elections law issues.
Outside Interests:
David is an active athlete. He is a competitive swimmer and has completed dozens of triathlons and road races including several marathons, a Half Ironman, and a Full Ironman Triathlon. He has competed as a member of Team USA at four World Triathlon Championships; most recently in Spain in 2019. David is an Ambassador of USA Triathlon, the governing body of the sport.
He is a member of an award-winning race car team. He has voted in 28 straight elections and as Chairman of the Wake County Board of Elections, he oversaw the largest county voting operation in North Carolina. As a Trustee of Wake Tech he helped oversee the largest community college in NC and one of the fastest growing community colleges in the Nation.
He and his wife, Sue, have been married for 30+ years and they live in Raleigh.