| Ron Motley | |
| Birth Date: | 21 October 1944 |
| Birth Place: | North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | University of South Carolina School of Law |
| Occupation: | lawyer |
Ronald L. Motley (October 21, 1944 - August 22, 2013) was an American trial attorney and a principal of Motley Rice LLC - a law firm based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He is best known for leading lawsuits against tobacco and asbestos companies.[1]
Motley grew up in North Charleston, South Carolina, where his father owned an Amoco gas station.[2] He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1971.[3]
Motley was lead counsel for more than 6,500 family members and survivors of the September 11 attacks seeking justice against al-Qaeda’s financiers.[4]
Motley won major judgments for his clients against the asbestos and tobacco industries.[2] Ronald Motley was portrayed by Bruce McGill in the 1999 film The Insider, starring Russell Crowe.[5]
Motley died on August 22, 2013, after a prolonged illness. The cause of death was described by one colleague as "respiratory complications and by another as "complications from organ failure".[6]