About the Firm
Built for how litigation actually works.
Knopfler PLLC exists because we believe clients deserve better than the traditional law firm model. You should not have to pay for layers of associates reviewing the same document, and you should not have to wonder who is actually working on your case.
Our Philosophy
We are litigators first. Everything about how this firm is structured follows from that fact. The attorney who develops your strategy is the same one executing it. When your case requires specialists or co-counsel, we find the right people, negotiate the engagement, and stay on the matter as your strategic quarterback. You get one point of contact who knows everything about your case from start to finish.
We built research and workflow infrastructure that lets a senior litigator hold your entire case in a single working session. That means faster turnaround, fewer billable hours for routine work, and more time spent on the judgment calls that actually affect your outcome.
The Attorneys
David Knopfler
David is a litigator admitted in New York and New Jersey. His practice centers on commercial litigation, including partnership disputes, contract claims, fiduciary duty matters, and complex business disputes in New York state and federal courts. He also serves as counsel and advisor to business clients on the disputes, decisions, and risks they face outside of court.
He handles matters from first call through resolution, personally. He understands litigation from end to end. That means evaluating a case honestly at intake, counseling clients on when to push and when to settle, coordinating strategy through every phase, and knowing when a matter calls for outside experts and which experts to bring in. Good litigation starts with good judgment about what the case actually is and what outcome is actually available.
David previously practiced as a partner at Bartfield and Knopfler PLLC, a New York litigation firm he co-founded with Joseph Bartfield. That firm is winding down following Joe's retirement. During that period David also built an e-commerce business importing and manufacturing in Asia, which he continues to be involved in today. Running that business gave him client-side perspective on supplier disputes, partner disagreements, customs and IP complications, and the operational decisions that turn into litigation when they go wrong. It shaped how he thinks about every case he takes.
David founded Knopfler PLLC around a clear view of where legal practice is going. Technology has fundamentally changed what litigation requires. Work that once consumed hundreds of associate hours now takes a fraction of that time. What remains, and what clients are really paying for, is judgment about what a case is worth and what to do about it. Knopfler PLLC is built around that reality. The firm is partner led, technology enabled, and priced for the expertise clients actually need.
David's approach is direct and counselor driven. He believes the attorney handling your case should know it better than you do, and he structures his practice to make that possible. He also devotes meaningful time to pro bono work for organizations and causes he believes in.
Christian N. Martinez, Esq.
Christian is admitted in New York and before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, and the United States Court of Federal Claims. His practice covers both litigation and transactional work for individuals, families, and business clients.
On the litigation side, Christian handles civil litigation, personal injury, bankruptcy, and debt collection defense. He has nearly a decade of courtroom experience across New York state and federal courts. His practice style is built on structural precision and strategic planning. He is a calm presence in most situations and knows when a matter calls for aggression instead. Clients describe him as three steps ahead of the other side, never rattled, and committed to making sure the client understands what is happening and why.
On the transactional side, Christian handles estate planning, including wills, trusts, and estate administration, along with elder law matters such as special needs planning, asset protection, and Medicaid planning for clients navigating long term care decisions. He also handles business formation, not-for-profit formation, corporate structuring, contracts, and general corporate counsel work. He advises business clients on tax planning and helps them structure their entities to minimize exposure from the start.
Christian has also worked on matters involving mergers and acquisitions for established corporate clients, bringing a transactional sensibility to his litigation practice and a litigator's eye for risk to his transactional work.
Before joining Knopfler PLLC, Christian practiced at several New York litigation firms before opening his own solo practice, where he built a broad civil and transactional book serving individuals and closely held businesses. That range is deliberate. He moves comfortably between a contested courtroom dispute and a careful estate plan, and he understands how the two often connect in a client's life.
Christian joined Knopfler PLLC to practice alongside a partner whose work complements his own and to build a firm that can deliver senior level attention across a broader range of matters than either of them could cover alone.
Christian earned his J.D. from Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law in 2016 and his B.S. in Business Management from Mount Saint Mary College in 2009.