Ben Mooneyham specializes in complex civil litigation, with experience in intellectual property, commercial and contract disputes, tort defense, class action defense, and white-collar criminal defense. Ben graduated in 2012 from The University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the editorial board on The University of Chicago Law Review. After law school, Ben served as a staff law clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago, where he worked closely with each Seventh Circuit judge on civil and criminal appeals and appellate motions. As a practicing attorney, Ben has worked on matters in courts across the country.

Named as a Top Lawyer by Marquis Who’s Who: https://marquistoplawyers.com/2020/10/05/benjamin-mooneyham/

Significant Representations

Obtained $10.1 million settlement in favor of plaintiffs in trade secret dispute against competitor of client, after nearly three-year litigation in Indiana state court.  Drafted and presented briefing on complicated jurisdictional issues to successfully dismiss or transfer related lawsuits in federal court in Nebraska and Indiana.  In state court, obtained finding of spoliation of evidence against defendants and drafted successful briefing on complex summary judgment issues prior to obtaining settlement.  USIC, LLC, et al. v. Coffield, et al., No. 49D01-1611-PL-039993 (Marion Super. Ct., Indiana).

Represented Defendants/Counterclaim-Plaintiffs in obtaining a $6.1 million jury verdict for breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspiracy, including $5.5 million in punitive damages, following a thirteen-day jury trial in Jackson County, Missouri. Successfully obtained dismissal of all of plaintiffs’ claims prior to trial, proceeding at trial only on clients’ counterclaims. At trial, helped persuade the jury that Counterclaim-Defendants improperly used their control over Counterclaim-Plaintiffs to take monies for lavish personal entertainment and other self-dealing transactions, and that the award of punitive damages was appropriate to deter future conduct. Raizada Group, LP et al. v. PHC Holding Company, LLC, et al., No. 1416-CV14245 (Jackson County, Missouri, November 1, 2017).

Drafted appellate briefs in cross-appeal where U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed judgment in favor of client for over $109,000 in breach of contract dispute.  Smoky Hills Wind Project II, LLC v. City of Independence, Missouri, F.3d, 2018 WL 2025810 (8th Cir. May 2, 2018).

Draft appellate brief in Missouri Court of Appeals case obtaining affirmance of nearly $500,000 in litigation costs following trial.

Represented high-power LED manufacturer in multi-million-dollar trade secret dispute against Chinese competitor.  Koninklijke Philips, N.V., et al. v. Elec-Tech International Co., Ltd., et al. (Santa Clara County, California).

 

Practice Areas

• Business Litigation
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Appellate Litigation

Prior Work Experience

Associate, Reed Smith LLP, 2014-2015

Staff Law Clerk, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2012-2014

Education

The University of Chicago Law School, 2012
• The University of Chicago Law Review
Business and Communications Editor

Kansas State University, B.A.
summa cum laude, Economics and Philosophy, 2008

Publications

A Gap in Kim’s Eliminative Argument for Reductionism, Episteme, Vol.XX (May 2009).

A Proposed Counterexample to Klein’s Theory of Knowledge, Aporia, Vol.18, Issue 2 (Fall 2008).

Memberships

Missouri Bar

Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

Johnson County Bar Association

Bar Admissions

Missouri

Kansas

Illinois

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

United States District Court for the District of Kansas

Supreme Court of the United States of America