Richard M. Heimann

Richard M. Heimann supervises Lieff Cabraser’s securities and financial fraud practice. He 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 and intellectual property, consumer protection, and personal injury and mass torts cases. In its 2015 inaugural review of the nation’s top trial lawyers, Law360 selected Richard as a “Trial Ace.” Just one of 50 attorneys recognized, Richard is the only trial ace practicing at a law firm that represents solely plaintiffs. Law 360 stated:

Heimann has left an indelible mark on complex securities and investor fraud, consumer protection, antitrust, personal injury and mass tort cases - all of which he has pursued with zeal, backed up by intense fact-finding.

Extraordinary Results

Richard 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.

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 .

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. Richard’s trial performance, U.S. District Court Judge William A. Alsup stated, “ranks as one of the best this judge has seen in 16 years on the bench.”

Richard received a second CLAY award in 2013 for his outstanding success in the LCDs antitrust litigation, which resulted in settlements totaling over $470 million. The California Lawyer observed:

Heimann and [co-counsel] won a jury verdict last year against Toshiba, even though evidence they brought was circumstantial and the defendant had never been accused of criminal wrongdoing. Their work created a roadmap for large-scale civil prosecution and restore the threat of trial in major antitrust class cases.

Published Works

•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

Honors and Awards

•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”, 2007-2020
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2020
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019
•“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004-2019
•“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
•“Top 100 Attorneys in California,” Daily Journal, 2010-2011
•“Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2009-2011

Past Employment Positions

•Tulare County, California, Deputy District Attorney and Acting Assistant District Attorney, 1974 - 1975
•Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Assistant Public Defender, 1972 - 1974
•Tulare County, California, Acting Assistant District Attorney, 1974 - 1975

In the News

•August 1, 2018
National Law Journal Recognizes Lieff Cabraser Attorneys as 2018 Litigation Trailblazers
•November 2, 2017
Richard Heimann and Elizabeth Cabraser Named Benchmark Litigation Top 100 U.S. Trial Lawyers for 2018
•October 21, 2016
Benchmark Litigation Names Lieff Cabraser to Top 10 Plaintiff Firms in America
•September 2, 2015
Law360 Names Richard Heimann A Trial Ace
•August 17, 2015
Best Lawyers Names Steven Fineman, Elizabeth Cabraser & Richard Heimann As Lawyers Of The Year