San Diego, CA (August 19, 2026) – Commercial real estate attorney David Jones has returned to Procopio as a Partner after more than six years serving as Deputy General Counsel to the San Diego Unified Port District. Based in Procopio’s downtown San Diego office, David advises developers, investors, landlords, tenants, lenders, and public agencies on sophisticated real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, financing, joint ventures, entity formation, and development matters.

David previously practiced at Procopio from 2014 to 2020. His return brings significant in-house experience to the firm’s Real Estate practice, including firsthand insight into how public agencies and institutional property owners evaluate risk, structure transactions, and advance complex development projects.

“David was an outstanding attorney during his first tenure at Procopio, and we’re delighted to welcome him back as a Partner,” said Procopio Managing Partner Dennis Doucette. “His years at the Port have added another dimension to an already strong commercial real estate practice. That combination of private practice and in-house experience will be especially valuable to clients navigating sophisticated transactions and major development projects.”

As Deputy General Counsel to the San Diego Unified Port District, David advised on an array of matters involving the Port’s expansive real estate portfolio, which generates over $150 million in annual revenue. He negotiated ground leases, restaurant and retail leases, financing documents, development agreements, easements, permits, construction documents, and other complex real estate documents. He also provided counsel to Port executives, staff, and the Board of Port Commissioners and worked with tenants, member cities, government agencies, and other stakeholders on proposed developments and Port initiatives. His work at the Port included major San Diego waterfront projects such as the Chula Vista Bayfront, Freedom Park at Navy Pier, Harbor Island West Marina, the Coronado Ferry Landing, and Seaport Village.

“I’m forever grateful to the Port and its people for the opportunity and experiences and excited to return to Procopio to work with great clients and such a collaborative group of professionals,” said David. “I look forward to applying valuable insights and lessons learned from my time at the Port to help our clients advance complex real estate transactions and development projects.”

David has experience handling transactions across a broad range of asset classes, including mixed-use, multifamily, retail, office, industrial, hospitality, and waterfront properties. During his earlier tenure at Procopio, he represented clients in acquisitions and dispositions, ground up development, commercial leasing, financings, joint ventures, and entity formation.

Before first joining Procopio, David practiced commercial real estate law, as well as bankruptcy and financial restructuring, with Moore & Van Allen PLLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable John E. Waites of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. David earned his JD magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Wake Forest University School of Law, and his BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he was a four-year starter for the Mustangs’ NCAA Division I men’s tennis team.

Procopio’s Real Estate attorneys represent developers, institutional investors, lenders, operators, and family offices across the full life cycle of real estate projects. They advise on acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and equity investments, financing, development and entitlements, leasing and asset operations, and real estate disputes. The team combines transactional experience with land use, environmental, tax, finance, and litigation capabilities to help clients structure investments, manage risk, and move complex projects forward.