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Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLPPartner
Robert J. Nelson
Pro

Robert J. Nelson

4.5
3 reviews

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

Defective Products, Environmental Law, Personal Injury & Mass Torts and 1 more

About Robert J. Nelson

Robert J. Nelson has played a leading role in the firm’s False Claims Act (fraud against the government law), automotive, defective products, mass torts, tobacco, consumer fraud and environmental cases, taking on many of the world’s largest corporations and holding them accountable. He has served as court-appointed Lead or Co-Lead Counsel in numerous state and federal coordinated proceedings, as well as in more than 40 class actions.

Robert likes to say that he specializes in fraud cases, whether by oil companies, tobacco companies, pharmaceutical companies, or insurance companies. He also has led some of the most innovative cases that the firm has pioneered. For example, he helped lead a RICO case against State Farm, in which the plaintiff class alleged that State Farm secretly helped finance the judicial campaign of an Illinois Supreme Court justice, then lied about doing so, all at the very same time that State Farm had a case pending before the Illinois Supreme Court in which State Farm had suffered a billion dollar judgment against it. The justice was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court and then voted to overrule that billion dollar judgment.

Published Works

•False Claims Roundtable, California Lawyer, June 2010, June 2011, April 2012, January 2013, August 2014
•Product Liability Roundtable, California Lawyer, December 2007, July 2009, June 2010
•Co-Author, “Class Action Treatment of Punitive Damages Issues after Philip Morris v. Williams: We Can Get There From Here,” 2 Charleston Law Review 2, 2008
•Contributing Author, California Class Actions Practice and Procedures (Elizabeth J. Cabraser editor in chief, 2003)
•“The Importance of Privilege Logs,” The Practical Litigator, ALI-ABA Publication, Vol. II, No. 2, March 2000
•“To Infer or Not to Infer a Discriminatory Purpose: Rethinking Equal Protection Doctrine,” 61 New York University Law Review 334, 1986

Honors & Awards

•Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in fields of “Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs” and “Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs,” 2012-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2020-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2025, 2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2021-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2020-2025
•“Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2009-2011
•“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004-2025
•“Environmental MVP of the Year,” Law360, 2023
•“Energy/Environmental Law Trailblazer,” National Law Journal, 2021
•“Top 100 Lawyers in California,” Daily Journal, 2020
•“2019 Trial Lawyer of the Year,” Public Justice
•“Trial Lawyer Excellence Award,” Law Bulletin, 2019
•“California Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation, 2013-2016
•“Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2007, 2010, 2014-2015
•Legal 500 recommended lawyer, 2013-Present
•“California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award,” California Lawyer, 2008, 2010
•“San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist,” San Francisco Trial Lawyers’ Association, 2007

In the News

•February 17, 2026
30 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized as Lawdragon “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2026
•January 9, 2026
Eleven Lieff Cabraser Partners Named to 2026 “Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America” List
•September 8, 2025
Twenty-Seven Lieff Cabraser Partners Named to 2026 “Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America” List
•August 21, 2025
36 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2026 Best Lawyers Listings
•June 30, 2025
28 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Selected as 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

 

Robert J. Nelson (San Francisco, California) View website

Awards

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Reviews for Robert J.

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Overall Rating
4.5
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3
Lawyers.com
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4.5
Martindale
3
Avvo
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Services

Areas of Law

  • Environmental Law
  • Other 3
    • Defective Products
    • Personal Injury & Mass Torts
    • Whistleblower Law

Practice Details

  • Firm Information
    Position
    Partner
    Firm Name
    Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
  • Representative Cases & Transactions
    Cases
    Representative Cases: Sutter Anesthesia Billing
    State Farm RICO
    State Street False Claims

Experience

  • Bar Admission & Memberships
    Admissions
    1987, California
    1987, California Supreme Court
    1987, U.S. District Court, Central District of California
    1988, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
    1995, U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
    1998, U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
    1999, District of Columbia
    1999, New York
    2006, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
    2012, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
    2016, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
    2019, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
    U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
    U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
    Memberships

    Professional Associations and Memberships

    •American Association for Justice
    •American Bar Association
    •American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California
    •Bar Association of San Francisco
    •Bar of the District of Columbia
    •Consumer Attorneys of California
    •Fight for Justice Campaign
    •Human Rights Watch California Committee North
    •RE-volv, Board Member
    •San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
    •State Bar of California

  • Education & Certifications
    Law School
    New York University School of Law
    J.D.
    cum laude

    New York University School of Law
    J.D.
    1987 Honors: Order of the Coif
    Other Education
    London School of Economics
    Class of 1981
    Graded First

    London School of Economics
    Class of 1981
    General Course

    Cornell University
    A.B.
    cum laude

    Cornell University
    A.B.
    1982 Honors: College Scholar Honors Program

    Honors: Root-Tilden Scholarship Program

    Law Review: New York University Law Review, Articles Editor

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Attorneys FAQs

  • What year was this attorney first admitted to the bar?
    Robert J. Nelson was admitted in 1987 to the State of California and California.
  • Is this attorney admitted to the bar in more than one state?
    Yes, Robert J. Nelson is admitted to practice in California, District of Columbia and New York.
  • Is this attorney admitted to practice in any U.S. Federal Courts?
    Robert J. Nelson is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States District Court for the Central District of California, United States District Court for the District of Colorado, United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, United States District Court for the Northern District of California, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
  • What law school did this attorney attend?
    Robert J. Nelson attended New York University School of Law.
  • What year was this attorney's law firm established?
    Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP was established in 1972.

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