David Helfrey

Counsel in St. Louis, MO

With more than 40 years of legal experience, David Helfrey is a seasoned trial veteran who brings a vast knowledge of a variety of industries to the Business Litigation Practice Group. Prior to his role at Sandberg Phoenix, David was a partner at Helfrey, Neiers and Jones, which became a part of Sandberg Phoenix in 2013. The consummate trial lawyer, David frequently represents individuals and privately held corporations in various phases of intellectual property litigation and white collar criminal matters in both state and federal forums. He has prosecuted and defended patent and trademark infringement cases dealing with products and designs which include food ingredients and preserves, book printing processes and gasoline nozzles. David has also defended and tried a myriad of white collar criminal matters where wire fraud, mail fraud, criminal forfeiture, federal tax offenses and money laundering have been alleged. 

David’s practice has taken him to federal courts from Hawaii to Puerto Rico and New York to Texas, where he has worked on behalf of white collar defendants at trial and in union and intellectual property trials. He enjoys the courtroom and is keenly interested in litigating, diving into cases head first and developing an impressive knowledge of his clients’ industries and business environment. He has even handled divorces of sports figures and celebrities.

Outside the office, David enjoys traveling, particularly to Sanya, Haian Island in China, with his wife Ruby, where they maintain a condominium on the beach. From an early age, David’s interest in China arose from a desire to experience new and different cultures and explore different ways of thinking – an approach he applies to his legal practice. In the last 15 years, David has represented several Chinese clients in cases in the United States, including the People’s Bank of China and Asian Development Bank on money laundering issues.

David began his storied career with the Judge Advocate General’s Corp in the United States Army in the capacity as defense counsel, prosecutor and special courts martial judge for East Asia. Thereafter, he served with the Strike Force against Organized Crime in the United States Department of Justice. His final prosecution with the Strike Force was the subject of the Martin Scorsese major motion picture, Casino.

Since leaving the Department of Justice, David has developed extensive experience in intellectual property litigation and white collar defense. He frequently presents seminars to various companies and governmental agencies in the People's Republic of China on corporate, banking and intellectual property matters of concern in China. David has been involved in more than 1,500 cases, including those in various Federal and State Courts throughout the United States.

Services

Class Actions Commercial Litigation Construction Litigation Consumer Fraud Employment Litigation Product, Asbestos & Toxic Tort Liability Real Estate Litigation Shareholder Litigation Copyrights & Copyright Litigation Warranty Litigation Appellate & Complex Litigation

Industries

Automotive Construction & Development Consumer Products Entrepreneurs, Closely Held & Family Owned Business Heavy Machinery Manufacturing & Distribution Mining & Mineral Rights Recreational Products