David M. Di Rita has 21 years experience as a transactional attorney and real estate professional specializing in mergers and acquisitions, real estate and corporate restructuring transactions.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Di Rita founded the Roxbury Group, a Detroit-based real estate development and advisory firm, where he has developed an extensive first-hand background and knowledge in structuring, financing and managing complex real estate development projects, particularly involving economic development and incentive tools.
In addition Mr. Di Rita previously served as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Tower Automotive, Inc, a leading global supplier of metal structures to the automotive industry, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s legal affairs, including corporate governance, employment, intellectual property, securities, M&A, product liability and commercial litigation. In this capacity, Mr. Di Rita was also charged with overseeing the company’s successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Prior to joining Tower, Mr. Di Rita served as deputy general counsel of Visteon Corporation, reporting to the senior vice president of corporate transactions and legal affairs. Visteon is an automotive Tier 1 supplier with annual sales of approximately $19 billion. Mr. Di Rita was primarily responsible for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and major real estate transactions as well as oversight of the department’s securities, corporate governance, intellectual property, government incentives, real estate, product safety and commercial activities. In this capacity, he was also primarily responsible for overseeing the acquisition, entitlement, incentive procurement and development of Visteon Village, the company’s award winning corporate headquarters and innovation center located in Van Buren Township, Michigan.
Mr. Di Rita came to Visteon from the Automotive Systems Group of Johnson Controls, Inc. where, as group general counsel for North and South America, he performed in a similar capacity. Prior to joining Johnson Controls, Mr. Di Rita was senior counsel of Alexander Hamilton Life Insurance Company, where he was responsible for supporting the treasury and asset management group’s real estate equity, loan and investment activities. Prior to Alexander Hamilton, Mr. Di Rita was an associate attorney for Dickinson Wright PLLC in Detroit, Michigan focusing primarily on real estate and finance, with considerable emphasis on large scale shopping center acquisition, development, leasing and divestiture, as well as mortgage and construction lending.
Mr. Di Rita received a bachelor's degree in business administration (with distinction) from The University of Michigan in 1986 and a law degree (cum laude) from the University of Michigan in 1989. Mr. Di Rita is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan.