“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Mass Tort Institute is proud to spotlight civil rights attorney Ben Crump, founder and president of Ben Crump Law, who represents clients in some of the most important and contentious cases of our time, taking a place in legal history with his pursuit of justice.
Crump gained national attention in 2013 after becoming the lawyer for the parents of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was killed by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman. Crump also represented the families of Michael Brown, Corey Jones and Tamir Rice – African American men and boys who were tragically killed in high-profile incidents that fostered the Black Lives Matter movement.
In July of 2017, Crump partnered with consumer protection firm Moran & Morgan to launch Ben Crump Law PLLC, a full-service firm with offices in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, California and Tallahassee, Florida where Crump is based. Its practice areas include the types of civil rights cases Crump is known for in addition to personal injury, worker’s compensation, medical malpractice, mesothelioma, class actions and mass torts. With Morgan & Morgan’s resources at his disposal, Crump added a tremendous amount of muscle and flexibility to his practice. Ben Crump Law takes on cases nationwide and boasts a 24-hour response time for all potential client inquiries.
Ben Crump Law is active in many mass tort litigations. They were one of the first firms to advertise for plaintiffs in the Truvada litigation against Gilead Sciences. They are also currently accepting plaintiffs in the Talcum Powder, Tasigna and Roundup litigations. In August 2020, Crump joined with powerhouse mass tort attorney Jim Onder and the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) and filed a federal lawsuit against Bayer (parent company of Monsanto) to stop the sale of Roundup. The suit aims for an injunction against glyphosate due to cancer risks.
The claim, Case 4:20-cv-01145-NAB, was filed on behalf of NBFA. It alleges “scientific fraud underlying the marketing and sale of glyphosate/Roundup,” saying, “… Monsanto championed falsified data and attacked legitimate studies that revealed Roundup’s dangers. Monsanto led a prolonged campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers, and the general public that Roundup was safe. “Included in the claim are allegations that Monsanto influenced the EPA to allow glyphosate on the market despite its dangers.
Crump has also recently committed to representing the family of 19-year-old Christian Hall, who died Dec. 30 after being shot by police. Troopers in Hamilton Township, Pennsylvania, had responded to a call that there was a suicidal man standing on the Route 33 overpass above I-80. In a video released by Crump, Hall is clearly seen standing on the overpass with both hands in the air. The sound of gunshots rings out, and Hall falls to the ground. Police say the man was pointing a gun at them. No word yet on when the excessive force suit will be filed but Crump says they will seek “whatever relief is appropriate.”
Highlights of Crump’s long and illustrious career also include:
- He’s one of the most recognized attorneys in the country.
- He’s a Super Lawyer who champions the rights of the less fortunate.
- President of the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Florida and the first African-American Chairman of the Florida State University College of Law Board of Directors.
- He’s received the 2016 Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award.
The Mass Tort Institute is a consortium of industry leaders dedicated to providing education, training, and networking opportunities for those advocating on behalf of mass tort victims.
