Elizabeth J. Cabraser
A Champion for Justice
Under Elizabeth Cabraser’s leadership, Lieff Cabraser has become one of the country’s largest law firms serving clients seeking redress for financial and consumer fraud, anti-competitive practices, harmful drugs and products, and illegal employment practices. For nearly four decades, Elizabeth has made sure that our firm remains dedicated to its core values.
Possessing unparalleled expertise in complex civil litigation, Elizabeth has served as court-appointed lead, co-lead, or class counsel in scores of federal multi-district and state coordinated proceedings. These cases include multi-state tobacco, the Exxon Valdez disaster, Breast Implants, Fen-Phen (Diet Drugs), Vioxx, Toyota sudden acceleration, numerous securities/investment fraud cases, and Holocaust litigation. Today, Elizabeth serves in court-appointed leadership positions in several of the nation’s highest profile civil cases: the BP Gulf Oil Spill, GM ignition switch defect, and Takata defective airbag litigation, as well as serving as sole Lead Counsel and Chair of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Emissions litigation and the Fiat Chrysler Ecodiesel Emissions litigation.
A Pillar of the Plaintiffs’ Bar
Elizabeth has been repeatedly recognized as one of the foremost litigators in our nation, including being selected an unprecedented four times as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal, which has called her “a pillar of the plaintiffs’ bar.”
In late 2017, Elizabeth received the National Law Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors an attorney’s career-long accomplishments and their impact on the national legal community. Also in 2017, she was was named “Plaintiff Attorney of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation, which noted that she “is known nationwide for having handled some of the largest class actions in US history, as well as being one the firm’s — and the country’s — foremost trial lawyers.” The publication also named her to its lists for “Top 10 Women in Litigation,” “Top 250 Women in Litigation,” and “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” The National Law Journal selected Elizabeth as a 2017 “Energy and Environmental Law Trailblazer,” and Chambers USA named her a “Leader in the Field” for General Litigation (California) and Product Liability (Nationwide). The Consumer Attorneys of California selected Elizabeth as a “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” and the California Daily Journal included her among its “Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California” and “Top California Women Lawyers.”
In 2016, Benchmark recognized her as a “Top 10 Female Litigator,” noting “Elizabeth Cabraser is one of the best trial lawyers to be found anywhere. She has an unassuming yet massive courtroom presence.” Also in 2016, Law360 named Elizabeth a “Most Valuable Player” in Class Action Law.
In 2015, the National Law Journal named her as one of the 75 outstanding women lawyers in America. She has been named repeatedly to the Lawdragon 500, The Top 100 California Lawyers, and as a Super Lawyer in multiple fields.
The California Daily Journal has described Elizabeth as
"a commanding attorney and a role model for other litigators, especially fellow female lawyers."
Law360 noted in a profile of Elizabeth that
"Her reputation among defense attorneys is that of a formidable opponent who comes to cases thoroughly prepared and can win a Judge’s ear."
Commitment to Advancing the Legal Profession and Society
Elizabeth serves on the Executive Committee of the Council of the American Law Institute (ALI) and is an advisor to several ALI projects, including Aggregate Litigation, the Restatement Third, Torts: Liability for Economic Harm. Since 2011, she has served on the Federal Civil Rules Advisory Committee.
Elizabeth has written and spoken extensively on substantive legal issues as well as ones related to the advancement of women in the profession, including last year for Trial magazine, published by the American Association for Justice, a commentary entitled “Where are all the women in the courtroom?”
Elizabeth’s dedication to the advancement of civil justice extends beyond cases. She lectures on class action and complex litigation at Berkeley and Columbia Law Schools, has written extensively on these issues, and has also lectured and conducted seminars for the Federal Judicial Center, ALI-ABA, the National Center for State Courts, Vanderbilt University Law School, and the Practicing Law Institute.
In 2010, the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession honored Elizabeth with its Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. The award recognizes the accomplishments of women lawyers who have excelled in their field and have paved the way to success for other women lawyers. It is regarded by many as the highest honor in the legal profession for women lawyers.
Elizabeth is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Many of our nation’s most accomplished leaders from academia, the social sciences, the study and practice of law, business, public affairs, the humanities, and the arts are members of the Academy.
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of "Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Plaintiffs," "Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs,"and"Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs," and "Consumer Protection Law," 2005-2019
- “Elite Women of the Plaintiffs Bar,” National Law Journal, 2018
- "Lawyer of the Year," Best Lawyers, recognized in the category of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs for San Francisco, 2014, 2016, 2019
- "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America," Benchmark Litigation, 2015, 2017, 2018
- “Champion of Justice,” Public Justice, 2018
- 2018 “National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame,” National Trial Lawyers Association
- “Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar,” Law360, 2018
- “Top 250 Women in Litigation,” Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2018
- “California Lawyer of the Year,” California Lawyer, 2018
- “Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004-2018
- “Top California Women Lawyers,” Daily Journal, 2007-2018
- "Top 10 Northern California Super Lawyer," Super Lawyers, 2011-2018
- "Top 50 Women Northern California Super Lawyers," Super Lawyers, 2005-2018
- "Plaintiff Lawyer of the Year," Benchmark Litigation, 2017
- “Lifetime Achievement Award,” National Law Journal, 2017
- “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2017
- “Top 10 Women in Litigation,” Benchmark Litigation, 2016, 2017
- “Top Plaintiff Lawyers,” California Daily Journal, 2016-2017
- “Energy and Environmental Law Trailblazer,” National Law Journal, 2017
- “Leader in the Field” for General Commercial Litigation (California); Product Liability – Plaintiffs (Nationwide), Chambers USA, 2017
- "MVP for Class Action Law," Law360, 2016
- "Litigator of the Week," American Lawyer Litigation Daily, October 28, 2016
- "Judge Learned Hand Award," American Jewish Committee, 2016
- "25 Most Influential Women in Securities Law," Law360, 2016
- "Top 100 Lawyers in California," Daily Journal, 2002-2007, 2010-2016
- "California Litigation Star," Benchmark Litigation, 2012-2016
- "Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America," Lawdragon, 2006-2017
- "Outstanding Women Lawyer," National Law Journal, 2015
- "Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers," Super Lawyers, 2005-2016
- "Recommended Lawyer," The Legal 500 (U.S. edition, 2000-2014)
- "100 Most Influential Lawyers in America," The National Law Journal, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2013
- “Lifetime Achievement Award,” American Association for Justice, 2012
- “Outstanding Achievement Award,” Chambers USA, 2012
- "Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award," American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, 2010
- "Edward Pollock Award," Consumer Attorneys of California, 2008
- "Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers," Lawdragon, Winter 2007
- "50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America," The National Law Journal, 1998, 2007
- "Award For Public Interest Excellence," University of San Francisco School of Law Public Interest Law Foundation, 2007
- "Top 75 Women Litigators," Daily Journal, 2005-2006
- "Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America," Lawdragon, 2006
- "Distinguished Leadership Award," Legal Community Against Violence, 2006
- "Women of Achievement Award," Legal Momentum (formerly the NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund), 2006
- "Top 30 Securities Litigator," Daily Journal, 2005
- "Top 50 Women Litigators," Daily Journal, 2004
- "Citation Award," University of California, Berkeley Boalt Hall, 2003
- "Distinguished Jurisprudence Award," Anti-Defamation League, 2002
- "Top 30 Women Litigators," California Daily Journal, 2002
- "Top Ten Women Litigators," The National Law Journal, 2001
- "Matthew O. Tobriner Public Service Award," Legal Aid Society, 2000
- "California Law Business Top 100 Lawyers," California Daily Journal, 2000
- "California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY)," California Lawyer, 1998
- "Presidential Award of Merit," Consumer Attorneys of California, 1998
- "Public Justice Achievement Award," Public Justice, 1997