Overview
David Baria is a partner at Cosmich Simmons & Brown, PLLC, in its Bay St. Louis, Mississippi office. His practice focuses on insurance coverage and personal injury litigation, representing individuals and businesses. David has over 33 years of litigation experience in the state and federal courts in Mississippi and has been recognized by his peers as “preeminent,” achieving the highest legal ability rating given by Martindale Hubbell (“AV”) and a “Superb” rating by AVVO.
David served in the Mississippi legislature for 12 years in both the Senate and House of Representatives. He recently decided to become a mediator in addition to his litigation practice. To prepare himself, he completed a weeklong course at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University — one of the best mediation training programs in the world.
David was inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates and Litigation Counsel of America, and he is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Mid-South Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers have repeatedly recognized him as outstanding. David was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement award from the Mississippi Association for Justice in 2017.
Education
- University of Mississippi School of Law, Oxford, Mississippi
- Juris Doctorate, 1990
- Cambridge University Faculty Board of Law The Old Schools, Ole Miss Summer Program, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- B.S., Bachelor of Science, 1987
- Criminal Justice
- University of London, London, UK, USM Summer Program
Admissions
- Mississippi, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1990
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1990
Experience
David Baria consistently delivers exceptional legal representation grounded in experience and integrity. His commitment to excellence has achieved over $33M in court verdicts and over $17.9M in settlements won for clients.
For a comprehensive list of exemplar verdicts and settlements won, please click here.
Publications & Presentations
- Addressing Caps on Damages. Mississippi Association for Justice Annual Convention, June 8, 2023
- Legislative updates provided to various groups (2008-2018)
- Life After Learmonth. Mississippi Bar Summer School for Lawyers, July 2014
- Effective Voir Dire. Mississippi Trial Lawyers Seminar, October 22, 2004
- Litigating the Nursing Home Case: Plaintiff’s Perspective. Professional Educational Services, Inc., June 18 and 19, 2004
- Litigating the Nursing Home Case: Plaintiff’s Perspective. Professional Educational Services, Inc., April 18 and April 19, 2002
- Bad Faith. Mississippi Trial Lawyers Seminar, February 21, 2001
- Nursing Home Litigation – It’s All Right There in the Record. Mississippi Trial Lawyers Seminar, March 15, 2000
- Jury Selection (Panel Discussion). Mississippi Bar Labor and Employment Law Section, Annual Seminar, February 18, 1999
- Nursing Home Litigation: Are These Cases Better/Worse than You Think? Mississippi Lawyer, July 1999
- Nursing Home Litigation. Mississippi Bar, Summer School for Lawyers, July 1999
- Circumventing Workers Compensation. ATLA National College of Advocacy Jazz Fest Seminar, May 1, 1999
- Wrongful Termination. Mississippi Municipal Attorneys Association, Annual Seminar, January 28, 1999
- Nursing Home Litigation. Mississippi Trial Lawyers Holiday Seminar, December 4, 1998
- Nursing Home Practice in Mississippi. National Business Institute Seminar, September 9, 1998
- Employment Law. Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association Interesting Issues Seminar, October 1996
- Taking Wrongful Termination Cases Is Not Just Tilting at Windmills Anymore. Voir Dire Magazine, Summer 1998
Distinctions
- “Best Lawyers” and “Super Lawyers,” Since 2012
- Mississippi Association for Justice Lifetime Achievement Award
- MAJ Stanford Young Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014
- Minority Leader, Mississippi House of Representatives, 2016 – 2019
- Mississippi Association for Justice (“MAJ”) Legislative Award, 2008
Associations
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Member, 07/2006 to Present
- Mississippi Association for Justice, Past President
- Mississippi Bar Association, Member, 08/1990 to Present
- Hancock County Bar Association
Civic Involvement
- Mississippi House of Representatives, District 122, 2012 to 2019
- House Minority Leader, 2016 to 2019
- Democratic Nominee, United States Senate (MS), 2018
- Mississippi Center for Justice, Board of Directors
- United Policyholders, Board of Directors
- Chairman, Hancock County Youth Court Task Force
- Chairman, Southern Legislative Conference, Gulf Coast and Atlantic States Task Force
- University of Southern Mississippi Autism Advisory Board
- Fellow, Mississippi Bar Foundation