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Richard M. Heimann

Partner

“We’ll spend as much money to build a case as our counterparts will to defend it. Substantial internal resources enable us to litigate against powerful defendants.”

 

Richard M. Heimann

  • "One of the nation's premier plaintiffs' firms."

    American Lawyer
  • "Representing the best qualities of the plaintiffs' bar."

    The National Law Journal
  • "Their effective and caring advocacy for clients has earned Lieff Cabraser its first-class reputation."

    The Daily Journal
  • NLJ Hot List icon
  • U.S. News Best Lawyers badge 2011-2012
  • Super Lawyers Nationwide
  • Lieff Cabraser: follow us on (social media links)

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Attorneys

A Lawyer’s Lawyer

Richard began his legal career as a deputy public defender and later served as an assistant district attorney. From this foundation, Richard has become one of the nation’s foremost trial attorneys and skilled negotiators, with unparalleled experience in complex securities and investor fraud, antitrust, consumer protection, and personal injury and mass torts cases. Richard supervises Lieff Cabraser's securities and financial fraud practice.

Extraordinary Results

Richard has successfully tried over 30 civil jury cases, highlighted by the FPI/Agretech and Edsaco securities class action trials and the Wells Fargo Bank overdraft fees consumer protection class action trial. In Edsaco, the jury returned a $170.7 million verdict. Commenting on Richard’s advocacy in the case, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston stated,

“Counsel for the plaintiffs did a very good job in a very tough situation of achieving an excellent recovery for the class here. You were opposed by extremely capable lawyers. It was an uphill battle. ... The recovery that was achieved for the class ... is remarkable, almost a hundred percent.”

For his work in the Wells Fargo case, California Lawyer magazine awarded Richard its prestigious California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award. In 2010, the Daily Journal recognized Richard as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in California, noting he possessed “a level of doggedness that is making him a feared litigator.”

Richard also supervised the firm’s landmark litigation against the tobacco industry on behalf of Massachusetts, California, and several other states. The litigation was resolved in 1998 as part of a record $206 billion master settlement agreement with the state Attorneys General.

Video

Richard explains how Wells Fargo Bank manipulated the processing of debit card transactions to assess its customers greater numbers of overdraft fees.

Awards & Honors

SuperLawyers, Best Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell badges

  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • "California Litigation Star," Benchmark Plaintiff (ranked as one of California's leading litigators in antitrust, personal injury and securities law)
  • The Best Lawyers in America, based on peer and blue ribbon panel review, selected for list of "San Francisco's Best Lawyers," 2007-2012
  • "Northern California Super Lawyer," Super Lawyers, 2004-2012
  • "Top Attorneys In Securities Law," Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2010, 2012
  • "Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist," Consumer Attorneys of California, 2011
  • California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award, California Lawyer, 2011
  • "Lawdragon Finalist," Lawdragon, 2009-2011
  • "Top 100 Attorneys in California," Daily Journal, 2010-2011
  • NLJ Hot List icon
  • U.S. News Best Lawyers badge 2011-2012
  • Super Lawyers Nationwide
  • Lieff Cabraser: follow us on (social media links)

    Visit us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter
    View our YouTube channel
    Read our LinkedIn profile
    Read our Tumblr
    Visit us on Google+

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., 1972)

     

    University of Florida (B.S., B.A., with honors, 1969)

Memberships

  • Bar Association of San Francisco

  • State Bar of California

Admissions

  • California

  • District of Columbia

  • New York

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

  • U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii

Offices