Eric C. Morris, Esq. Special Counsel
Eric C. Morris, provides representation and legal counsel in matters pertaining to litigation, transportation & logistics, and construction defect. Prior to establishing Southern California Lawyers Group, Mr. Morris worked for Stone, Rosenblatt & Cha, PLC; Koeller, Nebeker, Carlson, & Haluck, LLP; Somach Simmons & Dunn, LLP; and The Gonzales Law Firm, PC. Mr. Morris represented a diverse clientele, including national developers, contractors, subcontractors, homeowners associations, insurance carriers, technology and marketing firms, self-insured entities, and mortgage banks in civil litigation disputes. Mr. Morris has litigated disputes from inception through discovery, pre-trial proceedings, mediation and arbitration, involving contract disputes, real estate disputes, construction defect defense, insurance defense, torts, professional licensure defense, insolvency and mortgage lending disputes.
Mr. Morris' areas of practice include Commercial Litigation, Transportation & Logistics, Construction Defect, Business Litigation, Insurance Defense, Insurance Coverage, Construction Litigation, Construction Defect, Construction Claims, General Liability, E-Discovery And Data Management, Employee Relation Litigation, Environmental Law, Government TORT Liability, Plantiff TORT Litigation.
During his years of practice, Mr. Morris successfully obtained a summary judgment on behalf of a developer and insurance company against claimant asserting a mechanics lien. He successfully defended a national developer and national mortgage bank's California real estate licenses against Department of Real Estate claims of Real Estate Law violations. He second-chaired a successful prosecution of a six-figure arbitration judgment on behalf of an internet marketing company. Mr. Morris successfully obtained a stay on all judicial proceedings pending arbitration on behalf of a developer in dispute involving personal injury and construction defect claims. He successfully bifurcated and licensed a national developer's California operations with the Contractor's State Licensing Board and Department of Real Estate. Mr. Morris assisted in successful litigation resolution of multiple complex-litigation, multi-party construction defect disputes on behalf of national developers. As a Student Attorney, Mr. Morris successfully helped argue and win a judgment in the United States Federal Court, Eighth Circuit, against the Environmental Protection Agency, requiring the revision of the Lead NAAQS Emission Standard to protect public health.
Mr. Morris has been known for resolving cases very early, sometimes even before they really get started. He subscribes to the ideal that litigation and especially trial should be the last resort. As a business owner, Mr. Morris appreciates the economics associated with litigation and as a litigator, he recognizes the emotional element often associated with a case. While he believes that parties to litigation should analyze resolution options as early as possible, Mr. Morris' reputation in the legal community makes it abundantly clear that his attempts to resolve disputes when appropriate should only be interpreted as his efforts to do the right thing and should never be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Mr. Morris believes that the practice of law is a profession first and business second.
Mr. Morris is admitted to practice before all state courts in California; the Central, Southern and Eastern Districts of the U.S. District Court, California.
Eric C. Morris has a Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law, St. Louis where he was a Board Editor of the Washington University Law Review, and a Bachelor of Arts, Business / Economics from University of California, Santa Barbara. He is an active member of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer Legal Services Program, and Walk Now
Publications include:
Abigail Real & Bienvenido Real, Jr. v. Countrywide Home Loans, (2009) 2009 WL 249800 (S.D. Cal.).
Document Retention Obligations In The 21st Century, SRC At Issue (2008).
United Van Lines LLC and Mayflower Transit LLC v. Edwards, (2008) 2008 WL 2817574 (E.D. Cal.).
United Van Lines LLC v. Besch, (2008) 2008 WL 4066203 (N.D. Cal.).
Phillips v. Mayflower Transit LLC, (2008) 2008 WL 5043374 (Cal. Superior).
Missouri Coalition for the Environment v. Leavitt and US Environmental Protection Agency, 2004 WL 5608625 (E.D.Mo.) (2004).
Relicensing Oroville Dam - The Next 50 Years, 14 CAL. WATER L. & POL'Y RPTR 306 (2004).
Threats Loom to New Melones Water Supplies, 14 CAL. WATER L. & POL'Y RPTR 340 (2004).
During his downtime, Mr. Morris enjoys distance running, hiking, sailing and travel.
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