Ben Morton is a litigator with twenty years’ experience representing clients in both the state and federal courts as well as in arbitration and mediation proceedings. He is a partner and a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Consumer Defense, Banking & Finance and Tort and Product Liability practice groups. Mr. Morton works principally from the firm’s Southern California offices and represents clients throughout the state of California. He also serves as coordinating counsel for institutional clients litigating in other states.
Mr. Morton is the Co-Managing Partner of the firm's Carlsbad office located in North San Diego County. He is also the chair of the Consumer Protection Defense and Banking and Finance practice groups, and regularly defends clients against federal and state consumer claims brought individually and as class actions, including the FDCPA/Rosenthal, FCRA, TCPA, FCRA, CLRA, Rees Levering, UCL (B&P 17200), SCRA and others.
As a member of the Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights and Banking and Finance practice groups, Mr. Morton represents financial institutions, including multinational and regional banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders and financial services companies. His practice includes the handling of matters related to lender liability; TILA, Regulation Z and RESPA compliance; real and personal property financing and leasing; receiverships; commercial collection; collateral recovery; real and personal property foreclosures; bankruptcy; loan workouts and other matters related to lender’s rights.
In his Commercial Litigation practice, Mr. Morton handles complex commercial disputes at both the state and federal level, including class action defense. Generally, his practice includes defending and prosecuting litigation involving contractual disputes; claims under California’s Unfair Competition Law; director and officer liability, securities cases, defense of life insurance and financial services companies and insurance and annuity sales practices.
Mr. Morton's tort and product liability experience includes catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases arising from premises and product liability in, among others, the pharmaceutical, construction, public utility, transportation, medical device, and retail industries.
Mr. Morton has also represented clients in employment disputes involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and wage and hour matters.
Admissions
California
U.S. District Courts, California
U.S. District Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
Memberships
Trial Attorneys of America
San Diego County Bar Association
Equipment Leasing & Finance Association, Motor Vehicle Subcommittee