Practice Areas
- Administrative Litigation & Government Enforcement Actions
- Construction
- Environmental
- Environmental Crimes
- Environmental Litigation & Toxic Torts
- ERISA & Benefits
- Financial Services & Insolvency Litigation
- Internal Investigations & Criminal Defense
- Litigation
- Permitting & Regulatory Compliance Advice
- Real Estate Litigation
- Securities & Corporate Litigation
Education
- B.A., Washington & Lee University, 1976, cum laude
- J.D., University of South Carolina, 1979
Bar & Court Admissions
- South Carolina, 1979
Other Areas of Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Defense
- Products Liability
William H. (Howell) Morrison
A senior attorney in MVA’s litigation department, Howell Morrison brings to his diverse corporate and professional clients extensive trial, appeals and arbitration experience in complex, high-stakes disputes. His practice focuses on:
- Commercial and business litigation
- Highly complex litigation
- Insurance defense
- Insurance fraud and coverage
- Construction litigation
Mr. Morrison has tried to verdict some 60 cases in state and federal courts in South Carolina and briefed and argued multiple cases to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the courts of appeal in South Carolina, including a dozen federal criminal cases.
His trials, appeals and arbitrations span a broad spectrum of matters, from insurance coverage to legal malpractice, from trademark litigation to product liability for automobile, construction and farm equipment.
Representative cases:
- Counsel for insurer in Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Employee Resource Management, Inc. Trial of federal court insurance premium fraud, Unfair Trade Practices Act and contract breach claims resulting in verdict of $4.2 million for Liberty Mutual.
- Counsel for plaintiff in Miller Construction Co. v. Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association Insurance Company (PMA). First party bad faith and insurance contract breach resulting in multi-million dollar settlement in federal court by insurer for MVA’s client.
- Counsel for a major law firm headquartered in Charleston and involved in a lengthy arbitration with former shareholders.
- South Carolina counsel for American Honda in Honda dealer litigation. Multi-district litigation involving anti-trust and civil RICO claims by dealer network.
- Counsel for retailer defendant Littlejohn v. State of South Carolina, Harris Teeter, et al. Tax refund class action settled with dismissal of all claims against retailer defendants in consideration of payment by the State of up to $7.4 million to plaintiff class in sales tax refunds.
- Counsel for defendants in Southeastern Steel Company, et al v. First Union, et al. Representing bank in bankruptcy-related lender liability case currently pending in state court in South Carolina.
- Masters v. American Residential Services, Inc., et al. Representing defendants in securities fraud case.
- Counsel for South Carolina Regional Housing Authority #3 in litigation against its former executive director and other officers.
Of Note
- Permanent member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Professional Affiliations
- Law Clerk to Honorable Falcon B. Hawkins, United States District Judge, District of South Carolina, 1979-1980
- Assistant United States Attorney, South Carolina, 1980-1984
- Defense Research Institute
- South Carolina Bar Association: Chair, Practice and Procedure Committee, 1994-1996
- Charleston County Bar Association: Secretary-Treasurer, 1990-1995
- Charleston Lawyers Club President 1987-1988
- South Carolina Bar Task Force on Court Appointments - 2004