Atty. Donald C. Arbitblit
Donald C. Arbitblit is a leader among plaintiffs’ attorneys in assessing the legal, medical, and scientific aspects of personal injury, mass torts, and environmental and toxic exposure litigation .
Profile Summary
About Donald C. Arbitblit at a glance
Donald C. Arbitblit is a Partner based in San Francisco, California, practicing at Lieff Cabraser Heimann And Bernstein Llp. They have 47+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1979. Their practice focuses on personal injury and litigation. Admitted to practice in Vermont (1979), California (1986), California Supreme Court (1986), and U.S. Court Of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (1986). Educated at Tufts University (B.S., 1974) and Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley J.D. 1979 Order of the Coif (—). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Serands clients in San Francisco, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Donald C. Arbitblit is a leader among plaintiffs’ attorneys in assessing the legal, medical, and scientific aspects of personal injury, mass torts, and environmental and toxic exposure litigation
- Don has served on Plaintiffs’ Science/Expert Committees in several national cases and served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Actos bladder cancer injuries federal multidistrict litigation that settled in 2015 for $2.4 billion
- Don was a member of the trial team that won the first Actos bellwether trial in April 2014, including a $9 billion punitive damage award
- Don was also Chair of the Epidemiology/Causation Subcommittee of the federal Vioxx litigation from 2005-2010, and he was a member of the trial team that won a plaintiffs’ verdict in that litigation in 2006
- Between 1998 and 2014, Don has served on science and expert witness committees in the Actos, Yaz, Fen-Phen Diet Drug, Rezulin, Baycol, Vioxx, and Sulzer hip implant cases
- Since 2018, Don has served as a leader of the Plaintiffs’ Expert Witness Committee in the national Opioids Litigation MDL, working with experts in the fields of addiction medicine, psychiatry, pain management and epidemiology
- Don was listed in the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers guide, based on “submissions, journalistic research and editorial vetting from a board” of his peers
- Publications & Presentations •Co-Author with Wendy Fleishman, “The Risky Business of Off-Label Use,” TRIAL Magazine, March 2005 •Co-Author with William Bernstein, “Effective Use of Class Action Procedures in California Toxic Tort Litigation,” West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, No. 3, 1996 •“Comment on Joiner: Decision on the Daubert Test of Admissibility of Expert Testimony,” 6 Mealey’s Emerging Toxic Torts, No. 18, December 1997 •“The Plight of American Citizens Injured by Transboundary River Pollution,” 8 Ecology Law Quarterly, No. 2, 1979 Honors & Awards •AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell •Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in fields of “Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Plaintiffs” and “Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs,” Best Lawyers, 2012 - 2026 •“Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004, 2006 - 2008, 2014 - 2025 •“Lawyer of the Year for Mass Tort & Class Action Litigation,” Northern California, Best Lawyers, 2022 •“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2021, 2022 •Legal 500 recommended lawyer, 2013 •“Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2009 - 2011 In the News •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 •August 15, 2024 38 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers Listings •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
Practice Areas Explained
Donald C. Arbitblit's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Donald C. Arbitblit handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Donald C. Arbitblit is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in California →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Donald C. Arbitblit is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in California
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in San Francisco are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in San Francisco or all attorneys in California.
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