Attorney profile
Rhode Island and Massachusetts attorney with 30 years of experience, owner of Slepkow Law LLC in East Providence, and a contributing legal author on drug and medical device injury topics.
- 30 Years of Experience
- RI and MA Bars
- U.S. Supreme Court Bar
- 5.0 Across 22 Avvo Reviews
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
About David Slepkow
David S. Slepkow has 30 years of legal experience and has practiced law in Rhode Island since 1997 and in Massachusetts since 1998. He owns Slepkow Law LLC, located at 1481 Wampanoag Trail in the Riverside section of East Providence, and represents clients throughout Rhode Island, from Woonsocket and Pawtucket to Newport, Westerly, and Warwick.
The Slepkow legacy in Rhode Island carries a long family history. Frank Slepkow founded the practice as Slepkow & Lindblom in 1932, and David practiced as an owner and partner of the firm, with its successor, Slepkow Slepkow & Associates, from 1997 until 2024, when he formed Slepkow Law LLC to carry the practice into its tenth decade.
His day-to-day practice centers on divorce, child custody, and family law, alongside personal injury, criminal misdemeanors, and restraining order matters. He has also spent years writing about and working on dangerous drug, defective medical device, and toxic exposure claims, which is how his work connects to DefectiveDrugSite.com. David has acted as co-counsel in hundreds of mass tort lawsuits, including hernia mesh and Camp Lejeune lawsuits.
Drug and Medical Device Injury Work
Attorney Slepkow lists DefectiveDrugSite.com among his published legal resources, alongside related sites on defective products, hernia mesh, military earplugs, and mesothelioma. On his firm’s own site he has published material on Ozempic and Wegovy lawsuits, Bard PowerPort catheter litigation, hair relaxer cancer claims, AFFF firefighting foam, and Camp Lejeune water contamination.
One former client’s review illustrates how he approaches these cases. A retired attorney seeking help with a defective hernia mesh implant wrote on Avvo that she had called many firms advertising mesh claims and reached only scripted intake screeners, some of whom turned her away. David, she said, listened to her directly, understood her medical history, and arranged representation together with another attorney.
Rhode Island Supreme Court Record
Most family law cases never reach an appellate court. David has argued two that did, and in both the Supreme Court set aside the lower court’s ruling in his client’s favor. Both wins were 5-0 decisions that established important Rhode Island precedent.
2011
Rogers v. Rogers
Supreme Court of Rhode Island, docket 10-106. David S. Slepkow represented the defendant.
The Family Court had dismissed a divorce action for lack of jurisdiction after both spouses moved out of Rhode Island while the case was pending. On appeal, the Supreme Court vacated that dismissal. The ruling confirms that a party can move out of Rhode Island during a pending divorce and still obtain the divorce there.
2026
Conway v. Orenberg
Supreme Court of Rhode Island, No. 2024-278-Appeal, decided January 28, 2026. David S. Slepkow represented the plaintiff on appeal.
The Court vacated a Family Court order that gave the other parent primary placement of two children, holding that the record lacked factual findings on the children’s best interests.
Following the Rogers decision, David was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in 2012.
Credentials
- Law school
- Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D., 1997. CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Trial Advocacy and Conflict of Laws.
- Undergraduate
- Emory University, B.A.
- Bar admissions
- Rhode Island (1997), Massachusetts (1998), U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island (1998-2016), and Supreme Court of the United States (2012).
- Disciplinary record
- Avvo reports no misconduct found in Rhode Island or Massachusetts.
- Associations
- Rhode Island Bar Association (1997-present), Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association (2003-2018), Rhode Island Family Law Inns of Court (2008-2014), and Rhode Island Family Court Bench Bar Association (1997-2009).
- Ratings
- Avvo 10.0 Superb; Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent (2022) and Preeminent 5.0 (2010-2012).
- Recognition
- Providence Journal Readers’ Choice (2018), third place for best lawyer and best law firm in Rhode Island; Who’s Who in American Law (2017); American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 10 Best Client Satisfaction (2016).
- Language
- English
Career Timeline
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Family practice founded. Frank Slepkow opens Slepkow & Lindblom.
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Admitted in Rhode Island. Graduates from Roger Williams University School of Law, serves as a Rule 9 attorney in its Criminal Defense Clinic, and joins Slepkow Slepkow & Associates.
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Admitted in Massachusetts. Also admitted to federal court in the District of Rhode Island.
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Mock trial coach. Coaches the Portsmouth High School team in 2001 and La Salle Academy in 2002.
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Wins Rogers v. Rogers. The Rhode Island Supreme Court vacates a jurisdictional dismissal of his client’s divorce in a 5-0 decision.
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U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Sworn in to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States and speaks on attorney marketing for the Circle of Legal Trust.
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Product liability publishing. Launches hernia mesh resources, followed by DefectiveDrugSite.com and DefectsLawyer.com in 2018.
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Readers’ Choice. Providence Journal readers place him among Rhode Island’s top three lawyers.
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Camp Lejeune resource. Launches a website to help victims of toxic water research compensation claims.
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Slepkow Law LLC. Forms the current firm as owner.
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Wins Conway v. Orenberg. The Rhode Island Supreme Court vacates a child-placement order.
Practice Areas
Avvo’s practice breakdown for David lists child custody, divorce and separation, and family law at roughly 30% each, with personal injury making up the remaining 10%.
Family Law
Divorce, including uncontested and no-fault cases; child custody, visitation, and relocation out of state; child support, modification, and contempt; alimony and division of assets, pensions, and 401(k)s; paternity, adoption, and DCYF matters; prenuptial agreements; fathers’ rights; and multi-state custody disputes.
Personal Injury and Product Liability
Car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents; slip and fall and premises liability; uninsured and underinsured motorist claims; wrongful death; exploding lithium batteries; and dangerous drug, medical device, and toxic exposure claims, typically handled with co-counsel as described above.
Other Matters
Criminal misdemeanors, DUI and breathalyzer refusals, restraining orders and no-contact orders, expungement, wills and probate, guardianships, elder law, LLC formation, contract disputes, and landlord-tenant cases.
Legal Writing
David has written extensively for consumers since 2009, and his firm profile credits him with hundreds of articles. He also published 16 legal guides on Avvo. His work includes:
- Long-form Rhode Island guides on divorce, child support, and the overlap between family and criminal law, published at SlepkowLaw.com since 2009.
- Consumer injury resources on Rhode Island car accidents (2011), motorcycle crashes (2012), Massachusetts personal injury (2013), and insurance law (2015).
- Product liability and mass tort resources on hernia mesh (2017), defective drugs and defective products (2018), 3M military earplugs (2019), and mesothelioma (2021).
Peers have noted this output directly. Several attorneys who endorsed him on Avvo said they regularly read and share his articles.
Client and Peer Feedback
As of September 2026, David holds a 5.0 average across 22 client reviews on Avvo, all five stars. The themes clients mention most are advocacy, case results, and legal knowledge. Reviews cover custody, divorce, family, criminal defense, expungement, real estate, guardianship, personal injury, and defective product matters.
In recent reviews, a divorced client from 2025 credited him with a result she could not have improved on and said he helped her weigh the details of her case without unnecessary conflict. Another client described him as working past office hours to help during a difficult period, and a third valued his clear advice on a common-law marriage question.
He has received 36 endorsements from other lawyers on Avvo. A Rhode Island family lawyer who has known him for about two decades called him “a smart, hardworking lawyer who truly cares about his clients.” Opposing counsel from past cases described him as sharp on the legal issues and respected by colleagues for keeping proceedings orderly.
Working With David
- Who you will talk to
- David personally. The firm does not use a call center or lead-generation intake.
- Consultation
- Free for the first 30 minutes.
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Evening and limited weekend appointments are available.
- Payment
- Cash, check, or credit card.
- Office
- Slepkow Law LLC, 1481 Wampanoag Trail, Suite 101, East Providence, RI 02915.
- Website phone
- (888) 217-3612
- Website contact
- Use the Defective Drug Site contact form
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is David Slepkow licensed to practice?
Rhode Island since 1997 and Massachusetts since 1998. He is also a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Can he help with an Ozempic, Wegovy, or other GLP-1 injury claim?
He writes about GLP-1 litigation and can review your situation, but drug injury cases are usually referred to co-counsel who take principal responsibility. Ask during your consultation which firm would lead your case and how fees would be shared.
Is he a certified specialist in any area?
No. The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses lawyers in the general practice of law and does not certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in a particular field.
Does the first meeting cost anything?
No. The first 30 minutes of an initial consultation are free.
How can I check his disciplinary history?
Avvo reports no misconduct in either state, but its data may not be complete. For the official record, contact the Rhode Island Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel or the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.
Profile last reviewed September 2026.
Related Resources
Continue with the main resource, closely related topics, and a useful cross-reference.
- Pillar: Attorneys
- Related topic: Contact Us
- Related topic: About Defective Drug Site
- Also review: GLP-1 Drug Lawsuits (2026)