David S. Rudolf

Lawyer

David Rudolf is one of the pre-eminent trial lawyers in the country, specializing in high-profile and complex criminal and civil rights cases. Mr. Rudolf has been listed for more than twenty-five years in the Best Lawyers in America and was one of only three criminal defense lawyers selected for the inaugural class of the North Carolina Lawyer Hall of Fame. In recent years, in addition to his work defending individuals accused of crimes in federal and state courts, he has successfully represented individuals in civil rights litigation against law enforcement agencies arising from wrongful convictions. 

Rudolf has taught Trial Advocacy at the UNC School of Law and for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and Criminal Litigation at Duke University School of Law. He has also been recognized for his work with professional organizations, serving in various leadership positions in the ABA Criminal Justice Section, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers and Advocates for Justice. Most recently, he has received world-wide acclaim for his representation of Michael Peterson in The Staircase on Netflix. 



As a result of his work in The Staircase, Mr. Rudolf received the prestigious Praeses Elit Award from the Dublin Law Society at Trinity College in Ireland. Previous recipients have included Former President FW de Klerk, who helped bring about a peaceful transition to the end of apartheid in South Africa, and Sir Bob Geldorf, who organized the global food charity concert Live Aid. In announcing the award, the Secretary of the Law Society noted that Mr. Rudolf‘s “appearance in ‘The Staircase’ captured the imaginations of millions of viewers across the world,” and that “your commitment to justice and the loyalty you demonstrated for your client is truly inspiring. . . . Your integrity has shone through every aspect of your career.”