Carson B. Morris
Of Counsel
Carson B. Morris is a member of Montgomery McCracken’s Litigation Department and the firm’s White Collar and Government Investigations Practice Group. Carson has an extensive background representing clients in criminal and regulatory investigations, trials, and appeals, as well as an array of other proceedings involving allegations of misconduct, including whistleblower accusations, insurance claims, and attorney disciplinary matters, among others. Carson is a formidable and creative advocate for his clients.
Carson serves as counsel for the Standard Racing Investigative Fund (SRIF), which investigates misconduct throughout the Standardbred industry on behalf of the United States Trotting Association (USTA). On behalf of the SRIF, he plays an integral role in the USTA’s oversight of the health and welfare of all registered Standardbreds in the United States and in protecting the integrity of harness racing and the Standardbred economy.
Carson regularly represents healthcare clients in matters related to the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and Medicare billing disputes and appeals. Carson’s experience and background allow him to provide comprehensive legal support in the highly regulated healthcare industry.
In his civil litigation practice, Carson frequently litigates regulatory matters involving government agencies, including in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court. He also focuses on intellectual property matters, contract and business disputes, and antitrust issues. Carson is one of the few lawyers in the country to have litigated and overseen an impeachment proceeding. His proficiency in these areas underscores his versatility and depth of legal knowledge.
Carson also has a specialized practice representing professionals facing legal action against their licenses across various industries. Notably, he frequently defends attorneys before the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. His background as a prosecutor makes him especially qualified to represent public sector attorneys facing discipline for allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, which he does regularly.
Carson previously served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s (OAG) Appeals and Legal Services Section. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in grand jury litigation and managed some of the OAG’s most significant investigations. Carson collaborated extensively with attorneys across multiple OAG Sections, including Public Corruption, Environmental Crimes, Fair Labor, Medicaid and Insurance Fraud, and Criminal Prosecutions. He also spearheaded long-term appellate initiatives, working closely with the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, local DAs, government agencies, and various stakeholders. Additionally, Carson contributed significantly to Commonwealth Court and federal cases involving the intersection of civil/regulatory and criminal law, in partnership with the OAG’s Civil Division. He is one of the most well-regarded attorneys in Pennsylvania on the Investigating Grand Jury Act and regularly represents clients in Statewide Investigating Grand Jury investigations, lectures on the subject, and advises other attorneys engaged in such investigations.
Carson earned his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law and his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from George Washington University.
RELATED Practices
White Collar and Government Investigations
Commercial Litigation
Montgomery McCracken’s Commercial Litigation Practice has a long and illustrious history. We handle a wide range of individual and corporate disputes involving virtually every area of personal and business endeavors […]
Learn more about our Commercial Litigation Practice
Professional Responsibility
Montgomery McCracken’s Professional Responsibility Practice provides experienced and skilled representation of attorneys before the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and its Hearing Committees. With the recent advent of discipline on […]
Learn more about our Professional Responsibility Practice
Appellate
Montgomery McCracken’s Appellate Practice includes attorneys who have won appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Third Circuit and other […]
Learn more about our Appellate Practice
Intellectual Property
The attorneys in Montgomery McCracken’s Intellectual Property Department provide legal services in various aspects of intellectual property law. We are dedicated to assisting our clients in protecting, managing, and leveraging […]
Learn more about our Intellectual Property Department
Antitrust
Montgomery McCracken’s Antitrust Practice encompasses the full breadth of issues that arise in criminal and civil antitrust litigation, with special talents in multidistrict and class action litigation. We have played […]
Learn more about our Antitrust Practice
Healthcare
Montgomery McCracken’s Healthcare Industry Group brings clients the specialized knowledge and experience of attorneys with a wide range of expertise for challenges that health care providers face on a daily […]
Learn more about our Healthcare Industry
1 of 7 Credentials
Selected Representations Prosecutorial Matters
- Report No. 1 of the Forty-Third Statewide Investigating Grand Jury: Specially assigned to Grand Jury’s investigation into the unconventional oil and gas industry (“fracking”) in Pennsylvania. Litigated various matters in the investigation and integrally involved in preparation of Grand Jury’s Report and entry of criminal charges against oil and gas companies.
- In re: Return of Seized Property of Lackawanna County: Successful appeal before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania confirming authority of supervising judges of statewide investigating grand juries to issue search warrants involving grand jury investigation, reversing lower court
- Commonwealth v Butler: Successfully defended before Supreme Court of Pennsylvania constitutionality of sexually violent predator provisions of Pennsylvania’s sexual offender registration statute, reversing lower court
- In re H.R.: Successfully defended before Supreme Court of Pennsylvania constitutionality of statute authorizing the civil commitment of “Sexually Violent Delinquent Children,” a narrow class of particularly dangerous sex offenders who lack the capacity to refrain from committing sexually violent acts
- Report No. 1 of the Fortieth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury: Served on team of OAG prosecutors who prepared and litigated the release of Grand Jury’s investigation into the sexual abuse of children in Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania
Client Matters
- Successfully defended owner of chain of medical clinics in investigation by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Successfully defended prominent disability service provider in multi-faceted Statewide Grand Jury investigation
- Resolved False Claims Act allegation against medical office without penalties or fines
- Successfully appealed substantial billing dispute with Medicare before an Administrative Law Judge
- Successfully resolved allegations of prosecutorial misconduct for numerous prosecutors before Pennsylvania’s Attorney Disciplinary Board
- Obtained post-conviction relief for client resulting in unprecedented modification to probationary sentence
- Represented prominent union leader in appeal of conviction before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- Commonwealth v. Weigle: Successful appeal before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania limiting prosecution’s authority to modify criminal charges following a preliminary hearing
- Represented owner of chain of chiropractic clinics convicted of criminal tax offenses in appeal before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- Represented an alleged mafia associate in significant organized crime prosecution in federal district court
- Not guilty jury trial verdict for client charged in series of burglaries and facing decades in prison and deportation
- Attained collateral relief and new trial for client convicted of attempted murder and serving over 25 years in prison
Selected Speaking Engagements - Presenter, “A Former Deputy’s Guide To Dealing With The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General,” Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Practice Seminar, November 2024
- Presenter, “The Attorney Disciplinary System and Prosecutors,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Criminal Law Symposium, May 2024
- Presenter, “Ethics and Practice of Criminal Law: Rules, Risks, and Practices for Prosecutors and Defense Counsel,” Lancaster Bar Association, May 2024
- Presenter, “Standardbred Racing Investigative Fund (SRIF),” USTA 2024 Annual Board of Directors Meeting, March 2024
- Presenter, “Having a Grand Old Time: Navigating Pennsylvania State and Federal Grand Jury Practice,” PACDL White Collar Seminar, November 2021
- Presenter, “Sex Offender Registration in Pennsylvania: Litigation Review from a Survivor’s Perspective,” Pennsylvania Office of Victim Advocate’s SORNA Symposium, July 2021
- Presenter, “Judicial Recusal and Disqualification: Legal Insights and Tactical Approaches,” PACDL, July 2021
Honors & Awards - Honoree, Central Penn Business Journal’s Power 30 Law and Lobbyists List, 2021-2022
Professional Activities - Board Member, Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Member, Lancaster Bar Association
- Chair, Criminal Law Section
- Member, Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Member, Federal Bar Association, Middle District of Pennsylvania Chapter
- Former Executive Board Officer and Inn Treasurer, Temple American Inn of Court
Education Law School
- University of Kentucky College of Law
Undergraduate School
- George Washington University
