The annual publication spotlights firms known for quality, specialized knowledge, and commitment to excellence, featuring only the top 4% of law firms nationwide.

In August, thirty-six of the firm’s attorneys were named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 edition, including seven associates recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026, highlighting the firm’s legal excellence across generations. In addition, three partners—Mark P. Chalos, Kelly M. Dermody, and Rachel Geman—received “Lawyer of the Year” honors in their respective practice areas, an accolade of particular significance, as only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is recognized each year.

Lieff Cabraser’s Tier 1 rankings for 2026 are:

National:

Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Nashville:

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

New York:

Employment Law – Individuals
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

San Francisco:

Antitrust Law
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Employment Law – Individuals
Litigation – Antitrust
Litigation – Labor & Employment
Litigation – Securities
Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Congratulations to all!

Our 2025 New York office Super Lawyers are Daniel Chiplock, Douglas Cuthbertson, Nicholas Diamand, Paulina do Amaral, Steven Fineman, Rachel Geman, Jason Lichtman, Annika K. Martin, Kelly McNabb, Michael Miarmi, Jonathan Selbin, Daniel Seltz, and David Stellings.

Lieff Cabraser’s New York Metro Rising Stars, all repeating their selection for 2025, are Patrick Andrews, Wesley Dozier, Wilson Dunlavey, Avery Halfon, Katherine “Kara” McBride, Jessica Moldovan, Gabriel Panek, and Sean Petterson.

Congratulations to all!

The selection committee recognized Jules for her work on the T-Mobile/Sprint merger challenge and for her mentorship of peers.

The award will be presented tonight, October 22, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco during the Kick-Off Reception and Lawyer to Watch Award Presentation, held in advance of the 35th Annual Golden State Institute—the Section’s premier event bringing together leading practitioners, academics, economists, judges, and law students to discuss emerging developments in antitrust and consumer protection law.

Congratulations to Jules on this outstanding accomplishment!

For more information on the event, visit the California Lawyers Association website.

Read an in-depth profile highlighting Phong’s achievements on the Daily Journal’s (subscription) website.

Congratulations to Phong on this prestigious and well-deserved recognition!

About Phong-Chau Nguyen

A partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, Phong-Chau G. Nguyen specializes in consumer and defective product cases as well as personal injury/mass tort matters. He was part of the leadership team in the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions multidistrict litigation, which secured an unprecedented $14+ billion in settlements on behalf of U.S. owners and lessees of Volkswagen diesel vehicles, and won a finalist position for the 2017 Consumer Attorneys of California “Consumer Attorneys of the Year” award. Phong is involved in similar work on Lieff Cabraser’s leadership team in the Fiat Chrysler diesel emissions case.

The Daily Journal has published its annual listing of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California (subscription),” which includes a seventh-time selection for Lieff Cabraser partner Richard M. Heimann. The Journal also inaugurates a new tier of recognition, “Distinguished Counsel,” honoring attorneys who have been named to the Top 100 list 15 or more times. Lieff Cabraser partner Elizabeth J. Cabraser is one of only 17 lawyers in California to receive this new and prestigious award.

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Richard on outstanding recognition!

About Elizabeth J. Cabraser

Elizabeth J. Cabraser is one of the nation’s leading class action litigators, possessing unparalleled expertise in complex civil litigation. She has served as court-appointed lead, co-lead, or class counsel in scores of federal multi-district and state coordinated proceedings, and currently serves in leadership positions in several of the nation’s highest profile civil cases, including a solo leadership role in the VW “Clean Diesel” Emissions case, and co-lead positions in the GM ignition switch defect and Takata defective airbag cases, the Fiat Chrysler Jeep Dodge diesel emissions fraud litigation, the Generic Drugs Pricing antitrust litigation, and the National Prescription Opiates litigation.

About Richard Heimann

A “lawyer’s lawyer,” Richard M. Heimann is one of the nation’s foremost trial attorneys, with extensive experience in complex securities, investor fraud, injury, and antitrust cases, including the City of San Francisco’s recent bench trial win in opioids harm litigation against Walgreen’s and the historic settlements of the Wells Fargo and Boeing shareholder derivative suits, granted final approval in 2020 and 2022 respectively. Heimann has tried over 30 civil jury cases over more than four decades, and has served or serves as lead counsel in securities fraud actions including those against Petrobras, Navient, Wells Fargo, Merck, Bank of America, Schwab RMBS cases, LIBOR, Merrill Lynch, IndyMac, Broadcom, Tyco, Qwest, America Online, Peregrine, McKesson, Network Associates, Informix/Illustra, FPI/Agretech, California Micro Devices, and Scorpion I and II, representing both institutional and individual investors.

As Lawdragon notes, “The outstanding advocates recognized here have made their mark representing clients in their most important courtroom, investigative and administrative battles. They have changed the course of industry and individual businesses, shaped our nation and the enforcement of its laws, and continued to uphold the role of the law as a beacon and shared imperative.”

We are proud to have so many lawyers named to Lawdragon’s list, and congratulate them all on this significant and well-deserved recognition.

The full list is available online on the Lawdragon website.

About Lieff Cabraser

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, is a 135+ attorney AV-rated law firm founded in 1972 with offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich. We have served as Court-appointed Plaintiffs’ Lead or Class Counsel in many hundreds of state and federal coordinated, multi-district, and complex litigations throughout the United States. Lieff Cabraser is among the largest firms in the country that only represent plaintiffs.

Described by The American Lawyer as “one of the nation’s premier plaintiffs’ firms,” Lieff Cabraser enjoys a national reputation for professional integrity and the successful prosecution of our clients’ claims. We possess sophisticated legal skills and the financial resources necessary for the handling of large, complex cases, and for litigating against some of the nation’s largest corporations.

The award was presented last night at the New York Law Journal’s gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan.

Congratulations to all!

About Lieff Cabraser

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, is a 135+ attorney AV-rated law firm founded in 1972 with offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich. We have served as Court-appointed Plaintiffs’ Lead or Class Counsel in many hundreds of state and federal coordinated, multi-district, and complex litigations throughout the United States. Lieff Cabraser is among the largest firms in the country that only represent plaintiffs.

Described by The American Lawyer as “one of the nation’s premier plaintiffs’ firms,” Lieff Cabraser enjoys a national reputation for professional integrity and the successful prosecution of our clients’ claims. We possess sophisticated legal skills and the financial resources necessary for the handling of large, complex cases, and for litigating against some of the nation’s largest corporations.

We’re pleased to share that Lieff Cabraser partner Mark P. Chalos was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Nashville, Lieff Cabraser partner Kelly M. Dermody was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment Law – Individuals in San Francisco, and Lieff Cabraser partner Rachel Geman was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment Law in New York City. The “Lawyer of the Year” accolade bears particular significance, as only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored with the recognition.

Best Lawyers also continues their new-in-2021 “Ones to Watch” list, recognizing attorneys “earlier in their careers” for outstanding professional excellence. We are happy to announce that the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch includes sixth-time listings for Kevin Budner and Sean Petterson, third-time listings for Michael Levin-Gesundheit and Reilly Stoler, and second-time listing for Michelle Lamy. In addition, John T. Nicolaou and Mike Sheen join the list as first-time “Ones to Watch” for 2026.

The complete list of Lieff Cabraser’s 2026 Best Lawyers and their recognition categories is below.

San Francisco

• Donald C. Arbitblit – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Katherine Lubin Benson – “Litigation – Securities”
• William Bernstein – “Litigation – Antitrust” and “Consumer Protection Law”
• Elizabeth J. Cabraser – “Consumer Protection Law,” “Litigation – Securities,” “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs,” “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs,” “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Lin Y. Chan – “Antitrust Law and Litigation – Antitrust”
• Kelly M. Dermody – “Employment Law – Individuals” and “Litigation – Labor and Employment”
• Nimish R. Desai – “Qui Tam Law”
• Eric B. Fastiff – “Litigation – Antitrust”
• Brendan P. Glackin – “Litigation – Antitrust”
• Lexi J. Hazam – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Qui Tam Law”
• Richard M. Heimann – “Bet-the-Company Litigation,” “Consumer Protection Law,” “Litigation – Antitrust,” “Litigation – Securities,” “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”
• Daniel M. Hutchinson – “Employment Law – Individuals”
• Bruce Leppla – “Litigation – Securities”
• Robert J. Nelson – “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs” and “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Phong-Chau G. Nguyen – “Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Michael W. Sobol – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Fabrice N. Vincent – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs”

New York

• Edward A. Baker – “Qui Tam Law”
• Paulina do Amaral – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”
• Steven E. Fineman – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”
• Wendy R. Fleishman – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Rachel Geman – “Employment Law – Individuals”
• Jason L. Lichtman – “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Annika K. Martin – “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Kelly McNabb – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs” and “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Jonathan D. Selbin – “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Daniel E. Seltz – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”

 Nashville

• Kenneth S. Byrd – “Consumer Protection Law,” “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs,” “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs,” “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”
• Mark P. Chalos – “Consumer Protection Law,” “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs,” “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs,” “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

• Kevin R. Budner – “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs,” “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs,” “Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs”

• Michelle Lamy – “Antitrust Law”
• Michael Levin-Gesundheit – “Labor and Employment Law – Employee,” “Labor and Employment Law – Management,” “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”
• John T. Nicolaou – “Litigation – Banking and Finance”

• Sean A. Petterson – “Commercial Litigation”
• Mike Sheen – “Commercial Litigation”
• Reilly Stoler – “Commercial Litigation”

Congratulations to all!

You can view the Index on Lexology’s website.

Congratulations to all!

As noted by Benchmark, the women on the list “have earned their place amongst the leading female litigators by participating in some of the most impactful litigation matters in recent history as well as by earning the hard-won respect of their peers and clients.”

Elizabeth was recognized for her work on securities and product liability and recall class actions, while Kelly was honored for her work on employment discrimination class actions and consumer fraud cases.

Congratulations to both Elizabeth and Kelly on this well-deserved recognition!

About Elizabeth J. Cabraser

Elizabeth Cabraser is one of the nation’s leading class action litigators, possessing unparalleled expertise in complex civil litigation. She has served as court-appointed lead, co-lead, or class counsel in scores of federal multi-district and state coordinated proceedings, and currently serves in leadership positions in several of the nation’s highest profile civil cases, including a solo leadership role in the VW “Clean Diesel” Emissions case, and co-lead positions in the GM ignition switch defect and Takata defective airbag cases, the Fiat Chrysler Jeep Dodge diesel emissions fraud litigation, the Generic Drugs Pricing antitrust litigation, and the National Prescription Opiates litigation.

About Kelly M. Dermody

The Managing Partner of Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, ­­­­Kelly M. Dermody specializes in class and collective actions on behalf of plaintiffs in civil rights, employment, and consumer cases, including gender discrimination cases against Google and Goldman Sachs. Kelly was also named a 2023 Law360 MVP in the category of Class Action and Employment Law. Additional case work includes wage suppression claims against technology, healthcare, and academic institutions; overtime and lost pay lawsuits for low-wage workers, I/T professionals, and foreign nationals working for American corporations; and ERISA claims that she has tried on behalf of employees and retirees for pension plan abuses. She also leads Lieff Cabraser’s representation of women who allege their ovarian and uterine cancer was caused by long-term use of dangerous hair relaxer products.