David P. Affinito, Esq.

David P. Affinito is a distinguished Certified Civil Trial Attorney with 40 years of experience in litigation and personal injury law. Mr. Affinito has argued in front and has legal cases reported in the United States Supreme Court, the New Jersey Supreme Court, and has appeared before the United States Congress on behalf of his clients in Accutane litigation.

Since 2014, Mr. Affinito has been practicing at the Law Offices of James C. DeZao, P.A., where he served as the supervising attorney from 2023 until 2025. During this time, he led the firm through a transitional period following the illness and passing of James C. DeZao in 2024.

Before joining James C. DeZao's firm, Mr. Affinito was a Senior Partner at Dell’Italia, Affinito & Santola, where he spent nearly three decades handling high-profile personal injury cases. His legal expertise spans both plaintiff and defense representation, focusing on wrongful death suits, mass tort litigation, and complex personal injury cases.

Mr. Affinito is renowned for his leadership in the Accutane litigation against Roche Pharmaceuticals, serving as lead local counsel in New Jersey. His work in this landmark case, involving the psychological effects of the acne drug Accutane, gained national attention. His legal advocacy influenced Congressional hearings on drug safety and contributed to the manufacturer’s voluntary withdrawal of the product from the market.

Throughout his career, Affinito has fought for justice in numerous wrongful death cases, including representing the estates of five construction workers tragically killed in a highway accident. His legal efforts helped establish the more common use of cement barriers to protect road construction workers in New Jersey. His appellate work includes influential cases such as Robert Rowe v. Hoffmann-LaRoche, which reshaped pharmaceutical litigation jurisdiction.

Mr. Affinito holds a Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Monmouth College (it wasn’t a university at the time).. He is a member of the bars of New Jersey Federal and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, while he is retired from the bars in Pennsylvania, New York, and Florida.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Affinito is an accomplished aviator, holding an FAA Commercial Pilot license with an instrument rating and Certified Flight Instructor licenses, he has logged over 4,000 flight hours. An avid reader, he enjoys nonfiction works on science, technology, and history, reflecting his lifelong passion for knowledge.

Mr. Affinito was awarded the great honor by the “Trial Lawyers Care” program, where volunteer attorneys spent their spare time assisting those who suffered after the 911 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Affinito’s exceptional legal career, leadership at the Law Offices of DeZao & DeZao, P.C., and dedication to justice make him a respected and influential figure in the legal community.