David Cross was one of the main reasons that the BTI Consulting Group called Quarles & Brady a "Most Feared Litigation Group." Clients confidently turned to Dave as an aggressive intellectual property litigator who was not afraid of a fight, and with good reason. He propelled cases past the noise of claims and counter-claims, zeroed in on the angle that made his client's case, then built a compelling story around it, in terms that judges and juries understood and appreciated. He was certainly willing to negotiate a settlement when circumstances called for it, but he strived to do so from a position of strength and with the understanding on all sides that he would do what it took to fully protect his client's interests. Simply put, he hated to lose - Dave himself was an inventor, so he understood the inventor's experience, knew how it felt to be infringed, and used that empathy to drive cases on behalf of his clients.

Dave prosecuted and defended intellectual property and other technology cases before juries and judges in federal and state courts around the country. He also had extensive experience prosecuting and defending trademark and unfair competition cases before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and in state and federal courts. He had handled disputes involving a wide range of technologies and industries including biochemistry, computer software and hardware, plastics, medical instrumentation, and semiconductors.

As Dave practiced his craft, he demonstrated that a successful trial lawyer was a persuasive storyteller who helped explain the law and technology in question, to judges and juries. He stuck to the theme that worked and made the message crystal clear, countered the other side's story with facts, and evoked the sympathy and understanding of the court. He distilled each matter to its salient points, then drove each case toward successful resolution.