Arturo Padilla

Associate

Arturo Padilla is an associate in Morgan Lewis's Litigation Practice. Mr. Padilla's practice focuses on complex litigation matters with an emphasis on tort defense, toxic tort, product liability and environmental litigation matters. He has defended major corporate clients in cases involving toxic and chemical exposures and product liability issues. Mr. Padilla is well versed in case management techniques to effectively and efficiently handle complex mass tort lawsuits in state and federal courts.

Mr. Padilla has successfully defended a large variety of Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies in connection with claims arising out of the release of hazardous chemicals; business, corporate and real estate disputes; product liability; and the alleged violation of federal and state statutes, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Clean Air Act, California’s Proposition 65, and the Unfair Business Practices Act. He represents clients in the energy, healthcare, oil and gas, waste management, biotechnology, agricultural, maritime, and chemical manufacturing industries, among others.

Mr. Padilla has successfully resolved thousands of claims in the environmental and toxic tort areas by motion practice, trial, and favorable settlement. Most of these lawsuits have involved claims of individuals, companies, or neighborhoods alleging cost recovery and/or contribution, property damage, diminution in property value, economic and business losses, stigma, personal injury, wrongful death, fear of cancer, emotional distress, and medical monitoring—commonly arising out of the alleged release of contaminants into air, soil, and groundwater from pipeline, landfill, underground storage tank systems or manufacturing, vessel, port, or pesticide application operations.

His major successes include the defense of a waste management company arising out of one of the largest Superfund sites in Southern California. In over 8 separate lawsuits against 150 defendants, more than 1,800 plaintiffs sought damages for alleged personal injury, medical monitoring, fear of cancer, emotional distress, and property damage. All claims were resolved with a much celebrated settlement.

Mr. Padilla earned his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law in 1996, where he served as chief managing editor of the UCLA Law Review and as an editor of the Chicano-Latino Law Review. He earned his B.A., cum laude, in psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1992. Mr. Padilla is fluent in Spanish and English.

Mr. Padilla is admitted to practice in California.