Legal Bites - David Horvath

Our team of lawyers have a very diverse background coming from all parts of the country with extensive knowledge helping people with their legal needs.

David Horvath is a young associate on our legal team, born in Hungary and was called to the Bar in 2018. For a young lawyer David has several court decisions already in his name gathering tremendous experience in and out of the courtroom.

Prior to law school David worked as a Hungarian court interpreter and is the only lawyer in British Columbia who can speak Hungarian.

We find out a little bit more about David in this “Legal Bites” Q & A:

Tell us about your practice?

My practice is primarily focused on litigation, including commercial litigation, estate litigation, personal injury and general litigation. I maintain a general litigation practice that allows me to engage with a variety of issues, including defamation, contract disputes, shareholder disputes, strata disputes, intellectual property and builders liens, just to name a few. In short, when clients need to resolve their disputes through the court system, whether as a plaintiff or a defendant, that is where I can help. To that end, my practice includes not only advising clients on the substantive matters of law, but also the complex nature of court proceedings and the practicalities of proceeding to court, whether that be Provincial Court, Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal.

Why did you go to Thompson Rivers University Law School?

Generally, I went to law school in order to help people with the use of the written and spoken word. The ways in which words can affect societies and our everyday lives fascinated me from an early age. Going to law school allowed me to obtain the skills necessary to be a part of the conversation and help people in their time of need. I choose Thompson Rivers specifically because it allowed me stay in British Columbia and be close to my family.

How did you get where you are today? By design, by luck?

I would have to say it was both. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer by the time I was about 17 years old. However, the path to get here involved a lot of luck. I was born in Hungary, and so I was lucky enough that my parents choose to come to Canada. This provided me with the opportunity to seek out post-secondary education and be exposed to legal issues I would not have been exposed to otherwise. While I am the first member of my family to attend and complete post-secondary, let alone law school, this would not have been possible without obtaining various scholarships in high school to pay for that education. Thinking back, while I had a very clear plan about what I wanted to do, I would not be practicing law without luck and the support of my family.

What is you most significant achievement in the law field?

Practicing law at FH&P has allowed me gain significant experience in civil litigation and attend court frequently. I am proud of the fact that in my two years of practice, I have conducted various trials and significant court applications. Currently I have eight written decisions with my name on them, and I am happy to say they are all positive outcomes for our clients.

What are some key challenges more importantly opportunities for young people in law?

The practice of law is getting more and more competitive. This is not just because we are training more lawyers here in B.C., but also because technology is forcing lawyers to innovate and make their practices more efficient. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented boost in the use of technology in the legal field which is creating both challenges and opportunities for young people in law. We are in an age where technology is expanding faster and faster, so the challenge is to keep up with these changes. However, this presents an opportunity for young people to innovate and think of new ways to use technology to provide clients with excellent legal services in an efficient way.

What advice would you give a young person just starting their legal career?

Make sure it is right for you. While law school teaches you about the law, the practice of law is quite different. So, make sure that you know what practicing law entails, and expose yourself to different areas of law just to get a feel for the job. When I went to law school, I had no idea I would love litigation as much as I do now, but that came from opening myself up to different areas of the law and different opportunities. Being a lawyer is similar to most jobs, you need to do it to get a feel for it. I wholeheartedly believe that if you are unhappy with your job, for whatever reason, your work product will suffer. So my advice is: make sure being a lawyer is right for you.