Kevin D. Morris

Kevin D. Morris is the firm's Managing Principal and a member of the Civil Litigation and Environmental and Land Use Practice Groups. Kevin's practice concentrates on environmental and business litigation. He also provides counseling on land use issues in connection with commercial and residential development.

Kevin received his B.S., cum laude, in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University. In 1994, Kevin received his J.D. from UCLA Law School, where he was Chief Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review and was admitted to the Order of the Coif. Before joining the firm, Kevin clerked for the Hon. Oliver W. Wanger, United States District Court Judge, drafting more than 80 memorandum opinions for Judge Wanger in civil law and motion matters. Kevin joined the firm in 1995 and became a principal in 2003.

The following is a list of the types of cases Kevin has handled:

Participated in all aspects of defending large and complex toxic tort cases, including assisting with the defense of a lawsuit prosecuted on behalf of over 50 individual plaintiffs who claimed to have suffered a multitude of physical ailments as a result of alleged exposure to toxic substances.
Handled a series of mediations involving contaminated soil in residential neighborhoods that resulted in favorable settlement of complicated and significant claims.
Assisted in the trial of and successfully defended the appeal of a lawsuit brought by several neighbors against a hotel alleging the owner's non-compliance with CEQA requirements.
Drafted and argued dispositive motions for summary judgment in employment cases against a public entity alleging discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Assisted lead trial counsel in a wrongful discharge case in developing a novel theory of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy based on a newly-enacted statute that resulted in a jury award and final judgment exceeding $1 million.

Kevin is admitted to practice in all of the courts of the State of California, the Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California of the United States District Courts.

Kevin served as a member of the San Luis Obispo County YMCA Board of Directors from 1999-2002. The Pacific Coast Business Times named Kevin to the 40 Under Forty for 2002. Currently, Kevin serves on the Board of Directors of the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.