Sean Morris represents clients in complex commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on mass tort, unfair business practices, and intellectual property and technology matters. Mr. Morris has served as lead counsel in several multidistrict litigations, class actions, and disputes involving international parties. He is head of the firm's Los Angeles office.
Among his significant cases, Mr. Morris successfully tried the California lead pigment litigation, in which public prosecutors asserted that former manufacturers of lead pigment should be held liable for the alleged health hazard created by the existence of lead paint on millions of private residences. He served as lead counsel in an MDL class action proceeding in which plaintiffs in more than 25 states alleged fraud and violation of state unfair business practice statutes arising from the technology used in the retail sale of gasoline, and he obtained an injunction against an Internet portal requiring it to cease infringements on its network of more than 300,000 websites.
Experience
- Major pharmaceutical company in a series of cases (including those combined within an MDL) brought by government prosecutors, third-party payors, and private individuals alleging fraudulent marketing of opioids for long-term pain and seeking damages, restitution, and civil penalties.
- Atlantic Richfield as co-trial counsel in successfully defeating public nuisance claims brought by California prosecutors seeking a $1.1 billion fund to abate all residential properties that contain lead paint.
- National baked goods chain in class actions alleging false and misleading advertising regarding content of donuts and other products.
- Top-rated insurance company as trial counsel in dispute alleging bad faith breach of duty to defend and indemnify under D&O policy.
- Major oil company as lead defense counsel in multidistrict class action in which plaintiffs allege fraud and violation of state unfair business practice statutes based on the sale of gasoline by the volumetric gallon instead of using advanced temperature adjustment technology.
- Kroger in defending putative class action alleging unfair business practices for representations regarding the nutritional content of food products.
Perspectives
Recognition
"Rising Star" (2005-2007, 2011)
Credentials
- JD, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1996
- BA, University of California, Berkeley, 1993
- California
- New York
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Editorial Board Member, Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, 2004-2007
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Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Founder and current board member, Reading to Kids, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization