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Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLPPartner
Melissa Gardner
Pro

Melissa Gardner

Not yet reviewed

275 Battery Street, 29th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111

Consumer Protection, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy and Personal Injury & Mass Torts

About Melissa Gardner

Melissa Gardner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office with a practice focused on digital privacy and consumer protection complex litigation.

A pioneering advocate for personal rights and dignity in every domain, Melissa has been a key player in precedent-setting class actions that have put an end to numerous invasive and misleading corporate business practices, and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for consumers. Her past and current work includes litigation challenging website tracking technology, mobile device tracking and data sharing software, deceptive design in financial technology apps and software, misuse of identities in online advertising, invasions of email, online messaging, and other electronic communications privacy, platforms that facilitate identity theft and fraud, deficient cybersecurity practices, and other violations of consumer rights, including a recent class action settlement, on the eve of trial, of medical battery claims on behalf of purchasers of allegedly experimental and unreliable medical testing .

Melissa was named a Rising Star for Northern California for seven consecutive years by Super Lawyers, selected for Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch 2021 inaugural edition and each year since, named to the first edition of Lawdragon 500 X - The Next Generation, and named one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America each year since 2023. She has served on the Law360 Editorial Advisory Board, Cybersecurity & Privacy, since 2024.

Melissa received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was a semi-finalist in the Harvard Ames Moot Court Competition, as well as a Student Attorney with the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project and South Brooklyn Legal Services. Prior to attending law school, Melissa worked for the Skagit County Community Action agency in Washington State and served for three years with the United States Peace Corps in Tianshui, China.

Publications & Presentations

•Speaker, “Tricks are for Kids: The Dark Side of Children’s Gaming Apps,” Harvard Plaintiffs’ Law Association (HPLA), March 2023
•Speaker, “How the CCPA Relates to Other Existing Laws,” Bar Association of San Francisco Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Conference, November 2020
•Co-Author, “Play Ball: Potential Private Rights of Action Emerging From the FIFA Corruption Scandal,” 11 Business Torts & RICO News 1, Summer 2015

Honors & Awards

•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2023-2026
•“Ones to Watch,” Best Lawyers, 2021-2025
•“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2024
•“Lawdragon 500 X - The Next Generation,” Lawdragon, 2023, 2024
•“Rising Star for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2017 - 2023

In the News

•February 17, 2026
30 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized as Lawdragon “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2026
•June 30, 2025
28 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Selected as 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
•February 28, 2025
33 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized as Lawdragon “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2025
•August 15, 2024
38 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers Listings
•July 2, 2024
13 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to Lawdragon’s 2024 “Lawdragon 500 X - The Next Generation” List

 

Melissa Gardner (San Francisco, California) View website

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Services

Areas of Law

  • Other 3
    • Consumer Protection
    • Cybersecurity & Data Privacy
    • Personal Injury & Mass Torts

Practice Details

  • Firm Information
    Position
    Partner
    Firm Name
    Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

Experience

  • Bar Admission & Memberships
    Admissions
    2013, California
    2013, New York
    2016, U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
    2019, U.S. District Court, Central District of California
    2013, U.S. District Court Northern District of California
    2024, U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
    Memberships

    Professional Associations

    •American Association for Justice
    •American Bar Association
    •Bar Association of San Francisco
    •California Women Lawyers, District Governor (2018-2021)
    •Consumer Attorneys of California, Leadership Academy (2019)
    •Law360 Editorial Advisory Board, Cybersecurity & Privacy (2024-2025)
    •Ms. JD, Board of Directors (2015-2018)
    •State Bar of California
    •State Bar of New York

  • Education & Certifications
    Law School
    Harvard Law School
    J.D.
    2011 Law Journal: Harvard International Law Journal

    Harvard Law School
    J.D.
    Member
    Other Education
    Western Washington University
    Class of 2005
    B.A.
    magna cum laude

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Attorneys FAQs

  • What year was this attorney first admitted to the bar?
    Melissa Gardner was admitted in 2013 to the State of California and New York.
  • Is this attorney admitted to the bar in more than one state?
    Yes, Melissa Gardner is admitted to practice in California and New York.
  • Is this attorney admitted to practice in any U.S. Federal Courts?
    Melissa Gardner is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, United States District Court for the Central District of California and United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
  • How many attorneys are in this law firm?
    Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP has 100 attorneys at this location.
  • What law school did this attorney attend?
    Melissa Gardner attended Harvard Law School.

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