Ron Motley has been recognized as one of America’s most accomplished and skilled trial lawyers. Over a career spanning more than three decades, his persuasiveness before a jury and ability to break new legal and evidentiary ground has brought to justice two once-invincible giant industries whose malfeasance took the lives of millions of Americans — asbestos and tobacco. Armed with a combination of legal and trial skills, personal charisma, nose-to-the-grindstone hard work and record of success, Ron has built Motley Rice into one of the nation’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms focusing on highly complex litigation.
Noted for his role in spearheading the historic litigation against the tobacco industry, Ron served as lead trial counsel for 26 jurisdictions including numerous State Attorneys General. His efforts to uncover corporate and scientific wrongdoing resulted in the Master Settlement Agreement, the largest civil settlement in U.S. history in which the tobacco industry agreed to reimburse states for smoking-related health care costs.
Through his pioneering discovery and collaboration, Ron exposed asbestos manufacturers and the harmful and disabling effects of occupational, environmental and household asbestos exposure. He has represented thousands of asbestos victims, achieving numerous trial breakthroughs, including the class actions and mass consolidations of Cimino, et al. v. Raymark, et al. (U.S.D.C. TX); Abate, et al. v. ACandS, et al. (Baltimore); and In re Asbestos Personal Injury Cases (Mississippi).
In 2002, Ron once again advanced cutting-edge litigation as lead counsel for the 9/11 Families United to Bankrupt Terrorism with a lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 6,500 family members, survivors and those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The suit seeks justice and ultimately bankruptcy for al Qaeda’s financiers, including many individuals, banks, corporations and charities that provided resources and monetary aid. He has served as lead counsel in numerous individual aviation security liability and damages cases under the In re September 11 Litigation filed against the aviation and aviation security industry on behalf of victims’ families devastated by the security failures of 9/11. Ron fights for greater justice, accountability and recourse. He also brought the landmark case of Oran Almog v. Arab Bank against the financial sponsors of Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Israel.
Additionally, Ron leads the firm in litigation and claims efforts involving individuals and businesses in Gulf Coast communities suffering as a result of the BP oil spill that began in April 2010.
Ron has won widespread honors for his ability to win justice and compensation for his clients and for his seminal impact on the course of civil litigation. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for more than ten consecutive years and was selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition for his work in personal injury litigation- plaintiffs, product liability litigation and mass tort litigation/class actions- plaintiffs. In addition, he was named in 2010 as the Charleston, S.C., Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for his work in personal injury litigation and, in 2012, was named as the Charleston, S.C., Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year in mass tort litigation/class actions- plaintiffs. The inaugural edition of Benchmark Plaintiff, The Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Plaintiff Firms & Attorneys recognized Ron as a "Local Litigation Star" in its national rankings for mass torts/products liability and securities, as well as its South Carolina rankings in human rights, products liability, securities and toxic tort.
Ron was a 2011 recipient of the SC Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Award and was highlighted in the 2011 Litigation edition of The Legal 500 for his work in mass tort and class action: plaintiff representation- toxic tort. The Trial Lawyer Magazine named him as a 2011 member of The Roundtable: America's 100 Most Influential Trial Lawyers. In 2010, the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) awarded him with its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Chambers USA named him in the 2007, 2010 and 2011 editions for his work in products liability and mass torts, calling him "an accomplished trial lawyer and a formidable opponent." Recognized as an AV® rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell®, Ron has also been included in South Carolina Super Lawyers® since 2008 and every edition of The Lawdragon™ 500 since 2005.
The American Association for Justice honored Ron in 2007 with the David S. Shrager President’s Award for his outstanding contributions to the safety and protection of American consumers and the civil justice system. In 1998, he was named Harry M. Philo Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and, in the same year, he received the President’s Award of the National Association of Attorneys General for his "courage, legal skills and dedication to our children and the public health of our nation." The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids gave him their Youth Advocates of the Year Award in 1999. For his trial achievements, BusinessWeek characterized Ron’s courtroom skills as "dazzling." American Lawyer dubbed him "The man who took on Manville," and The National Law Journal has ranked him, "One of the most influential lawyers in America."
He has authored or co-authored over two dozen publications, including:
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"Decades of Deception: Secrets of Lead, Asbestos and Tobacco" (Trial Magazine, October 1999)
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"Asbestos Disease Among Railroad Workers: ‘Legacy of the Laggin’ Wagon’" (Trial Magazine, December 1981)
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"Asbestos and Lung Cancer," New York State Journal of Medicine, June 1980; Volume 80: No.7, New York State Medical Association, New York.
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"Occupational Disease and Products Liability Claims" (South Carolina Trial Lawyers Bulletin, September and October 1976)
He has also been featured in numerous articles, books and scripts, including:
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Shackelford, Susan. "Major Leaguer" (South Carolina Super Lawyers, April 2008)
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Senior, Jennifer. "A Nation Unto Himself" (The New York Times, March 2004)
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Freedman, Michael. "Turning Lead into Gold," (Forbes, May 2001)
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Zegart, Dan. Civil Warriors: The Legal Siege on the Tobacco Industry. Delacorte Press, 2000.
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Ansen, David. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Newsweek, 1999)
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Mann, Michael & Roth, Eric. "The Insider" (Blue Lion Entertainment, November 5, 1999)
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Brenner, Marie. "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (Vanity Fair, May 1996)
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Reisig, Robin. "The Man Who Took on Manville" (The American Lawyer, January 1983)
Ron is a member of the American Association for Justice, has served on its Board of Governors since 1977 and has served as chair of its Asbestos Litigation Group since 1978. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, Civil Justice Foundation, Inner Circle of Advocates, International Academy of Trial Lawyers and South Carolina Association for Justice. In 2002, Ron founded the Mark Elliott Motley Foundation, Inc., in loving memory of his son to help meet the health, education and welfare needs of children and young adults in the Charleston, South Carolina community.
* The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.)
