Attorney Profiles

David Paul Horan
Key West, Florida

Senior Partner
phone	(305) 294-4585
fax	(305) 294-7822
email	Email Me

DAVID PAUL HORAN believes that a true Patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government. David Paul's innovative use of Constitutional Law and the Civil Rights Act has earned him a national and international reputation in admiralty and maritime law, environmental law and fisheries law.

Born to a U.S. Air Force family in Rome Georgia, he lost his father to a mid-air collision at the age of 15. After graduating with a degree in science (Marine Biology, Chemistry and Physics), he had a short work history as a Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD), teacher, personnel manager and skin and scuba diving instructor. He remains an avid diver and enjoys spearfishing during his infrequent escapes from his office. He owns a twin engine Piper Seneca II and has logged over 3500 hours of flight time.

Mr. Horan's community involvement includes serving as a Director of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce since 1973 (President in 1998), Member of the Key West Military Affairs Committee (Chairman in 1991), Member of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Counsel (1997/2000), Mote Marine Keys Advisory Board (2000 to Present) and numerous other Boards and Commissions. In 2001 Mr. Horan was inducted into the Key West Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame, Key West's highest community service award.

Mr. Horan is licensed to practice in all Florida State Courts, Florida Southern and Middle District courts, four (4) United States Courts of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court.

Representing most of the modern-salvors, he fought the seven (7) year long case for Mel Fisher/Treasure Salvors that culminated in his successful oral argument before the United States Supreme Court. His salvage cases include the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha of the 1622 Fleet and aircraft, including recently, a Boeing B-17 G recovered from a Lake in Northern Labrador, Canada.

In 1979, Mr. Horan hired a great legal secretary and by 1981, she had become his best friend who, in 1982 became his wife. Karen Horan continues to work as his secretary. Mr. Horan is the proud father of five (5) children.

Areas of Practice:: Admiralty Law; Maritime Law; Governmental Law; Fisheries Law

Litigation Percentage:: 75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:: Florida, 1972; Colorado, 1994; U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1975; U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1973; U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1980; U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981; U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1989; U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1989; U.S. Supreme Court, 1981

Education:: Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 1971
J.D.; University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 1966
B.S.

Representative Cases:: Weiszmann v. District Engineer, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 526 F.2d 1302 (C.A.5 (Fla.) 1976); Cobb Coin Co., Inc. v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 549 F.Supp. 540 (S.D.Fla. 1982); Florida Dept. of State v. Treasure Salvors, Inc., 102 S.Ct. 3304 (U.S.Fla. 1982); Bethell v. State of Fla., 741 F.2d 1341 (C.A.11 (Fla.) 1984); Young v. DCA, 625 So.2d 831 (Fla. 1993); Southeastern Fisheries Ass'n., Inc. v. Chiles, 979 F.2d 1504, (11th Cir. 1992); Sindia Expedition, Inc. v. Wrecked and Abandoned Vessel, Known as The Sindia, 895 F.2d 116 (3rd Cir. 1990); Hamm v. Powell, 893 F.2d 293 (11th Cir. 1990); Klein v. Unidentified Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 758 F.2d 1511 (11th Cir. 1985); Division of Archives, History and Records Management, Dept. of State v. Austin, 729 F.2d 1292 (11th Cir. 1984); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Unidentified Wrecked & Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 640 F.2d 560 (5th Cir. 1981); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Unidentified Wrecked & Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 569 F.2d 330 (5th Cir. 1978); Southeastern Fisheries Ass'n., Inc. v. Chiles, 876 F.Supp. 270 (S.D. Fla. 1995); Organized Fishermen of Florida, Inc. v. Franklin, 846 F.Supp 1569 (S.D. Fla. 1994); Southeastern Fisheries Ass'n., Inc. v. Martinez, 772 F.Supp 1263 (S.D. Fla. 1991); Bateman v. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, 768 F.Supp. 805 (S.D. Fla. 1991); Wood v. Verity, 729 F.Supp. 1324 (S.D. Fla. 1989); Sindia Expedition, Inc. v. Wrecked and Abandoned Vessel, Known as The Sindia, 710 F.Supp. 1020 (D.N.J. 1989); Allen v. Freeman, 122 F.R.D. 589 (S.D. Fla. 1988); Allen v. Freeman, 694 F.Supp. 1554 (S.D. Fla. 1988); Jupiter Wreck, Inc. v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 691 F.Supp. 1377 (S.D. Fla. 1988); Riebe v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned 18th Century Shipwreck, 691 F.Supp. 923 (E.D.N.C. 1987); Klein v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 568 F.Supp. 1562 (S.D. Fla. 1983); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 556 F.Supp. 1319 (S.D. Fla. 1983); Cobb Coin Co. v. Unidentified Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 525 F.Supp. 229 (S.D. Fla. 1981); Cobb Coin Co., Inc. v. Unidentified, Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 525 F.Supp. 186 (S.D. Fla. 1981); U.S. v. Board of Trustees of Florida Keys Community College, 531 F.Supp. 267 (S.D. Fla. 1982); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Unidentified Wrecked and Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 546 F.Supp. 919 (S.D. Fla. 1981); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Abandoned Sailing Vessel Believed to Be Nuestra Senora De Atocha, 408 F.Supp. 907 (S.D. Fla. 1976); U.S. v. Sexton Cove Estates, Inc., 389 F.Supp. 602 (S.D. Fla. 1975); State of Fla., Dept. of State v. Treasure Salvors, Inc., 689 F.2d 1254 (5th Cir. 1980); State of Fla., Dept. of State v. Treasure Salvors, Inc., 621 F.2d 1340 (5th Cir. 1980); Bateman v. Gardner, 730 F.Supp. 1570 (S.D. Fla. 1990); Treasure Salvors, Inc. v. Unidentified Wrecked & Abandoned Sailing Vessel, 459 F.Supp. 507 (S.D. Fla. 1978); Bateman v. Gardner, 922 F.2d 847 (11th Cir. 1990); Bateman v. Gardner, 730 F.Supp. 1570 (S.D. Fla. 1990); Gardner v. Bateman, 111 S.Ct. 2053 (1991)

Representative Clients:: Douglas Champlin/International Aircraft Recovery, LLC; Don Brooks/Brooks Aviations, Inc.; Industrial Communications, Inc.; Columbus America Discovery Group; Keys Federal Credit Union; Organized Fishermen of Florida Inc.; Southeastern Fisheries Association

References:: Bank of America -- Private Bank; First State Bank of the Florida Keys; American Express; MasterCard

Professional Associations and Memberships:: Association of Naval Aviators; Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce, 1975 - Present; President, 1998; Military Affairs Committee, 1977 - Present; Chairman, 1981; Monroe County Bar Association; Florida Bar; American Bar Association; American Association for Justice (AAJ); Sheriff's Shared Asset Forfeiture Board; Keys Advisory Board; Mote Marine Laboratory; Keys Advisory Board, 1995 - 1998; Sanctuary Advisory Counsel

Past Employment Positions:: U.S. Navy NAVCAD, 1964; Vanity Fair Corporation, 1966 - 1969; Monroe County, Florida, Assistant County Attorney, 1972 - 1975; City of Key West, Special Environmental Counsel