Ben Betner is an experienced trial lawyer with a robust commercial litigation practice, representing clients from a variety of industries in large, complex, high-profile business disputes. He has advised and represented clients in state and federal court proceedings in a wide range of subject matters, including energy, technology, privacy, and financial services. He has also represented clients in front of most of the major international arbitral institutions and has extensive experience in Texas courts.
Representative Matters
- Representing United States Automobile Association in a potential class action lawsuit alleging breach of contract and consumer fraud claims over USAA’s insurance practices in several states.
- Representing Dakota Access Pipeline Energy suing Greenpeace International in largest case in the history of North Dakota, claiming that Greenpeace incited terrorist acts and vandalism as well as published repeated defamatory statements to generate publicity and interfere with the construction and operations of the pipeline.
- Representing Mesquite Energy, Inc., as reorganized debtor, in several hotly contested proceedings arising out of the bankruptcy of Sanchez Energy Corporation.
- Member of trial team for Meta Platforms, Inc. in $300B case brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claiming Meta captured and used the biometric data of Texans without properly obtaining their informed consent to do so, in violation of Texas privacy laws.
- Member of trial team that secured a favorable settlement for an energy-trading firm in civil enforcement action brought by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission alleging market manipulation.
Prior to practicing law, Ben served in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, working in Military Intelligence, and deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Ben is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a member of the Houston Bar Association. He maintains an active pro bono practice representing veterans in front of Military Review Boards for discharge and disability related issues.
He received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, where he was selected as a Brumley Fellow in National Security Law and served as the Deputy Managing Editor for the Texas Review of Law and Politics. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Baylor University.
Capabilities
- Litigation
- Class Actions
- Energy Regulation and Litigation
- Energy and Infrastructure
- Fintech and Digital Assets
- International Arbitration
- Technology Litigation
- Trials
Credentials
Education:
- University of Texas - 2017 Juris Doctor
- Baylor University - 2014 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- Texas Bar