Dave Porter is a Visiting Professor of Law and regularly teaches Securities Regulation and Advanced Securities Regulation; he has also taught Mergers & Acquisition. Before receiving his current appointment, Professor Porter served the Law School as an Adjunct Professor teaching its securities courses. He retired in December 2008 as a partner of the Jones Day law firm, where he had practiced in its Cleveland office since 1981.

In his practice, he worked principally in the areas of corporate governance, disclosure, corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions and complex corporate transactions. During his practice years, he was a frequent speaker and writer on corporate and securities law topics. He remains an active member of the Corporation Law Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association, which he served as Vice-Chair 2005-2007 and Chair 2007-2009, and where he has led numerous initiatives for legislative enhancements to Ohio's corporate statutes.