Benjamin E. Horowitz

Representative Matters

• Won outright dismissal of all claims on behalf of a client facing a federal enforcement action seeking more than $1 billion in damages. Venable's motion for sanctions, based on government misconduct during discovery, was granted in whole by a federal judge, and the case against Venable's client was dismissed after a years-long litigation and discovery period. The decision won affirmance on appeal to the Eleventh Circuit
• Argued and won summary judgment in favor of a secured lender in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
• Successfully quashed a federal agency's administrative subpoena in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The DC Circuit affirmed on appeal, which was the first time in decades that a federal appeals court struck down an administrative subpoena issued by the federal government
• Obtained a partial jury verdict in a dispute regarding the existence of a partnership after a five-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
• Defended a real estate developer in an arbitration against claims seeking more than $10 million for alleged violations of a state consumer protection statute. Performed opening statement and closing argument and examinations of lay and expert witnesses. Won complete judgment on all claims
• Successfully represented a group of limited partners in an arbitration against ouster by general partner. The dispute was favorably settled mid-arbitration
• Obtained summary judgment in the middle of a trial in Virginia court in favor of a lender suing a guarantor to collect a loan defaulted on by borrowers
• Defeated certification in a nationwide class action seeking remedies under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and consumer protection statutes
• Secured anonymous treatment on behalf of a client suing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in federal court, which was the first time that a court had granted John Doe status to a party challenging any aspect of a CFPB CID
• Assisted in the defense against state False Claims Act litigation and the prosecution of a related federal action involving allegations that an IT systems provider delivered inadequate solutions for the operation of a state-run healthcare exchange
• Achieved a six-figure settlement on behalf of a pro bono client in a case brought against a municipality under Section 1983 for excessive use of force and unlawful search and seizure

Education

• J.D. magna cum laude American University, Washington College of Law 2012
• • Order of the Coif
  • Note & comment editor, American University Law Review
• B.A. University of Maryland 2007

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
• U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• U.S. Tax Court

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Member, Venable Hiring Committee
• Former coordinator, Venable Summer Associate Program
• Graduate, National Institute for Trial Advocacy's (NITA) Advanced Trial Advocacy: Next Level Trial Techniques Program

• The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2021 – 2025

Pro Bono

• Maintains an active pro bono practice and has achieved favorable results for low-income individuals and nonprofits that serve DC's poorest populations