Steven E. Fineman

Steven E. Fineman


Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

Recognized since 2006

New York, New York

Practice Areas

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

Navigate to map location for Steven E. Fineman Call Steven E. Fineman at 212-355-9500
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
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Steven E. Fineman is the Managing Partner of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, resident in the firm’s New York office. Under his leadership, Lieff Cabraser has become a “go-to” firm for plaintiffs’ litigation across multiple bars, including Mass Torts, Antitrust, Securities/Financial Fraud, Consumer Protection, Product Liability, Employment Discrimination, and Whistleblower/False Claims Act. This commitment to excellence has led Lieff Cabraser to leadership roles in numerous major cases in recent years, and the firm to wide-spread recognition as one of the premier plaintiff-side litigation firms in the country. Most recently, in 2022, the New York Law Journal named Lieff Cabraser the “Best Class Action Department” of the year, in 2021, the firm was named the Boutique Litigation Firm of the year at the American Lawyer Industry Awards, and in 2021, Benchmark Litigation named the firm California Plaintiff Firm of the Year. For his leadership of the firm, Lawdragon has identified Mr. Fineman as one of the nation’s “100 Managing Partners You Need to Know.”

In addition to managing the firm, Mr. Fineman represents plaintiffs in class, group and individual civil litigation in the areas of securities and financial fraud, mass torts, consumer fraud, and whistleblower law. He has been consistently recognized as a top lawyer in his fields by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Benchmark Plaintiff, and the National Law Journal. Lawdragon has repeatedly identified Mr. Fineman as one of the nation’s “500 Leading Lawyers in America,” and in 2022, selected Mr. Fineman as one of 20 “2022 Lawdragon Legends.” In 2023, the National Law Journal selected Mr. Fineman as a “2023 Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazer.”

Mr. Fineman is the co-chair of the Anti-Defamation League’s Global Leadership Council, a member of the Growth Committee of ADL’s National Board of Directors, a member of ADL’s National Commission, a member of the ADL’s New York/New Jersey Regional Board, and is a past Chair of the New York/New Jersey Regional Board. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Stanford Law School’s Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession, and is a frequent guest lecturer at Stanford Law School. Mr. Fineman is a past President of the Public Justice Foundation, which oversees and funds the national public interest law firm, Public Justice, P.C., is a part member of the Board of Directors of the American Constitution Society, and is a past Co-Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Securities Litigation Group.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 250 Hudson Street, Eighth Floor
    New York, NY 10013-1413
Education
  • University of California Hastings College of the Law, J.D., graduated 1988
  • University of California - San Diego, B.A., graduated 1985
Bar Admissions
  • California, The State Bar of California, 1989
  • District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar, 1997
  • New York, New York State Bar Association, 1997
Affiliations
  • American Association for Justice - Co-Chair, Securities Litigation Group (2013-2016), Public Affairs Committee (2018-present)
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American Constitution Society For Law and Policy - Board of Directors, 2010-present
  • Anti-Defamation League - Co-Chair, Global Leadership Council (2022-present); National Commission (2015-present); NY/NJ Regional Board Chair (2019-2021); NY/NJ Regional Board of Directors (2012-present); NY/NJ Regional Board, Executive Committee (2014-present
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York - Member
  • Bar Association of the District of Columbia - Member
  • California Bar Association - Member
  • Civil Justice Foundation - Board of Trustees (2004 – Present)
  • Fight for Justice Campaign - Member
  • Human Rights First - Member
  • National Association of Shareholder and Consumer Attorneys - Executive Committee (2009 - Present)
  • New York State Bar Association - Member
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association - Board of Directors (2001 - 2004)
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Assocation's 'Bill of Particulars' - Editorial Board and Columnist, "Federal Practice for the State Court Practitioner" (2005 - Present)
  • Office of the Attorney General, State of New York - Consultant in connection with an industry-wide investigation and settlement concerning health insurers’ use of the “Ingenix database” to determine usual and customary rates for out-of-network services (2008-2009)
  • Plaintiff Toxic Tort Advisory Council - Lexis/Nexis, Mealey's Publications and Conferences Group (2002 - 2005)
  • Public Justice Foundation - President (July 2011 - July 2012); Executive Committee (July 2006 - Present); Board of Directors (July 2002 - Present)
  • Stanford University Law School - Center on the Legal Profession, Advisory Board (2011-present)
  • Supreme Court Historical Society - Member
  • Thomson Reuters Legal Executive Institute - Advisory Board (2014-2019)
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1997
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 2020
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, 1997
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit, 1996
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit, 2011
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2006
  • U.S. District Court, of the District of Columbia, 1997
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, 1997
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1997

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, New York City (2016)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Special Focus:
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Class Actions
Awards:
  • Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in field of “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs,” 2005-2025
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2025

  • "Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America," 2020-2024
  • “Super Lawyer for New York Metro,” Super Lawyers, 2006-2024
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019-2024
  • “Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2020-2024
  • “Plaintiffs’ Lawyer Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal, 2023

  • “Legends of the 500,” Lawdragon, 2022
  • “Edward Brodsky Founders Award,” Anti-Defamation League, 2021
  • “Game-Changer” in the Practice of Law, University of California, San Francisco Law, 2019
  • “Recommended – Dispute Resolution, Securities,” The Legal 500, 2018-present
  • “Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers, recognized in the category of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs for New York City, 2016
  • “National Litigation Star,” “New York Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation, 2013-present
  • Member, Best Lawyers Advisory Board, a select group of U.S. and international law firm leaders and general counsel, 2011-2012
  • “100 Managing Partners You Need to Know,” Lawdragon, 2008
  • “Top Attorneys In Securities Law,” Super Lawyers Business Edition, 2008-present
  • Consultant to the Office of Attorney General, State of New York, in connection with an industry-wide investigation and settlement concerning health insurers’ use of the “Ingenix database” to determine usual and customary rates for out-of-network services, April 1, 2008-February 1, 2009
  • “40 Under 40,” selected as one of the country’s most successful litigators under the age of 40, The National Law Journal, 2002
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Litigation - Antitrust
  • Litigation - Securities
  • Mass Tort Litigation
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law

Publications

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