Melissa Gardner, Consumer Attorney in San Francisco, California
Over 13 years of legal practice · focused on Consumer, Internet, and Personal Injury
PartneratLieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp
San Francisco, CA
Practicing consumer in San Francisco since 2013.
- 13+
- Years practicing
- 4
- Bar admissions
Practices in
Are you Melissa Gardner?
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Quick answer
Melissa Gardner is a partner based in San Francisco, CA. The practice focuses on Consumer, Internet, and Personal Injury. Melissa has over 13 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Lieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp.
- Based in
- San Francisco, CA
- Experience
- over 13 years
- Known for
- Consumer · Internet · Personal Injury
- Handles Consumer, Internet, and Personal Injury matters from San Francisco, CA.
- Over 13 years of practice as a licensed attorney.
About Melissa Gardner: Melissa Gardner is a partner based in San Francisco, CA. The practice focuses on Consumer, Internet, and Personal Injury. Melissa has over 13 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Lieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp.
Areas of practice
Practice areas handled by Melissa Gardner
Melissa concentrates on consumer, internet, personal injury, and product liability. Each area below outlines the kind of case Melissa handles, typical outcomes to expect, and how the intake process starts.
Consumer
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Internet
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Personal Injury
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Product Liability
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Consumer cases in San Francisco, California
Melissa takes consumer matters in San Francisco, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Melissa agrees to represent you.
Internet cases in San Francisco, California
Melissa takes internet matters in San Francisco, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Melissa agrees to represent you.
Personal Injury cases in San Francisco, California
Melissa takes personal injury matters in San Francisco, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Melissa agrees to represent you.
Product Liability cases in San Francisco, California
Melissa takes product liability matters in San Francisco, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Melissa agrees to represent you.
Biography
About Melissa Gardner — Over 13 years of California consumer experience
Melissa Gardner is a partner based in San Francisco, CA. The practice focuses on Consumer, Internet, and Personal Injury. Melissa has over 13 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Lieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp.
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
•“Ones to Watch,” Best Lawyers, 2021-2025
•“Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers,” Lawdragon, 2025, 2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2023-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 X - The Next Generation,” Lawdragon, 2023, 2024
•“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2024
•“Rising Star for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2017 - 2023
In the News
•April 24, 2026
19 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to the 2026 “Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers” Guide
•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
How Melissa handles consumer matters
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…
The kind of cases Melissa takes
Melissa reviews new inquiries case-by-case for consumer, internet, and personal injury matters in San Francisco and the surrounding California area.
Credentials
Melissa Gardner's legal education and bar admissions
Harvard Law School J.D. 2011 Law Journal: Harvard International Law Journal Harvard Law School J.D. Member
—
Western Washington University
B.A. · 2005
Jurisdictions
Melissa's state bar admissions
U.S. District Court,
2019 · ACTIVE
California
2013 · ACTIVE
New York
2013 · ACTIVE
U.S. District Court
2013 · ACTIVE
Melissa studied at — in Harvard Law School J.D. 2011 Law Journal: Harvard International Law Journal Harvard Law School J.D. Member and B.A. in Western Washington University.
Law school and academic background
Melissa completed — in Harvard Law School J.D. 2011 Law Journal: Harvard International Law Journal Harvard Law School J.D. Member and B.A. in Western Washington University. Formal legal training is one signal of substantive knowledge — the day-to-day practice Melissa runs in California is where that training gets applied to real client questions.
Affiliations
Melissa's professional memberships and bar associations
JD, Board of Directors (2015-2018) •State Bar of California •State Bar of New York
membership
Locations
Melissa Gardner's office in San Francisco
Melissa's primary office is at Embarcadero Center West, 275 Battery Street, 29th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94111. In-person meetings are by appointment; a phone intake usually comes first.
Lieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp
Embarcadero Center West, 275 Battery Street, 29th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
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Client reviews of Melissa Gardner
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Schedule your consultationHiring guide
How to hire Melissa Gardner — what to expect in your first consultation
Working with a new consumer attorney should feel structured. Here's how the first two conversations with Melissa usually go, from the moment you request a consult to the day representation begins.
Consultation formats and pricing
Melissa charges for the initial consult. That fee is credited toward representation if you retain Melissa's office.
What to bring to your first meeting
Bring any documents you already have — police reports, medical records, filed pleadings, correspondence from an insurer, a copy of the contract at issue. If you're not sure, err on the side of bringing everything; Melissa will tell you what matters and what doesn't.
Questions to ask a consumer attorney in San Francisco, California
A short list to run through before you commit: How many consumer matters have you handled in the last year? What's your fee structure? Who else in the office will work on this? What's your realistic estimate of timeline and range of outcomes? How do I reach you between meetings?
Fees & payment
Fees, payment methods, and consultation options for Melissa
Melissa discusses fees during intake so the arrangement fits the matter. Contingency, hourly, and flat-fee options are all common in consumer practice — ask which fits.
Hourly rates, contingency fees, and flat-fee options
Every consumer matter is priced differently. Simple document review might be a flat fee. Injury litigation is often contingency. Complex commercial disputes usually run hourly with a retainer. Melissa confirms the model in the engagement letter before any work starts.
Payment methods and payment plans
Melissa's office accepts standard payment methods. Ask about payment plans if the retainer is a stretch — many consumer practices work with clients on structured schedules.
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about Melissa Gardner
How much does it cost to hire Melissa for a consumer case?
Cost depends on the type of matter, the fee model (contingency, flat, hourly), and how contested the case becomes. Melissa walks through the likely range during the consult so there are no surprises.
Does Melissa offer a free consultation?
Melissa charges for the initial consult; that fee is credited toward representation if you retain Melissa's office. Some consumer attorneys offer free consults — check Melissa's current terms during booking.
How long do consumer cases in California typically take?
Simple consumer matters can wrap in a few weeks; disputed cases can run 6–18 months from intake to resolution, longer if the matter goes to trial. Melissa gives a realistic estimate for your facts at the consult — vague answers here are a red flag.
Can Melissa take my case if I'm outside San Francisco?
Melissa is licensed in California. Matters governed by California law are the natural fit. Out-of-state matters are handled case-by-case, sometimes with local co-counsel. Ask during intake — Melissa will tell you if the case is a fit or refer you to someone closer to your court.
What should I bring to my first meeting with Melissa?
Bring every document that touches the dispute: contracts, correspondence, police or medical reports, filed pleadings, invoices, photographs, insurance letters. Also bring a written timeline of what happened, in your own words. Melissa will filter what matters — over-preparing at intake is always cheaper than needing a second meeting.
Is Melissa accepting new consumer clients right now?
Melissa's intake status shifts week to week. Submit the form; the office will confirm availability or refer the matter out.
Areas served
Consumer attorneys serving San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in California
Melissa handles consumer matters throughout California. Each city below is a direct link into the search page for verified consumer attorneys in that community.
- San Francisco26,380 attorneys
- Los Angeles39,975 attorneys
- San Diego16,903 attorneys
- Sacramento10,561 attorneys
- Irvine6,831 attorneys
- Oakland5,709 attorneys
- San Jose5,009 attorneys
- Palo Alto4,084 attorneys
- Beverly Hills3,348 attorneys
- Newport Beach3,106 attorneys
- Pasadena2,894 attorneys
- Santa Monica2,756 attorneys
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