Benjamin Present

Ben Present is a versatile and aggressive trial lawyer whose background as a defense attorney has sharpened his advocacy skills by exposing him to the opposing side's strategies. Clients consistently praise his care, professionalism, and thoroughness, along with his diligence in maintaining communication and explaining case developments clearly. His journalism background and law review editing experience have cultivated strong writing capabilities, enabling him to draft persuasive complaints and briefs that effectively advocate for clients. Present manages diverse matters spanning products liability, civil rights, medical malpractice, and hazing cases.

In January 2026, Present, along with Helen Lawless and Mark Fuchs, secured a $7.8 million verdict in Luzerne County for the estate of a college student who died following a hazing drinking incident. He has achieved additional multimillion-dollar results including settlements exceeding $4 million in a fallen tree case, $1.25 million in a fatal police shooting case, a confidential $5 million medical malpractice settlement, a confidential $2 million medical malpractice settlement, and a confidential settlement exceeding $3 million in a warehouse workplace fatal injury case. Present's connection to law and Kline & Specter originated during his journalism career. While reporting for The Legal Intelligencer, he covered Tom Kline's Penn State settlement negotiations in the Jerry Sandusky matter and broke the news of the $60 million settlement amount.

After two years with the nation's oldest legal newspaper, Present transitioned to legal practice, enrolling at the Beasley School of Law at Temple University, where he distinguished himself academically. Present joined Kline & Specter from Conrad O'Brien, P.C., a Philadelphia firm defending Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and individuals. There he managed pleadings, discovery, motions, expert hiring, settlement negotiations, and trial preparation across more than 30 civil cases. He represented witnesses, managed large-scale document production, and appeared in plea and sentencing hearings and grand jury proceedings.

In one matter, he authored the lead for a 70-page appellate brief. For his contributions, he earned selection as a Pennsylvania Rising Star by Super Lawyers annually from 2019 through 2025, recognizing the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state age 40 or younger or practicing 10 years or less. Before his law firm career, Present served as a judicial intern in the office of U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Savage of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, working on cases involving constitutional law, civil procedure, contracts, and government immunity. At The Legal Intelligencer, Present won multiple awards including the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's Edith Hughes Emerging Journalist Award in 2011 and first place in the William A. Schnader Print Media Awards for weekly beat reporting.

At Temple Law, he served as staff editor at the Temple Law Review and teaching assistant while maintaining Dean's List status every semester and earning top grade honors in Introduction to Intellectual Property. He also received honors for distinguished class performance and outstanding oral advocacy in legal research and writing. Present holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.