Overview

An experienced trial attorney, Ben joins NWA from the United States Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch, where he led investigations and litigations adverse to several of the nation’s largest companies. During his time with the DOJ, Ben investigated, challenged, and favorably resolved corporate misconduct in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, social media, and telecommunications. Ben’s matters frequently presented novel questions of law, required sophisticated technical, scientific, and quantitative analysis, and raised difficult problems of mass proof. Ben earned multiple awards from the DOJ, including the prestigious Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention, for successfully handling several of DOJ's most high-profile health, safety, and privacy matters.

Before joining the DOJ, Ben practiced complex commercial litigation at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. Ben graduated from Columbia Law School, where he served on the Columbia Law Review and earned the Ruth Bader Ginsburg prize for outstanding achievement. He previously clerked for the Honorable Paul S. Diamond of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Representative Matters

• Secured guilty plea against opioid manufacturer. Sentence imposed included over $1.5B in monetary penalties, the second-largest set of criminal financial penalties ever levied against a pharmaceutical company. Ben earned the Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention for his work on the case.

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• Directed extensive investigation leading to the filing of a civil complaint against the nation’s largest chain pharmacy for nationwide violations of the Controlled Substances Act and False Claims Act arising from the pharmacy’s unlawful dispensing of opioids and other controlled substances.

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• Led DOJ litigation against prominent social media company for violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the first contested COPPA action ever brought by the DOJ.

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• Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of the DOJ, including substantial injunctive relief, in first-of-its-kind action against supplement distributor for violations of the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act. Ben earned a special commendation from the DOJ for successfully resolving the case.

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• Attained nine-figure settlement on behalf of the DOJ from major telecommunications company for widespread violations of telemarketing sales rules.

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• After one-week trial, won complete defense verdict on behalf of investment fund and its board of directors in a breach of fiduciary duty suit seeking hundreds of millions of dollars and liquidation of the fund. Obtained summary affirmance of verdict on appeal.

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• On behalf of relator, achieved favorable confidential settlement in False Claims Act suit alleging fraudulent submission of inaccurate diagnosis data by Medicare Advantage Plans to Medicare.

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• On behalf of plaintiff credit insurance company, obtained vacatur of trial court’s dismissal with prejudice of material misrepresentation in the inducement of an insurance contract claim against bank defendant.

Admissions

New York
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Southern District of New York
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District of Columbia (district and federal)

Prior Associations

Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Consumer Protection Branch

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Associate, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Clerkships

Law Clerk for the Honorable Paul S. Diamond of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Education

Columbia Law School, J.D.

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University of Pennsylvania, B.A., summa cum laude

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