Benitez served as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California from 2004 to 2026, where he presided over high-stakes matters including multidistrict litigation, class actions, patent and intellectual property disputes, securities and antitrust cases, and large commercial controversies. Appointed by the chief justice to the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, he also oversaw coordinated federal proceedings nationwide and served as a transferee judge in multiple MDL cases. Known for his pragmatic and direct approach, Judge Benitez has conducted hundreds of settlement conferences and early neutral evaluations, helping parties resolve complex disputes efficiently. His extensive judicial and litigation background positions him to serve effectively as a mediator, arbitrator, and special master in sophisticated matters.