Ben Heikali is a co-founder of Treehouse Law and one of the firm’s Managing Partners.  Ben is an experienced litigator who handles complex consumer class actions, and has devoted his entire legal career to representing consumers challenging fraudulent sales and marketing practices.  Ben’s persistence, work ethic, and creativity are his biggest assets.

 

Both prior to and since starting Treehouse Law, Ben has used his skill sets to recover tens of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients and consumers across the country. Notably, Ben served as lead class counsel in Broomfield v. Craft Brew Alliance, Inc., a class action challenging the deceptively advertised product origin of Kona beer. Ben’s hard work ultimately culminated in a class-wide settlement valued at over $13 million by the court. Similarly, Ben was involved as lead class counsel in Hesse v. Godiva Chocolatier, Inc., a highly publicized class action challenging Godiva’s deceptive “Belgium 1926” slogan on its chocolate products. Ben’s efforts ultimately led to a class-wide settlement in which class members received more than $7 million in cash.

 

Ben has litigated a number of other prominent false advertising class actions against domestic and transnational companies, including cases against Starbucks, Coca Cola, Krispy Kreme, Hewlett-Packard, Folgers, and Sun-Maid. Notably, Ben served as lead class counsel in Naimi v. Starbucks Corporation, a false advertising class action challenging the labels of Starbucks’ “Double Shot” beverages. When the district court erred in dismissing his client’s claims, Ben’s dedication and persistence paved the way for a successful appeal to the Ninth Circuit, overturning the district court’s decision.

 

Ben’s primary area of expertise is challenging misleading food, beverage, and dietary supplement labeling practices, including the use of deceptive product origin, ingredient, dosage, nutrient, and serving size representations. In recognition of his experience and knowledge in the field, Ben has been chosen to speak on numerous class action panels, including the annual CLE Food Law Conference.

 

Ben graduated from UCLA School of Law, where he specialized in business law and bankruptcy. In recognition for his outstanding performance, Ben was awarded the Masin Family Academic Excellence Award, as well as the “Best Term Sheet” at the American College of Bankruptcy Law Meet. During his time in law school, Ben also interned at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement, focusing on municipal bond litigation and financial fraud work.

 

Ben is licensed to practice law in California and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of California, as well the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.