Phong-Chau G. Nguyen

Phong-Chau G. Nguyen is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office specializing in consumer and defective product cases, as well as personal injury/mass tort matters. He is 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, won the California Daily Journal’s “California Lawyer of the Year” award, and secured a finalist position for the 2017 Consumer Attorneys of California “Consumer Attorneys of the Year” award. Phong is also involved in similar work on Lieff Cabraser’s leadership team in the Fiat Chrysler diesel emissions case.

Phong’s other cases include the representation of injured persons nationwide in lawsuits relating to Toyota sudden acceleration accidents, as well as the GM ignition case, where he represents GM vehicle owners and lessees whose cars include defective ignition switches in litigation focusing on economic loss claims. He has also worked on behalf of consumers in the Takata airbag litigation, involving 70 million dangerous and defective airbags found to have been installed in over 40 million vehicles worldwide and which have caused at least 20 deaths and over 280 serious injuries. In November of 2017, an aggregate settlement in the case was announced with Toyota, BMW, Subaru, and Mazda valued at $741 million.

Other cases include the representation of hip implant patients injured by defective and dangerous DePuy artificial hip devices. Phong also litigated personal injury claims in the Medtronic Infuse litigation.

Phong currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Barristers Club of the San Francisco Bar Association.

Honors & Awards

• 40 and Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation, 2018, 2019
• Rising Star for Northern California, Super Lawyers, 2018 - 2019
• California Lawyer of the Year, California Daily Journal, 2018
• Outstanding Volunteer for Pro Bono Work, Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco, 2015-2017
•“Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2017

Past Employment Positions

•Minami Tamaki, Attorney, 2013
•Minami Tamaki, Law Clerk, 2011 - 2012
•Velton Zegelman, PC, Post-Bar Law Clerk, 2012
•Housing and Economic Rights Advocates, 2011
•Greenlining Institute, 2008 - 2009, 2012

In the News

•March 29, 2018
Three Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Selected for Law360’s Practice Group Editorial Advisory Boards
•March 21, 2018
Lieff Cabraser Team Wins 2018 California Lawyer of the Year Award for VW Diesel Emissions Case
•March 16, 2018
Lieff Cabraser’s Melissa Gardner & Phong-Chau Nguyen Recognized as Outstanding Volunteers for 2017 Pro Bono Work
•January 2, 2018
Lieff Cabraser Names New Firm Partners for 2018
•March 17, 2017
Justice & Diversity Center Recognizes Lieff Cabraser Associates as Outstanding Volunteers