Jon Morse

Education

            University ofMichigan (J.D. 1976, cum laude)

            Princeton University (B.S.E. 1966, with honors, Aerospace Engineering)

 Professional Qualifications

 Admitted:

California (1977);

Washington (1982)

-          United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

-          United States District Court;

Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California

Western District of Washington

Admitted pro haec vice; Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Wyoming

Supervised litigation in Australia and Canada

Supervised and participated in French legal civil actions, representing supplier to Airbus

 Other Qualifications

            AV Rated - Martindale Hubbell

            Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, former charter pilot

            Former Flight Test Engineer, McDonnell Douglas Corp

Professional Experience

            Tort, contract and insurance practice; State and Federal Courts

            Wrongful death, bodily injury and property damage actions: Defense

            Insurance coverage actions; Prosecution and defense

            Contracts; Negotiation and drafting

            Business litigation matters; Prosecution and defense

            Property damage subrogation actions; Prosecution and defense

            Wrongful termination actions; Prosecution

            Defense counsel for United States manufacturer in French legal proceedings

            Appellate practice, California Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Volunteer Experience & Organizations

Rotary Club - Westlake Village Sunrise; Member 2007-president; past president 2010-2011

Northwest Aviation Insurance Association; Member 2007 - Present

Aviation Insurance Association; Member 2007 to present

The Morse Law Group

2006 – Present, Westlake Village, CA

Jon Morse is an Aviation Construction, Wrongful Termination and Business Attorney based in Westlake Village, CA.  He has been an attorney for more than 38 years, admitted to practice in California and Washington and specially admitted in 18 other states.  He has supervised litigation in three foreign countries (Canada, Australia and France) and actively participated in a French civil action over an eight-year period, successfully representing an American company which was sued for more than $35 million.

Jon’s law practice has primarily involved aviation matters defending pilots, mechanics, aircraft owners and component part manufacturers in lawsuits arising out of U.S. and foreign airplane crash cases.  Jon has the experience and expertise to handle complex transactions as well as FAA enforcement actions. Jon is an experienced engineer and pilot who has been involved in aviation for over 40 years.  He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and has more than 6,500 hours of flight time as a pilot.

Jon also represents plaintiffs in construction accident, construction defect and wrongful termination cases. In a recent construction accident case, he collected from an employer which sued its own employee. In other matters, he successfully prosecuted a wrongful termination lawsuit for a pilot who was suspender, then fired, after reporting safety violations and an escrow officer who was terminated after refusing to report an illegal act.

Bailey & Partners

1999 – 2005, Santa Monica, CA

Jon handled a wide variety of aviation legal matters over a six-year period at this firm, including defense of pilots, mechanics aircraft component part manufacturers, as well as aviation insurance coverage matters. As a result of his work, the firm obtained a published opinion upholding the validity of a pre-accident liability waiver: Booth vs. Santa Barbara Biplanes, LLC (2008) 158 Cal. app. 4th 1173.

Lane Powell Spears Lubersky

1997 – 1999, Los Angeles, CA

During his tenure at the firm, Jon made frequent trips to Europe (and other trips to Malaysia and Mauritius) on behalf of an American component part manufacturer who had been sued for over $35 million dollars by two foreign airlines. Due to his defense work and knowledge of legal and technical issues, the first case was resolved by a judgment in New York, which was then recognized and enforced by the French court. In the second case, the defendants obtained a judgment in their favor in the French Court.

Kern and Wooley

1987 -  1999, Los Angeles, CA

In this position, Jon handled a wide variety of aviation matters in California and several other states, primarily involving aircraft and helicopter accidents. Many of these cases were highly-technical in nature. Jon obtained a published appellate decision in favor of a helicopter manufacturer, Faria vs. Louise V,  (1991).

2945 Townsgate Road, Suite200
Westlake Village, CA 91361

P: 805-719-2695
F: 888-559-7224
E: [email protected]