William Bernstein

William Bernstein has practiced law for more than three decades. Who’s Who Legal called him, “a leader in the plaintiffs’ bar in the fields of complex civil litigation, antitrust, and consumer protection law.”

Notable cases Bill has litigated include price-fixing suits against pharmaceutical companies on behalf of retail pharmacies, consumer claims against the world’s largest vitamin manufacturers for crafting a global “vitamins cartel,” charges against natural gas and energy companies for manipulating the price of natural gas and electricity in California during the California energy crisis of 2000-2001, and whistleblower claims against the Sutter hospital system for anesthesia service overcharges. These cases, in total, resulted in over $1.3 billion in settlements for consumers and businesses.

Bill also oversaw negotiations in the landmark settlement and injunction against De Beers for monopolizing the trade of rough diamonds in the U.S. for nearly 60 years. As featured in the 2008 Plaintiffs Hot List, The National Law Journal wrote,

The plaintiffs’ firms’ pluck, and some luck, resulted in a $295 million settlement for De Beers’ customers [and] secured De Beers’ pledge to abide by federal and state antitrust laws and accept court oversight to ensure compliance.

Bill taught settlement law as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco. Bill has been repeatedly recognized as a “Super Lawyer for Northern California” by Super Lawyers magazine.

Publications & Presentations

•“The Rise and Fall of Enron’s One-To-Many Trading Platform,” American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section, Annual Spring Meeting, 2005
•“Effective Use of Class Action Procedures in California Toxic Tort Litigation,” West-Northwest Journal of Environmental and Toxic Torts Law and Policy, No. 3, Spring 1996

Honors & Awards

•AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
•Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in field of “Litigation - Antitrust,” 2013 - 2026
•“California Litigation Star,” Benchmark Plaintiff (ranked as one of California’s leading litigators in antitrust law)
•“Recommended Lawyer - Competition: Plaintiff,” Lexology Index 2025
•“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004 - 2025
•“Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2014
•“Top Attorneys In Antitrust Law,” Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2010, 2012
•“Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2009 - 2011
•Princeton Premier Registry, Business Leaders and Professionals, 2008 - 2009
•“Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California,” American Trial Lawyers Association, 2008
•Who’s Who Legal, 2007
•Unsung Hero Award, Appleseed, 2006

In the News

•August 21, 2025
36 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2026 Best Lawyers Listings
•August 21, 2025
Five Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized in Lexology Index: Competition 2025
•June 30, 2025
28 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Selected as 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
•August 17, 2023
34 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers Listings
•July 5, 2023
23 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Selected as 2023 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Classes/Seminars

•Law of Settlements, University of San Francisco, School of Law, 2006 - Present