Braden Morell

Braden is an Associate in Maynard Nexsen’s Insurance and Financial Litigation Group and its Appellate and Post-Verdict Practice Group. He represents insurance companies in high-stakes litigation arising under a wide variety of coverage lines. His practice is primarily focused on first- and third-party bad faith litigation, including class-action and individual disputes. Braden also maintains an appellate practice. He has briefed cases before several State and Federal courts of appeals.

Prior to joining the Firm, Braden served as a law clerk to the Honorable Danny C. Reeves in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. He also clerked for the Honorable Andrew L. Brasher in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Braden received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School, where he served as Chief Justice of the Moot Court Board. During his time at Vanderbilt, he received several awards for written and oral advocacy. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Alabama.

• Successfully defended the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging that a certificate of insurance issued under an Illinois policy to a California resident was subject to the requirements of sections 10113.71 and 10113.72 of the California Insurance Code.  Clark v. Transamerica Life Ins. Co., No. 20-16756, 2023 WL 3143689 (9th Cir. Apr. 28, 2023).
• Obtained demurrer on behalf of an excess insurer in a lawsuit alleging breach of a directors and officers liability insurance policy and bad faith under California law.  Fox Paine & Co., et al., v. Twin City Fire Ins. Co., et al., Case No. CGC-17-557275 (S.F. Sup. Ct. Aug. 10, 2023). 
• Part of a team that successfully defeated certification of proposed classes of insureds in class-action lawsuits alleging violations of sections 10113.71 and 10113.72 of the California Insurance Code.  Wollam v. Transamerica Life Ins. Co., 2024 WL 1117050, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 13, 2024); Phan v. Transamerica Premier Life Ins. Co., 2023 WL 3468313, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 17, 2023); Nieves v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 2023 WL 2705836 (S.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 2023). 
• Obtained writ of mandamus vacating case-dispositive sanctions order relating to alleged discovery misconduct.  Ex parte Hankook Tire Am. Corp., --- So.3d ---, No. SC-2023-0210 (Ala. Dec. 22, 2023).