Richard M. Heimann
Partner, San Francisco Office
email
415 956-1000
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“Our passion is to hold accountable those whose fraud and misconduct have robbed investors of billions, no matter how wealthy or powerful those responsible for the losses are.” —Richard M. Heimann

Richard M. Heimann

Richard M. Heimann is one of the nation’s foremost trial attorneys and skilled negotiators, with unparalleled experience in complex securities and investor fraud, antitrust and intellectual property, consumer protection, and personal injury and mass tort cases. Richard led Lieff Cabraser’s work in the Wells Fargo Shareholder Derivative Litigation and was appointed Co-Lead Plaintiffs’ Counsel in the case. In April 2020, the Court granted final approval to a settlement including a $240 million cash payment, the largest insurer-funded derivative settlement in history, and corporate governance reforms.

Richard also supervised Lieff Cabraser’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. Richard has also successfully tried over 30 civil jury cases, highlighted by the FPI/Agretech and Edsaco securities class action trials, the Wells Fargo Bank overdraft fees consumer protection class action trial, and the LCDs antitrust class action.

Long form bio (click to open pdf).

  • Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
    J.D. – 1972
    Georgetown Law Journal, 1971 – 1972
  • University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
    B.S.B.A with Honors – 1969
  • California, 1975
  • District of Columbia, 1974
  • New York, 2000
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1980
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 2020
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 1999
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, 2015
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 1973
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2001
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1975
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 2005
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2006
  • U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii, 1985
  • Bar Association of San Francisco
  • State Bar of California
  • Securities Law Roundtable, California Lawyer, April 2007, April 2008, March 2009, September 2010, March 2013
  • “Preliminary Issues Regarding Forum Selection, Jurisdiction, and Choice of Law in Class Actions,” December 1999
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in fields of “Bet the Company Litigation,” “Litigation – Antitrust,” “Litigation – Securities,” and “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs”, 2007-2025
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2025
  • “Top 100 Attorneys in California,” Daily Journal, 2010-2011, 2018, 2022-2024
  • “Leading Commercial Litigators,” Daily Journal, 2024
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019-2024
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019, 2022-2024
  • California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award, California Lawyer, 2011, 2013, 2023
  • “Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004-2023
  • “Top Plaintiff Lawyers,” California Daily Journal, 2021, 2022
  • “Product Liability MVP of the Year,” Law360, 2022
  • “Litigation Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal, 2018, 2020, 2022
  • “Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame,” Lawdragon, 2020
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019
  • “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America,” Benchmark Litigation, 2017, 2018
  • “Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers, recognized in the category of Litigation – Securities for San Francisco, 2016-2017
  • “Outstanding Private Practice Antitrust Achievement,” American Antitrust Institute, 2017
  • “California Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation, 2013-2016
  • California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award, California Lawyer, 2011 & 2013
  • Legal 500 recommended lawyer, LeagalEase, 2013
  • “Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers,” Super Lawyers, 2013
  • “Top Attorneys In Securities Law,” Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2010, 2012
  • “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2011
  • “Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2009-2011